Falcons Eyeing Draft's Pass Rushers, But Non-Committal to First Round Pick

When Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris addressed the team's signing of outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, his first reasoning was familiarity -- they spent two years together with the Los Angeles Rams from 2021-22.

Morris's next point was more football specific.

"We need rush," Morris said April 1 at the NFL league meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. "He said it perfectly (at his introductory) press conference about forming a basketball team, and he'll be a piece of that.

"Getting that guy in there to form a way to get some rush and some better rush to do some of the things we did in the back half of the season, earlier on, so we can maintain it throughout the season."

The Falcons gave Floyd, who has 48 sacks over the past five seasons, a $10 million contract in March. He's Atlanta's lone free agency signee with a cap hit greater than $5 million, according to OverTheCap.

But the Falcons won't stop their pass rush additions with Floyd.

"I think you can't have enough edge," Morris said. "I think that's got to be something you're always constantly doing. It's a different position than quarterback, when you only play one. On the edge, you play a bunch of different people. You get a chance to roll those guys around.

"You can make the movement you have to make necessary to go out there and try to win match ups. And I think you want to continue to add those guys as much as you can."

The Falcons finished second-to-last in the NFL with 31 sacks last season and haven't finished inside the top 10 in sacks since 2004.

Atlanta returns sack leader Arnold Ebiketie, a fourth-year outside linebacker who tallied six sacks last season, and a handful of other complementary pieces up front. Inside linebacker Kaden Elliss, who had five sacks and a team-high 16 quarterback hits in 2024, is back in the middle of the defense.

But the Falcons appear unlikely to reunite with free agent outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who finished second on the team with 5.5 sacks in 2024, and they released defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who was tied for second on the team with 12 quarterback hits, before the start of free agency.

Atlanta signed veteran defensive lineman Morgan Fox in free agency. Fox, who recorded 15.5 sacks over the last three years with the Los Angeles Chargers, is the only other player the Falcons added to their defensive line in the early signing period.

Trade aside, the 2025 NFL draft provides Atlanta's best remaining option to elevate its pass rush -- and Morris has been on the road watching several high-end prospects during the pro day circuit.

Morris made stops at the University of Georgia, Marshall University, Ohio State University and Texas A&M, among others. He's seen Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams and linebacker Jalon Walker, Marshall edge rusher Mike Green, Ohio State defensive end's J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer and Texas A&M defensive linemen Shemar Stewart and Shemar Turner.

Williams, Walker, Green and Stewart are all expected to be first-round picks, and each have been pegged to the Falcons, who own the 15th overall pick, in various mock drafts throughout the spring.

But in spite of Atlanta's keenness on front seven defenders, Morris said the Falcons aren't necessarily committed to drafting an edge rusher in the first round.

"We do a bunch of jumping around -- be hard for me to say it's a spot you want to address early," Morris said. "You don't necessarily control the draft. You would like to be able to address some of your definite needs, some of the issues you want to go and find ways to acquire people for your football team.

"So, we're definitely looking at those people, definitely people that we evaluate."

Morris acknowledged the Falcons went to a "bunch of different spots" with edge rushers, but also tackles and other positions. It was a valuable experience for Atlanta's second-year coach, who said at the NFL combine in late February he hadn't dug deeply into film prior to the athletic showcase.

"I got a chance to get some really good eyes and good looks on some different people," Morris said, "(and) we get the chance to watch the tape as well."

Morris is confident the Falcons, who ranked 23rd in total defense and scoring last season, will take a step forward defensively in 2025. He anticipates the team's 2024 draftees taking a step forward, he's fond of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and, perhaps most relevantly, knows Atlanta isn't done adding pieces.

It's just a matter of when.