Bleacher Report Suggests Three Trades That Could Give Falcons a Boost

A new regime has taken over the Atlanta Falcons, headlined by two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, general manager Ian Cunningham and president of football operations Matt Ryan. With Atlanta’s new look front office now officially set, they have some important decisions to make in terms of the roster as they head into the 2026 season.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine detailed three trade targets at positions of need for each of the 32 NFL teams on Monday. For the Falcons, those positions include cornerback, quarterback and tight end.

Perhaps the biggest question mark on the Falcons roster remains at quarterback. Matt Ryan stopped short of fully endorsing Michael Penix Jr. during Tuesday’s press conference, speaking for both himself and general manager Ian Cunningham, with Ryan emphasizing that the decision to start Penix ultimately rests in the hands of head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Regardless, with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins expected to be cut ahead of March 13, the Falcons will need a backup at minimum, and Ballentine thinks that could be Arizona Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett, who has ties to Stefanski.

“Jacoby Brissett was successful in Arizona this season, but he posted his best QBR in his one season with Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland. The two could reunite and give the Falcons a relatively high floor at the position,” he wrote.

Brissett started 11 games for the Browns in 2022, going 4-7 as the starter. He completed 64.0% of his passes, throwing for 2,608 yards (237.1 yards per game), 12 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 62.0 QBR.

If the Falcons can get him without giving up too much draft capital, they certainly should. However, to Ian Cunningham, draft picks are hard to part with, with the general manager likening them to money.

At the cornerback position, Ballentine thinks that the Falcons should target Denzel Ward. Ward is widely regarded as one of the league’s top corners, and Cleveland would be reluctant to move him. That said, the Browns organizational turnaround could, emphasis on the could, create an opening that otherwise would not exist.

“The Falcons still need a cornerback to play opposite of A.J. Terrell. While the draft would be a nice place to find one, they could use the veteran presence that Denzel Ward brings. With Stefanski gone and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz potentially leaving Cleveland, Ward might welcome a change of scenery.” He writes.

It was reported that many of Cleaveland’s defenders were unhappy that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was let go. Ward and Terrell would certainly be one of the league’s best cornerback tandems; however, it is very unlikely the Browns would let him go, although we did see them trade Greg Newsome last season.

The final trade target Ballentine outlines for Atlanta is another Cleaveland Brown: tight end David Njoku. With Kyle Pitts set to be a free agent, the Falcons would need a tight end, and Njoku played under Stefanski for the past six seasons.

He posted career highs with 882 yards in 2023 under the current Falcons head coach. A trade could hypothetically make sense, but again, Cunningham made it clear that he values his picks, and trading draft capital for a 30-year-old tight end is not great asset management.

Of the three trades outlined by Ballentine, the most likely one is for Jacoby Brissett. The least likely, but most deadly, would be Denzel Ward.

Ultimately, Atlanta’s willingness to make any of these moves will hinge on how aggressive the new front office chooses to be in Year One. If the Falcons are intent on preserving draft capital, don’t expect any blockbuster moves, such as a trade for Ward. But if Stefnski and company believe this roster is closer to contention than expected, then a trade move may be on the horizon for the Atlanta Falcons.

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