The Atlanta Falcons are suddenly asking a lot more from their defensive line, and 25-year-old defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus could be the player who makes the difference.
Dorlus already took a major step forward in 2025 putting up 8.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hits in 15 games as his 8.5 sacks also ranked second among all NFL defensive tackles.
But now Atlanta needs even more out of the kid, because Jalon Walker is gone for the year. James Pearce Jr. won't be available for the first half of the season. Arnold Ebiketie and Leonard Floyd are also gone after leaving in free agency.
The Falcons have added some guys like Smith, Samson Ebukam, Azeez Ojulari and others to help compensate, but there are still plenty of questions surrounding the group--most notably, where is the sack production is coming from.
They recently went out and signed veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith to a one-year deal, but the truth is that the Falcons still need their young players to carry more of the load. That puts Dorlus in an especially important position.
Brandon Dorlus needs to make the Falcons' whole defensive line better
The Atlanta Falcons' 2025 defense had a heck of a year as they set a franchise record with 57 sacks after recording just 31 the year before… Pearce led the team with 10.5, while Dorlus finished second with 8.5 and Walker added 5.5.
That production was spread across the defense, which was exactly what Ulbrich wanted. Now Atlanta has to figure out how to replace some of it. That makes interior pressure even more valuable, especially from a player who has the versatility to line up off the edge if they're desperate enough.
Atlanta already knows he can produce, particularly in clean-up while surrounded by elite pass-rushers. Now, with so much uncertainty surrounding the rest of the defensive line, the team needs him to become the kind of player offenses have to account for on every passing down.
If Dorlus takes another step and pushes beyond his 8.5 sacks from a year ago, the Falcons may be able to survive some of the losses that have hit their pass rush. If he doesn't, Atlanta could spend the first half of the season searching for answers up front.
That's why Dorlus' third season suddenly feels much more important than just some normal breakout campaign. The Falcons need their young defensive tackle to prove last year's production was the beginning of something bigger.
They need him to carry this defensive line on his back if they want to contend in the NFC South.
Add us as a preferred source on Google