Falcons No. 1 Rush Defense to Face New Challenge after Big Ravens Trade

The Atlanta Falcons set out in the offseason to improve their run defense. They overhauled their defensive front in the offseason, partly out of a desire to improve the personnel and partly out of necessity due to players being out.

The results after the first month have been wildly spectacular. New general manager Ian Cunningham traded for two interior linemen in Gervon Dexter and Maason Smith, and the team got bigger at edge after losing Jalen Walker to injury and James Pearce Jr. to suspension.

After the first month of the season, the Falcons not only have the No. 1 rushing defense at 48.3 yards per game, but they'd have to give up 54% more yards per game to even fall to No. 2. They have by far the best run defense.

Atlanta's defensive front is scheduled to take on its toughest test of the season against Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is questionable for Sunday night, but the Ravens' rushing offense is still formidable. They're ranked No. 4 in the NFL at 153.5 yards per game (most of which had Jackson at the helm).

They accomplished the stellar rushing numbers despite being in a jam at center. Baltimore started the season with former Falcons practice squad member Jovaugn Gwyn for the first three games, and then turned to first-round pick Olaivavega Ioane last week against the Titans.

The Ravens were able to manage a 3-1 record against the Colts, Saints, Cowboys, and Titans, but the Falcons' defensive front poses a significantly bigger challenge. The Ravens weren't willing to risk their season on a question mark at center and pulled off a big trade with the Eagles for Pro Bowler Cam Jurgens.

The Ravens sent a fifth and a 2028 second-round pick to the Eagles for Jurgens and a seventh in a rare in-season trade that involves an offensive line starter.

We have agreed to trade C Cam Jurgens and a 2027 7th-round pick to Baltimore in exchange for a 2027 5th-round pick and a 2028 2nd-round pick. pic.twitter.com/8BtXXXtl2K
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 7, 2026

Jurgens started all four games for the Eagles this year. He was originally a second-round pick out of Nebraska in 2022 by Philadelphia. He's made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons.

Even if he's not 100% familiar with the Ravens' offense by Sunday, he's still a plug-and-play center who will improve the quality of their line play when they take on the Falcons.

The Panthers' Chuba Hubbard rushed for 53 yards against the Falcons in Week 2. That's the most Atlanta has given up to a running back so far this season. The Ravens will lean heavily on Henry, especially if Jackson is out.

And they just got a big-time player on the offensive line.

The biggest challenge for the Falcons' defensive line just got a little bigger.

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