One Question Each Offensive Position For the Falcons Faces This Summer

The Atlanta Falcons have been busy this spring. They have reset their offense with several new contributors in the hopes of raising the floor and establishing some more consistency for Kevin Stefanski’s first season calling the shots.

As we approach the franchise’s organized team activities and mandatory mini-camps, Falcons OnSI took a look at the biggest questions still facing the organization.

Quarterback – Who Ultimately Starts?

The quarterback battle is going to suck the oxygen out of the room this summer, so it is a natural lead for us here. Michael Penix Jr. will return from his ACL injury at some point this summer, and he will compete with Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job when he does.

There is no clear leader in the clubhouse right now. Tagovailoa will get early reps during mandatory minicamp and OTAs, but the starters are not determined in June. The real competition begins in July when training camp kicks off, and these two can properly square off.

But until a starter is determined, everything else is put on hold.

Running Back – Can Brian Robinson Jr. Replace Tyler Allgeier?

Bijan Robinson is the unquestioned face of this offense, but the Robin to his Batman left the Falcons in free agency. Tyler Allgeier was a bona fide workhorse for the Falcons over his four years with the franchise, and replacing him will be difficult. He was a force by the goal line, never put the ball on the ground, a good pass blocker, and a great complement to Robinson’s electric playmaking ability.

Brian Robinson Jr. will fill that role, which equates to 150-175 touches. He is a more than capable pass-catcher, too, highlighted by his 36 receptions in 2023.

He was a solid backup for Christian McCaffrey last season in San Francisco, averaging 4.3 yards per carry, which is identical to what Allgeier did in Atlanta. He will need to replicate that efficiency with a doubled workload with the Falcons. How he handles that burden will be important for both the offense's overall production and protecting Bijan.

The signs of a productive player have been there. When he was a primary option in Washington, Robinson averaged 972 yards from scrimmage per season (4.1 yards per carry) and 20 total touchdowns.

Wide Receiver – Did Ian Cunningham Do Enough?

The Falcons’ wide receiver room was in poor shape last season. Aside from the ever-reliable Drake London, Atlanta had nothing consistent come from that room.

Ian Cunningham referred to it as a “premium position” earlier this offseason, and subsequently signed/drafted three new players to fill out that room. Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus are steady, if unexciting, options for this offense, but the real spark plug is Zachariah Branch. There are some fair concerns about his size, but his speed and playmaking will be something interesting for Kevin Stefanski to deploy.

But even after those moves, it is fair to wonder if the Falcons did enough.

Dotson has never quite lived up to his lofty first-round expectations, but he will be expected to do that in Atlanta. Zaccheaus, meanwhile, has been a solid player, but not one who can carry a significant load should the need arise. Branch is a rookie who was available in the third round for a reason.

There are still viable options for the Falcons in free agency, and adding at least one more veteran would go a long way toward securing this position group.

Tight End – What is Kyle Pitts’ Future?

Rumors swirled around the NFL Draft that the Falcons were open to moving Kyle Pitts, but nothing seemingly materialized for them. Should they still look to move him, there are still some free agents on the market (David Njoku or Jonnu Smith), but none who match Pitts' production.

Now that the draft has come and gone, a trade before the season feels increasingly unlikely. At this point, the Falcons are better suited to wait until the trade deadline to move Pitts.

Pitts enters this season with some interesting possibilities under Kevin Stefanski. The new head coach is known for his affinity for the position, and Pitts would be the most talented player he has coached. On the other hand, there are some questions about how he fits alongside Drake London. The fact that most of his All-Pro season’s production came after London went down with an injury did nothing to quiet those concerns.

The tight end signed his franchise tag earlier this offseason, which locks in his one-year salary with Atlanta, but the Falcons can still negotiate an extension. They have until July to put ink to paper with Pitts. If they cannot, he will play on the one-year deal and become a free agent next winter.

Offensive Line – What Does the Future Hold?

The Falcons have their established starters for 2026 across the line of scrimmage, but the future has become increasingly blurry. Left tackle Jake Matthews and right guard Chris Lindstrom are secure, but nothing else should be considered a sure thing.

Kaleb McGary’s sudden retirement was smoothed over quickly with the acquisition of right tackle Jawaan Taylor, but it was only on a one-year deal. Center Ryan Neuzil and left guard Matthew Bergeron are entering the final year of their respective contracts, but there is no certainty that they will be retained. That leaves three significant potential holes along the offensive line, with no clear succession plan. Further complicating things is Matthews’ age (34). The left tackle is under contract through 2028, but this is almost certainly his last contract.

The Falcons have enjoyed continuity along the offensive line for the last several years, and Ian Cunningham said that the lines of scrimmage would be a priority. They drafted one developmental player, Ethan Onianwa, but the depth remains a concern.

Fortunately, offensive line coach Bill Callahan is widely recognized as one of the NFL’s best developmental coaches. While the results will be hard to decipher, barring injury, what he does with this room will be closely monitored.

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