Now that James Pearce Jr. has been arrested, the Atlanta Falcons have to re-evaluate their entire defensive line this offseason. Both David Onyemata, Leonard Floyd, and Arnold Ebiketie are set to be free agents, so Jeff Ulbrich and the Falcons must make some smaller additions to the defensive line.
Now that the Miami Dolphins cut Bradley Chubb, he could be a possibility in Atlanta, but a different pass-rusher makes more sense: Broncos EDGE rusher John Franklin-Myers. Just like Fox's Greg Auman did a few days ago, ESPN's Matt Bowen named the Falcons as the best fit for Franklin-Myers in free agency, which is starting to gain steam.
For a pass rush that finished second in the NFL with a franchise-record 59 sacks in 2025, signing someone like Franklin-Myers makes way too much sense. Not only does he have a prior relationship with Ulbrich, he's the sort of jack-of-all-trades defender this defensive line desperately needs to add.
John Franklin-Myers' connection to Jeff Ulbrich is becoming impossible for Falcons fans to ignore
The 29-year-old has broken out since joining the Broncos, where he has become a key piece of arguably the best defensive line in football. They were the only team to have more sacks than the Dirty Birds, and that was aided by what many fans could argue was the best season of his career.
The 2018 fourth-round pick from Stephen F. Austin recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and 15 quarterback hits for a team that finished with the best record in the NFC. If that isn't a guy who will drastically help this defensive line in multiple ways, you might need to get your eyes checked.
Something worth noting is that Ulbrich was Franklin-Myers' DC for three seasons with the New York Jets, where they worked together from 2021 until 2023 until he was traded to Denver. And for a Falcons' team that has multiple holes to fill on defense, this signing kills many birds with one stone.
Another major benefit from signing Franklin-Myers is that he's not a pure edge rusher. He can play both on the interior and off the edge, which can allow Ulbrich to use him as a chess piece in hopes of sustaining the unit's stardom in getting to the quarterback while also tightening up against the run.
Spotrac projects his market value at two years and $15.8 million, which comes in at $7.9 million per season. Given Terry Fontenot signed Floyd to a more expensive contract than that last offseason, this would be a major bargain, especially if Onyemata leaves in free agency like many fans expect.
Bowen also labeled the Falcons as the best fit for Kyle Pitts, who they're expected to franchise tag, but signing Franklin-Myers would be the perfect move to kick off Ian Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski's first offseason at the helm, especially since the Broncos don't have the space to keep him.