1. Falcons cannot continue ignoring the pass rush
Last offseason, pressure was put on the shoulders of the Atlanta Falcons young group of pass rushers. When Bralen Trice was injured, the team found a last-minute trade target in Matt Judon -- we saw how that worked for them.
Ebiketie had a breakout second half but he cannot be counted on to be the guy yet. Terry Fontenot has to add a game-wrecking threat off the edge, whether in the draft, free agency, or trade.
This will be the difference between the Falcons extending or breaking their long playoff drought in 2025.
2. Falcons cannot go crazy restructuring contracts
I wrote about this recently, the Falcons have the most money available through restructures in the NFL. However, that doesn't mean it is a good idea.
There is over $100 million to be had but it will cost you in the future. It is the exact recipe that has the Saints in purgatory right now. As fun as it would be to spend a bunch of money, it would destroy the future health of the franchise -- we have already seen that and don't want to go through it again.
3. Falcons cannot trade Kyle Pitts for nothing
Undoubtedly, tight end Kyle Pitts will be discussed as a possible trade piece this offseason. He will be on the fifth-year option of his deal, meaning trading him would clear over $10M off the books.
It may be tempting to take a mid-round pick but you cannot simply give away the former Pro Bowler because of fan perception. While he hasn't been everything we expected from a No. 4 pick, he hasn't been as bad as the public thinks. Not to mention, you would then have to find a pass-catching threat to replace him
Anything worse than an early day-two pick should have the Atlanta Falcons hanging up the phone.
4. Falcons cannot disregard Michael Penix Jr.'s blindside
Michael Penix Jr. being a lefty brings a small issue to the offense. You always want your best pass protector protecting the backside of your quarterback -- Jake Matthews has been just that for over a decade. Now, Kaleb McGary has become that important piece.
McGary has improved since he was drafted. He has developed into a great player but he still occasionally struggles giving up quick pressure. Normally, a righty quarterback would see that immediately but Penix will have his back turned increasing his risk of injury.
The front office has to determine if replacing McGary is worth the risk, or if they should continue with what has been working, for the most part.
5. Falcons cannot force adding draft picks
The Falcons have five picks in the upcoming draft, only two of which come in the top 100. They brought this problem on themself with trades and the tampering violation.
This lack of picks may pressure the front office to add more picks, but they cannot fall victim to it -- they must get fair value. This becomes especially true when they are on the clock at pick No. 15; if they love a certain player then they must take him, even if a trade-back offer is on the table.
This isn't about landing as many players as possible, it is about landing the right players.
6. Falcons cannot draft an offensive player in the first round
Defense needs to be the target for the Atlanta Falcons. They haven't taken a defender in the first round since A.J. Terrell, that must change in April.
We have seen the lack of all-around talent on the defense. They have superstars at each level but no one to complement them. Landing an elite cornerback or pass rusher in the first round could change the fortunes of this team.
Terry Fontenot must ignore the temptation of further upgrading this offense; he needs to take a first-round defender for the first time.