Falcons NFL Combine Takeaways: Big Week For Key Targets

INDIANAPOLIS – The biggest interview in sports has come to an end in Indianapolis, but the NFL calendar never sleeps, and the Atlanta Falcons will now shift their focus to free agency (opens on March 9th) and Pro Days.

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Before we do that, let’s take a look back at what we just witnessed at the NFL Combine with some of the biggest takeaways from the festivities at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It’s a good year to need a wide receiver

North Dakota State wideout Bryce Lance | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Falcons need some wide receivers, but this weekend showed us that there should be some fantastic options for them on the second or even third day of the draft. The second day of the draft will provide Atlanta with some standout players, like Omar Cooper Jr., Chris Brazzell II, Germie Bernard, and Malachi Fields.

In mid-to-late rounds, there will be some outstanding value, too.

Bryce Lance popped off the page with great size (6-foot-3, 204 pounds) but also showed off some elite athleticism. Considering his size, Lance’s 4.34 forty-yard dash (fifth-fastest among WRs), 41.5 vertical & 11-foot-1 inch broad jump (fourth), and 7.00-second 3-cone (fifth) were off the charts. The athletic profile matches his production at North Dakota State, and he reminds me a bit of Christian Watson (who ironically was also a Bison).

USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane also had an outstanding performance. He was arguably the most effective wideout in the pass-catching drills, but also ran a blistering 4.47 forty. Lane could be a solid downfield threat for the Falcons as an early-day three player.

Other risers include Deion Burks from Oklahoma, Skyler Bell from Connecticut, De’Zhaun Stribling from Ole Miss, Jeff Caldwell from Cincinnati, and Ted Hurst from Georgia State.

The offensive line should get more attention than most people are paying right now

Florida offensive lineman Jake Slaughter | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The Falcons had one of the more consistent offensive lines last season, but 2026 will be a year of firsts in Atlanta. Dwayne Ledford is gone, replaced by Bill Callahan and the Kevin Stefanski offense, and that could impact the future of Ryan Neuzil. Should Atlanta move on from their center and find a new one this spring, it could save $2.18 million and potentially upgrade the position.

Jake Slaughter was reportedly someone that the Falcons’ brass spent extended time with, and he is considered one of the top options for teams looking for a center. He could be available late on the second day of the draft and could prove to be a clear upgrade.

Four of the other five positions feel safe, but nothing should be guaranteed at this point. Jake Matthews and Chris Lindstrom are signed through 2028, Kaleb McGary is here through 2027, and Matthew Bergeron is entering the final year of his rookie contract (and could receive an extension this offseason). In addition to adding a center, Atlanta could be in the market for a developmental offensive tackle to be ready for life after McGary (31) and Matthews (34).

Atlanta could find Kaden Elliss' replacement in the draft

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ian Cunningham seemed to be playing a little bit of hardball with linebacker Kaden Elliss, who is set to become a free agent in a little under a week. He could command a sizeable contract on the open market, and the Falcons have several needs to address this offseason – and not a lot of capital to take care of them.

Atlanta’s linebacker depth was exposed after an injury to Divine Deablo, but losing Elliss would only exacerbate that concern. Should he walk in free agency, it would suddenly be included on that growing list of pressing needs.

Fortunately, there are some outstanding linebackers for the Falcons to choose from.

Jacob Rodridguez would be a near like-for-like player for Elliss, from his production to his intangibles, and he could be found well within Atlanta’s range.

The class also features some athletic freaks that could create some serious issues for opposing offenses – Anthony Hill Jr. from Texas and Jake Golday from Cincinnati are two others who come to mind.

Trading back feels like a must for the Falcons

Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Atlanta is a bit hamstrung at the moment. They are down to just five selections in this draft, but Ian Cunningham did not seem all too distraught about it. He joked about how his former team was in an identical situation, but they ended up with double-digit selections later that spring.

“This is the hand that we’re dealt, but that’s the fun part about it,” Cunningham said, while joining Steak Shapiro on The Steakhouse. “Whether we sit here and have five picks come April, or whether or not we're able to manufacture more – trust me, that's been on top of my mind, trying to find different avenues in order to acquire more.”

With how many needs they have, the Falcons will be in the market for more picks. At this point, trading back seems to be the most logical solution.

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The Falcons’ QB position is still a complete unknown – and getting more foggy

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

There was little to no chance that Atlanta would walk away from the NFL Combine with any answers at quarterback, but then it only seemed to get murkier over the last several days. Michael Penix Jr. remains injured and without a timeline, but the Falcons remain noncommittal to their young quarterback (largely because they may just not yet know).

“Yeah, not big on giving out positions in February,” Kevin Stefanski said in Indianapolis. “I think you guys know how I feel about Michael, and I'm excited about his trajectory. I also know he's focused on his rehab, which is the right thing to do.”

Atlanta has been subjected to a new Week 1 starting quarterback every season since 2021, coincidentally, that was the now-president of football, Matt Ryan. Based on some reports that came out of the Combine, it appears that this streak may continue into 2026. Several insiders have started floating perceived interest from the Falcons in veteran castaways (Joe Flacco, Tua Tagovailoa, and Kyler Murray) that could make sense, but may not inspire much confidence.

Kirk Cousins will be released in a few weeks, meaning the Falcons will have to add someone to their roster between now and OTAs, but who that ends up being remains to be seen. Everything seems to be on the table, including drafting a player like Garrett Nussmeier or Taylen Green.