Now that Mike Rutenberg is leaving the Atlanta Falcons to become the Cleveland Browns' DC, the Falcons have another defensive need to fill. Beyond hiring a new defensive pass game coordinator, the Atlanta Falcons badly need help in the secondary, and Denzel Ward has been a rumored fit.
A.J. Terrell was elite as always in 2025, but he needs a better running mate, and Ward would be exactly that. Hopefully the 2018 first-round pick likes Kevin Stefanski, because those rumors have been gaining steam, but the Rutenberg hire may have just torched those hopes with one fell swoop.
Rutenberg spent last season coaching Atlanta's secondary, so even if he had a down year, why would he let a star cornerback walk? His scheme will be pretty similar to Jim Schwartz', so clearly the Browns value continuity, which more than likely means that Ward won't be going anywhere this offseason, which is bad news for the Dirty Birds.
The Falcons' chances of acquiring Denzel Ward just took a massive hit
Rutenberg got the most out of a Falcons' secondary that wasn't exactly brimming with talent, so there's no telling what he could have done with Terrell on one side and Ward on the other, especially with Xavier Watts and Jessie Bates III patrolling the back-end. But I understand taking the promotion from the Browns.
The 28-year-old has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons, even after he struggled at points in 2025. That's the sort of talent this cornerback room hasn't had outside of Terrell, as they signed Casey Hayward at the tail end of his career, but Rutenberg did more with less this past year.
Since the Browns hired a defensive coordinator who specializes in the secondary, obviously he will to want to keep as much talent around as possible. Ward is the crown jewel of Cleveland's secondary and all of their interview finalists having a background coaching DBs proves their faith in him.
Mike Hughes is taking strides in the wrong direction and Dee Alford is as good as gone in free agency, so even if the hire of Rutenberg confirms that Ohio State product isn't the answer to Stefanski and Jeff Ulbrich's prayers, Falcons fans should still want to see the 44-year-old succeed.
Regardless, they will add to the DB room in some capacity. Two former Browns' DBs in Greg Newsome (who they traded) and Martin Emerson could also make sense because of the ties to Stefanski, so it's not a matter of "will they address the position?". the question is "how will the Falcons address CB?"
And it's a question we will finally get an answer to in the coming weeks.