The Atlanta Falcons are scheduled to interview former Carolina Panthers head coach and San Francisco 49ers DC Steve Wilks next week. It is the perfect fit for the Falcons and remains their best probable hire. Wilks is a veteran coach who is going to bring needed stability and leadership to the staff of Raheem Morris. Whether it was leading Carolina to a late-season surge or pushing the 49ers defense to a Super Bowl contender everywhere the coach lands is impacted.
Atlanta's one issue here is going to be selling the veteran coach on a job that is far from the best on the market. The Falcons have Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell as selling points and that is the extent of why a coach might want this job. Atlanta has a myriad of needs while dealing with limited cap space. The team needs at the very least a star pass rusher, a safety, and at least one starting option at corner.
I think it's worthwhile to note the Falcons won't interview Steve Wilks until next week.
— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) January 15, 2025
Despite interviews picking up, it feels like Atlanta is still pretty early in the process and a hiring doesn't feel incredibly imminent.
Still, Wilks is a well-established coach who isn't going to be afraid of a rebuilding defense. Adding the coach makes the Falcons drastically better by adding a veteran coach who will put players in their best possible roles. This is a part of why the team was forced to part ways with Jimmy Lake.
The former defensive coordinator was more focused on running his system than setting up players to succeed. This resulted in predictable coverages and players put in poor situations. Having Judon out in coverage or DeAngelo Malone on the field in what was a playoff game. Lake's decisions consistently held this team back.
Wilks cannot turn this questionable defensive talent into a top defense; however, they do become instantly better. This potential hire would give Atlanta another reason to believe that 2025 will be the season when their playoff drought finally ends.