Atlanta Falcons Make Surprising Move in ESPN Way-Too-Early Power Rankings

The Atlanta Falcons and the rest of the NFL have officially reached the offseason. 74 days stand between today and the NFL Draft. Meaningful games are 214 days away, but there is a lot to be done between now and then. Extension and free agency decisions, plus lots of roster movement across all 32 teams, could dramatically impact how teams are perceived between now and the new football season kicking off.

Regardless, it is time to look ahead to the 2026 season. Now that we have a new Super Bowl champion, ESPN took a stab at its inaugural power ranking for the 2026 NFL season, while also describing every team’s offseason goal in three words. Their rankings were based on a poll of 80 different writers, editors, and television personalities.

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The Falcons finished the season at 8-9, sitting outside of the playoffs and below the .500 mark for an eighth straight year. They were still competitive down the stretch, winning their last four games of the season.

No matter, though, because Arthur Blank decided to fire both head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. The Falcons entered the season expecting to make the playoffs, but were instead eliminated for nearly the entire month of December.

So it will be a new-look Atlanta team, but that is one of just a few areas the franchise will need to improve. It is why the Falcons fell three spots from No. 21 in the ESPN power rankings to No. 24, with the description “The Falcons weren't as ready as they thought.”

“There's no doubt the Falcons have talent across the roster. But the team's depth was called into question in training camp after wide receiver Darnell Mooney and right tackle Kaleb McGary went down with injuries. McGary and his backup, Storm Norton, both missed the entire season. Mooney missed three games, and Drake London missed five games. Atlanta's offense never seemed to be firing on all cylinders. The Falcons will need to address their depth, including at quarterback, due to Michael Penix Jr.'s ACL surgery.”

The placement feels appropriate, with the questions at quarterback and depth issues all across the roster. They have several lingering issues that must be addressed this offseason if they wish to win in year one of Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham.

As for the rest of the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came in at No. 17, the Carolina Panthers at No. 22, and the New Orleans Saints at No. 26.

The division still feels wide open, but how the Falcons handle what has already become a tumultuous offseason will determine if they can finally snap out of a brutal stretch of underachieving.