The jury's still out on whether or not the Atlanta Falcons are going to be near the top or the bottom of the NFL standings in 2026. Atlanta is entering a new era with Kevin Stefanski and this team's aspirations are pretty much going to be a mystery box until we see this team take the field in Week 1.
I have more unanswered questions about this team than I did after watching the series finale of Lost this past weekend, but the Falcons don't exactly need to ruffle feathers in the weeks leading up to training camp. But that doesn't mean that they're not being urged to make some senseless additions.
We're at the stage in the offseason where trade and free agent speculation is running rampant, and Ian Cunningham is being urged to make a splash. New York Giants' edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux has been dangled in trade rumors for years, but it doesn't exactly make sense for Atlanta's new GM.
Trading for Kayvon Thibodeaux makes no sense for the Atlanta Falcons
Now that the Giants have drafted Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese in the first round of the last two NFL Draft and still have Brian Burns, it's made Thibodeaux the odd man out in Big Blue's pass-rush rotation, so in response, FanSided's Austen Bundy labeled Atlanta as a possible trade destination.
"The Atlanta Falcons recorded 57 sacks in 2025, but as the adage goes, you can never have enough good pass rushers," Bundy wrote. "Thibodeaux is certainly a good pass rusher but with the arrivals of Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese, he's the odd man out. A change of scenery could do him well and being a part of a promising project in Atlanta is a good start"
Labeling the Dirty Birds as a trade destination is one thing, but it's hard to say they're in a situation to make such a marquee move. Cunningham isn't married to the idea of parting with draft capital, especially when you consider Bundy thinks it would take Atlanta a second-round pick to land him.
Yes, the Falcons have both James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker on rookie deals and have the financial flexibility to take a shot on a former top-five pick, but that's about it. He's entering a contract year, so if they do trade for him, they'll soon be forced with the idea of paying him big money on a new deal.
Besides, the 25-year-old has been plenty disappointing throughout his NFL career to date. He has one season of his career with over six sacks, and his draft capital from five years ago shouldn't be enough to warrant giving up a second-round pick for this guy. Maybe for a third or fourth-rounder.
Pearce could be faced with potential NFL discipline to start the year and Walker will be more of a chess piece for Atlanta on defense, but Kayvon Thibodeaux isn't the answer to their EDGE problems. It's no guarantee the Falcons are built to contend, and while he's talented, he's not worth that price.
This isn't to say the Atlanta Falcons won't make a move or two before training camp, but if they do, hopefully it's a smaller-scale move that won't come at the expense of some premium draft capital.
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