One Free Agent Falcons Should Still Sign Ahead of OTAs

The Atlanta Falcons could always use some more veteran bodies on their defensive line

The Atlanta Falcons could always use some more veteran bodies on their defensive line | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons bolstered the depth of their roster after finishing up the NFL Draft last month. They welcomed those rookies, plus several dozen more rookies and a few veterans, to Flowery Branch last weekend for the rookie minicamp. 

Ian Cunningham ended up signing four of those players from that weekend’s activities, reminding us that there is still a lot of movement left before we see anything close to a finalized 53-man roster in August. 

Up next are organized team activities, but the roster building will continue throughout the next several months as we ramp up to training camp. Players will come and go, but there are still some veterans on the market who could make a lot of sense for this Falcons team. 

Once all the rookie contracts are signed (Anterio Thompson and Avieon Terrell remain unsigned), Cunningham will have a little over $13-15 million in spending money to make a deal. That number will surely fluctuate after the June 1 deadline, when players can be released with a reduced cap penalty, but they could look to get ahead of things with a deal for a veteran in the time leading up to then. 

Teams can roster up to 90 players during the offseason, and the Falcons could always choose to exchange a few of those undrafted free agents for established players. Should they look to go that route, we identified a veteran they should target. 

Why the Falcons could target interior defensive lineman DaQuan Jones

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones starts his sack on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Falcons have added several new players to their defensive line rotation, but they could always do more. 

Maason Smith was acquired for Ruke Orhorhoro via trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Falcons will be hoping to see him realize some of his second-round potential in Atlanta. Otherwise, Ian Cunningham added Da’Shawn Hand, Chris Williams, and Chris Blacklock as free agents before drafting Anterio Thompson and signing rookie undrafted free agent Carlos Allen Jr. late last month. 

Cunningham has flipped his defensive line rotation. But will it be enough? 

The Falcons' younger room that could use another bona fide veteran defensive lineman to provide them with some experience in the middle, and DaQuan Jones fits the bill. 

Jones, 34, is a plug-and-play veteran who is coming off a strong 2025 season with the Buffalo Bills. He played in 12 games due to a midseason calf injury, but still accounted for 22 tackles, 3.0 sacks (21 pressures), three tackles for loss, two passes defended, an interception, and a forced fumble. 

He has played 167 games as a pro and can rotate into positions all over the defensive line. He offers the Falcons some size (6-foot-4, 322 pounds) and athleticism for the position and could be an ideal asset for a defensive line that could use both.  

Jones’ last contract fetched him a two-year deal worth $16 million ($10.5 guaranteed). At 34, the Falcons could sign him on a one-year deal around that price, and he could provide this unit with another injection of talent. 

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