Atlanta Falcons Eye Major Defensive Line Investment in 2026

The Atlanta Falcons are entering the 2026 offseason as a new-look organization. The front office will now be led by Ian Cunningham, while the coaching staff will have Kevin Stefanski in charge. With these changes officially in place, could we see a renewed interest in building this roster from the inside out?

That is exactly what defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is hoping will happen this offseason, and he used the playoff teams as a perfect example.

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“I think this is a subtle suggestion, but there's a huge investment in defense [on playoff teams], especially the defensive line and front. To me, that's where championship teams are built, not just championship defenses,” Ulbrich explained. “I saw this graphic about every playoff team and their investment in their defensive line, whether it be draft capital or money, and the top defensive lines in the NFL were all the playoff teams.

“Houston has $180 million in their defensive line. New England went; Milton [Williams] was on top of what they had already invested a ton of money in. Obviously, Seattle, across the board, whether it be first-round picks or high-priced veterans, huge investment. Go back to the last Super Bowl winner. Like Philadelphia won a world championship, and can say, 'We won it because of the defensive line.'”

The Falcons may not be as far away from this level of production as one might think.

Despite being littered with rookies, expiring contracts, and key injuries, Ulbrich’s unit put forward a strong season. This defense finished in the top half of the NFL in total defense and passing defense, while in the top 20 in scoring and expected points added (EPA) per play. The rush defense left plenty to be desired, finishing No. 24 in the NFL.

Their overall performance is why Ulbrich was retained with the new coaching staff under Stefanski, while several other staffers were shown the door.

Despite some off-field questions with James Pearce Jr., there are still several core rookies and young players that the team can build around moving forward. Brandon Dorlus, Ruke Orhorhoro, Jalon Walker, and Zach Harrison figure to be pillars for the franchise in the coming years. But with this talent already in place, now is the time to continue investing in the front-seven.

Need that proof? Look no further than what the teams in the postseason have to deploy.

The Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks, Rams, Eagles, and Texans all featured waves of pass rushers and stout rush defenses. Eight of the top 10 scoring defenses made the playoffs, while the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks (No. 1) and AFC Champion Patriots (No. 4) were the final teams standing. Meanwhile, nine of the top 13 rush defenses made the playoffs.

Atlanta is set to lose several veterans, like David Onyemata, who will need to be either replaced or upgraded. They should have plenty of options when free agency opens in March and when the Draft comes around later on.

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Fortunately for Ulbrich, a front office is in place that will make his dream a reality.

“It gets me excited here because when I hear Ian Cunningham talk, and I hear Coach [Kevin] Stefanski talk, I hear that,” he finished. “We’ve got to build this thing from the front, back. So, I know there's going to be an investment. I know there's going to be dedicated resources to it. I'm excited about what that's going to look like.”