It took three days of free agency to do it, but the Atlanta Falcons have finally addressed the interior of their defensive line. They have a young trio of Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, and Ruke Orhorhoro, but following an under-the-radar DL signing, Harrison could be on the move in the coming weeks.
The Falcons agreed to terms on a one-year, $2 million deal with Chicago Bears DL Chris Williams, who spent the last two seasons in Chicago with general manager Ian Cunningham. Williams is mostly a depth signing, but four sacks across the last two years is something that Jeff Ulbrich could work with.
Former Bears DL Chris Williams reached agreement today on a one-year, $2 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons, per his agents Alan Herman and Jamie Mullen.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2026
On the bright side, at least Cunningham finally addressed Atlanta's biggest need. The Dirty Birds have been searching for depth on the defensive line all offseason long, so while Williams could be a replacement for LaCale London or Sam Roberts, he could be a successor to Harrison if he gets dealt.
The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly signed defensive tackle Chris Williams
The 27-year-old doesn't have the production that any of the players above him on the depth chart do, but since Harrison is set to be a free agent next offseason and an extension is looking unlikely, why not explore trading him? They could get an early Day 3 pick back in return for him, and given their lack of 2026 draft capital it's worth a shot.
The Falcons can also afford to trade the 2023 third-round pick since they'd still have Dorlus and Orhorhoro manning the middle, and both of them are on an upward trajectory. Only James Pearce Jr. had more sacks on the team than Dorlus in 2025, while Ruke may have the highest ceiling on the DL.
As far as the 25-year-old goes, he was in the midst of a breakout year until he was placed on season-ending IR. His season ended prematurely, but he still managed to record 4.5 sacks and five tackles per loss through just seven games, so imagine what pace he would've been on if he finished the year.
I'm no mathematician, but color me impressed. The Ohio State product can play both off the edge and slide inside, and that sort of versatility should intrigue contending teams that could use extra bodies on the defensive line, especially since Atlanta can easily replace him in the 2026 NFL Draft.
For that reason (and the DT logjam), it's no guarantee that Harrison is back in 2026. We know Cunningham is hoping to add additional draft capital by any means necessary, so now that Williams is coming to town, don't be surprise if they explore trading away the former five-star recruit.