During the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons did as well as they could've given the awful position Terry Fontenot put the Falcons in. Ian Cunningham was able to fill most major needs and come away with value from the Avieon Terrell and Zachariah Branch picks, and Kendal Daniels is a fun gamble.
However, just because the Falcons addressed most of their needs doesn't mean they still don't have holes to fill. Kevin Stefanski definitely has a playoff-caliber roster at his disposal, but just like the other 31 teams in the NFL, Atlanta has a surplus of weaknesses they can address before the 2026 season.
There's one particular need Falcons fans have been begging Cunningham to fill with their remaining cap space: another outside wide receiver. Right now Jahan Dotson is the WR2 and outside WR next to Drake London, which led ESPN's Aaron Schatz to agree with the fanbase and pinpoint the position as the Dirty Birds' biggest post-draft hole that they could look to upgrade.
"Sure, the Falcons could depend upon Jahan Dotson, who signed from the Eagles this offseason," Schatz wrote. "But last year, Dotson had a 24 out of 100 score in ESPN's receiver scores, nearly at the bottom of the league. Dotson had fewer than 300 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons."
The Atlanta Falcons need to continue adding to their wide receiver room
Schatz noted that Dotson was held below 300 receiving yards in each of his last two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Perhaps an expanded role in Atlanta could be good for the former first-rounder to turn his career around, but that doesn't mean they should display blind faith in him as the WR2.
The ex-Penn State star is likely the highest-upside WR2 option on the roster, but at least add some competition. There are plenty of opportunities to add depth and there's still vets to sign. Schatz also pointed to the Falcons' lack of receiver depth behind London as a reason to keep addressing the position.
"Atlanta's other free agent signing, Olamide Zaccheaus, is more of a slot receiver, while third-round pick Zachariah Branch is strictly a slot receiver. Behind Dotson on the depth chart are Casey Washington and Deven Thompkins, who combined to catch just nine passes for the Falcons last season."
Cunningham and Stefanski have already done more to fix the WR room than the prevuous regime ever did, but there's a reason Falcons fans are not yet satisfied. Casey Washington and Olamide Zaccheus should not be playing a key role for any team in 2026, and Branch is a mere slot weapon.
Free agents like Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings are still available, but they could also look to add someone via trade. Cedric Tillman has the Stefanski connection, but perhaps Kayshon Boutte or Brandon Aiyuk makes more sense for what the Falcons covet on the outside. Honestly anyone would suffice, so hopefully Cunningham listens to the prayers of the fanbase.
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