The Atlanta Falcons knew they needed to address their defensive line, yet they might have overdone it this offseason. They drafted Jalon Walker out of Georgia with their No. 15 pick and then doubled up off the edge and traded back into the first round to draft James Pearce Jr. with the 26th pick. They also signed Leonard Floyd.
Somebody’s going to be a casualty by the time Week 1 rolls around, and there's a good chance it’s Floyd. He’s been a steady producer for the last few years. He had 8.5 sacks last year and has had at least that every year since 2020. There’s merit behind the Falcons going after him. It just doesn’t make sense for this team to sign Floyd, then draft two young guys behind him.
With depth in play, I could realistically see all three guys sticking around. But if Pearce and Walker show they’re ready to complement each other in Week 1 and don’t need a veteran presence, the Falcons would be better off trading Floyd.
Floyd has a lot of value, considering he’s been solid despite being 33 years old. A team like the Washington Commanders could be interested, or even the Pittsburgh Steelers if they decide to part ways with T.J. Watt. The Cincinnati Bengals and even the Detroit Lions could be in play as well, as they have massive needs for an EDGE rusher.
The Atlanta Falcons have a surplus of EDGE rushers after desperate NFL Draft
The Falcons made it clear they wanted to bolster their defensive line. They had already signed Floyd so it doesn’t make sense for them to give up a first-round pick to trade back into the first round for another EDGE rusher. They’re going to have to figure out what to do with this surplus.
It makes you wonder why they decided to draft two EDGE rushers when they already had a solid veteran. Floyd is on a one-year, $10 million deal, so it’s not a lot of money, but it still feels redundant when you look at the other options on the defensive line.
They also have David Onyemata and Morgan Fox, which again, adds more unnecessary depth. Floyd should be one of the preferred choices, but he’s the only one who has any real value they could capitalize on when they realize they overcompensated on the defensive line.
If Atlanta was smart, they’d make sure they can capitalize on Floyd’s value as preseason approaches. They should monitor closely how the Bengals and Lions are handling their situations as well as the Steelers. They have more than enough EDGE rushers to go around and they could turn from a waste of money into more draft capital or more help on this roster.