Now that the dust has settled following a chaotic opening wave of free agency, it's forced the Atlanta Falcons to re-evaluate their priorities. They were quick to address their need at wide receiver with two signings, but Atlanta failed to make any noteworthy additions on the defensive side of the football.
Cornerback and defensive tackle are two of the Falcons' biggest remaining needs on their roster, yet they haven't addressed either in free agency just yet. So if this pattern continues, it'll more than likely force Ian Cunningham to look into drafting both of those positions early on in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately, Terry Fontenot has the Dirty Birds entering this draft with their backs against the wall. The Falcons having no first-round pick is bad enough, but they only have five draft picks, which means Cunningham will have to hit on some late-round value to make his first draft a net positive.
And now that we are looking at the way the Falcons' 2026 draft plans are trending, DT and CB are both positions they should be looking at not only at No. 48, but with the 79th pick. But it also wouldn't be surprising to see receiver or linebacker garner consideration in Atlanta with their first selections.
The Falcons have to address the cornerback position early in the 2026 NFL Draft
Now that the Falcons lost Dee Alford to the Buffalo Bills, they have a major need in the secondary opposite A.J. Terrell. Mike Hughes won't cut it as a boundary corner anymore and Billy Bowman Jr. is fresh off of a torn Achilles, so they badly need someone who has the versatility to play inside and out.
One option could be Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds, so despite his staggering 43.5" vertical, Ponds measured in at 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, which is far too small for him to be an outside cornerback in the NFL. But if Bowman gets moved to safety or the outside, he could be a solid option in the slot.
Other cornerbacks the Falcons could look at are Miami's Keionte Scott, Tennessee's Colton Hood, and Ohio State's Davison Igbinosun. At the very least, they need to take a gamble at the position, and since any hopes of acquiring Denzel Ward left when Mike Rutenberg did, the draft is the best option.
Defensive tackle is a need, especially if Cunningham can some away with someone like Texas Tech's Lee Hunter, he'll be forced to consider it, but the Falcons already have a strong young DT trio in Brandon Dorlus, Ruke Orhorhoro and Zach Harrison. And LaCale London could still return to Atlanta.
Their biggest defensive problem is struggling against the run, especially after losing David Onyemata to the Jets. That should be an early priority as well, but I'd focus on improving a secondary that fell off a cliff near the midway point, especially after neglecting the position in free agency.