Free Agent Edge Rusher Options for Falcons After Jalon Walker's Season-Ending Injury

The Atlanta Falcons may have lost second-year edge rusher Jalon Walker for the season. Who are some players available they could look to as a replacement?

Future Hall of Famer Von Miller has expressed interest in playing at least one more year in the NFL. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Atlanta Falcons will be without their rising star outside linebacker Jalon Walker in the 2026 NFL season.

The second-year edge rusher was carted off the field at Atlanta’s training camp practice on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Josh Kendall of The Athletic confirmed the worst for Walker and that he would miss the season with ACL surgery.

Attention turns to other Falcons edge rushers, such as James Pearce Jr, Brandon Dorlus, Azeez Ojulari, and more, with Walker facing a season-ending injury.

But here are some free agent targets the Falcons should consider to fill the void.

Derek Barnett
Age: 30
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 259 pounds

Barnett most recently played for the Houston Texans, where he finished with 21 tackles and five sacks as a rotational piece. The former NFL Draft first-round pick was key to the defense that helped the Philadelphia Eagles win their first-ever Super Bowl as a rookie in the 2017-2018 season. He’s one of the fairly younger options for Atlanta if the team calls for his services.

Joey Bosa
Age: 31
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 280 pounds

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Bosa remains an unsigned free agent after spending the 2025 season with the Buffalo Bills. The 10-year NFL veteran appeared in 15 games in Buffalo. And was fairly productive, notching 29 total tackles, five sacks, nine tackles for loss, and a league-leading five forced fumbles. However, his recent injury history reportedly has him mulling retirement.

Leonard Floyd
Age: 33
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 240 pounds

Floyd was just a Falcon in 2025 in Jeff Ulbrich’s first season as defensive coordinator. And the Georgia native Floyd probably isn’t far from the Falcons’ Flowery Branch facility as he sits in free agency. The former Georgia Bulldog and Super Bowl champion spent his 10th season in Atlanta, picking up 19 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. If the Falcons want to lean on familiarity, Floyd is the guy.

Haason Reddick
Age: 31
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 240 pounds

Reddick spent last year with Atlanta’s NFC rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two-time Pro Bowler had 31 tackles, 2.5 tackles, and six tackles for loss. He played in 13 games, missing the middle half of the season due to knee and ankle issues. Reddick is familiar with Ulbrich’s system, having played for the current Atlanta defensive coordinator in 2024 with the New York Jets.

Von Miller
Age: 37
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 250 pounds

The Falcons can take a swing at another future Hall of Famer, as former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller is available. And he’s not shy about continuing his standout NFL career. Miller was in the nation’s capital playing for the Washington Commanders last year. He played in 17 games, starting three, and had 26 total tackles, nine sacks, and six tackles for loss.

Kyle Van Noy
Age: 35
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 255 pounds

Van Noy can bring a championship pedigree to Atlanta. He won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, including the 2016-2017 title, when they defeated the Falcons in the infamous 28-3 comeback. Van Noy played for the Baltimore Ravens for the last three seasons. In 2025, he totaled 20 tackles, two sacks, and four tackles for loss.

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