When the news broke the Atlanta Falcons were trading Ruke Orhorhoro for Maason Smith, fans on social media were irate. They saw the idea of the Falcons giving up the more proven and talented player in Orhorhoro and instantly weren't on board, but Kevin Stefanski set out to quell those doubts.
While addressing the media for the final time before the 2026 NFL Draft, Stefanski and Ian Cunningham were asked about Friday's trade, and their rationale behind the Falcons' decision to make this trade made a surprising amount of sense. A new regime simply has different plans for a talented roster.
"I just think with this trade, (it was) good for them, good for us," Stefanski said. "It just felt like Maason's ability to work inside was something that we were looking for. Obviously, we think highly of Ruke, but maybe the usage both players is a little different."
Kevin Stefanski sees the Falcons' Maason Smith trade as a win-win deal
Stefanski revealed in his pre-draft presser that he deemed the trade as "good for them, good for us". The Falcons are looking for a bigger body like Smith to play nose tackle and 3-technique in Atlanta, while the Jaguars see him as a player with more inside-out versatility. Both teams are getting what they want out of this deal.
The Dirty Birds tried playing Orhorhoro at nose tackle, and that experiment failed miserably. He was one of the worst defensive tackles (and run defenders) in the NFL in 2025 according to Pro Football Focus, but displayed promise over time, notably as a pass-rushing DT, with strong pressure numbers.
Even though Smith isn't the most polished player, the 23-year-old has upside, especially as a run defender, somewhere Atlanta struggled in 2025. So even though he was healthy scratched and treated like an afterthought by two different coaching staffs in Jacksonville, the Falcons think Nate Ollie and Jeff Ulbrich can help him turn things around, especially if they draft a DT in 2026.
"I've evaluated him for a while since his time at LSU," Cunningham said. "Obviously everybody knows the measurables, but it's a player that can play nose tackle and 3-tech for us. We're really excited about him in an attacking front, and being able to get upfield. He's strong, he's physical, we're excited about his upside and getting him with Coach 'Brich and Coach Ollie to see him take that next step."
Cunningham piggybacked off of Stefanski's statement, but gave more specific insight. The LSU product is evidently a reclamation project, but that's an area where Ulbrich and Ollie often thrive. The Falcons boast a defensive coaching staff who fans should trust overseeing his development.
Stefanski and Cunningham are looking to breed competition all over the roster. No player's roster spot (or starting spot) is safe. Arthur Blank and Matt Ryan brought them in because their vision isn't the same as Terry Fontenot. and making this sort of swap without adding any draft capital is bold, but will pay off with the right staff.
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