The Atlanta Falcons are extra desperate for some help off the edge right now. During yesterday afternoon's practice session, Jalon Walker was carted off the field, and the Falcons ended their practice after that. It's a heartbreaking update on one of the Falcons' most important young players.
Walker is feared to have torn his ACL, and once we get confirmation, he'll miss the entire 2026 season. This leaves Atlanta's pass-rush in a brutal situation, especially since James Pearce Jr. is staring down the barrel of a suspension and the depth off the edge isn't exactly groundbreaking.
If the Falcons are down their top two pass-rushers for Week 1 like we expect, Samson Ebukam, Azeez Ojulari, Cameron Thomas, and Bralen Trice isn't going to cut it. Trice has no NFL experience under his belt and the rest of these guys are rotational players--so a free agent move has to be coming soon.
The Atlanta Falcons must bring back Leonard Floyd after Jalon Walker's injury
Thankfully, Atlanta has $38 million in cap space at their disposal they can use, and they can use it to reunite with a player they had last season. Somehow, Leonard Floyd is still available in free agency, and the Falcons must sprint to free agency to bring the Georgia native back after this brutal update.
The 33-year-old regressed majorly last season, but still has the proven track record to keep this room afloat--especially considering he helped mentor Walker as a rookie. He amassed just 3.5 sacks in 15 starts with the Dirty Birds last season, but at this point they have no other choice. They need him to turn back the clock.
From 2020-2024, Floyd appeared in every game for the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers, and recorded 8.5 or more sacks in all five seasons. He may be on the older side, but he's still proven that he can get to the QB consistently--something the Falcons badly need right now.
The core difference between the two former Georgia Bulldogs is that Walker was a top-tier run defender from the moment he stepped into the league. Meanwhile, Leonard Floyd hasn't even been league-average in run defense in about a half-decade--2020 and 2021 was the last time he wasn't a liability in that area. And defending the run is the biggest vacancy that Walker will leave behind.
The Falcons are not in a position where they can rely upon Trice--who has yet to play a single NFL snap to date--or the injury-prone Ojulari in lieu of Walker. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with Jalon Walker out for the season, Ian Cunningham can bring in another Bulldog to replace him by bringing back Leonard Floyd.
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