The Atlanta Falcons already have to agree on long-term extensions with Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts, but they're overshadowing another name vying for a long-term deal in Atlanta in offensive guard Matthew Bergeron, who is set to be a free agent after this coming season.
However, given Ian Cunningham's offseason approach and his placement on the totem pole, the Falcons could already be preparing for their starting guard to leave in free agency. And that's why Atlanta has reportedly lined up a top-30 visit with Texas A&M offensive lineman Chase Bisontis soon.
The 26-year-old has made 49 of 51 possible starts in his NFL career thus far, so not only does he provide the Falcons with stability at left guard, he provides reliability. He's durable, a great run blocker for Bijan Robinson, and losing him would be a devastating blow to an offensive line that's one of the most talented in the NFL.
The Falcons are looking at Chase Bisontis to potentially replace Matthew Bergeron at guard
Paying one guard big money is one thing, but paying a second one is a bad decision. With Chris Lindstrom playing at an All-Pro level and is under contract through 2028, there's no reason for the Dirty Birds to move on from him, which confirms Bergeron's fate as the more expendable of the two.
The 21-year-old played both tackle and guard at Texas A&M, but the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder is more likely to slide to guard fully in the NFL ala Peter Skoronski. Bisontis is a plug-and-play guard who will especially thrive in zone-heavy run schemes like the one the Falcons will employ under Bill Callahan.
Bisontis is regarded by most draft experts as the second-best interior OL in the 2026 NFL Draft, with only Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane ranked ahead of him. Ioane has often been mocked as a likely first-round pick, but Bisontis is more likely to be drafted in the late-first, early second-round range.
The only concerns with the All-SEC OL is that he tends to be pretty penalty-prone, as he recorded 19 penalties across his three seasons with the Aggies, and his arms are pretty short. But he's quite good in pass protection, improved every year, and allowed a low pressure rate against SEC competition.
The 2023 second-round pick from Syracuse will command a lot of money, and knowing how Cunningham operates, I'm sure he would prefer having Bisontis and the comp pick he'll get than Bergeron. But they know they still need contingencies in the likely event he leaves next spring.
With him already having several visits lined up, Bisontis is unlikely to be on the board when the Falcons are picking at 48, but if he is, expect Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski to seriously consider him as competition (or as a potential successor) to Bergeron at left guard.