Fans in Atlanta have had their patience tested in recent years, but a closer look at the Falcons’ recent offseason paints a very positive picture. While other teams have grabbed headlines with splashy moves, it’s the Falcons, thanks to shrewd decisions and key improvements, who may be the NFL’s most underrated contender heading into 2025.
It’s easy to get lost in the drama surrounding Atlanta’s quarterback situation, especially with Michael Penix Jr. now positioned as the franchise’s future and the Kirk Cousins saga still somewhat unresolved. But from an overall roster perspective, the Falcons were and remain extremely talented. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), last season, the Falcons actually rated as “average or better” in almost every area: passing, receiving, running, run blocking, coverage and run defense. The team’s advanced analytics (again, according to PFF) put Atlanta’s overall roster quality in the NFL’s top eight. The one glaring outlier? An anemic pass rush (final grade: 59, 30th in the league) and a tackling grade that languished with a score of 33, also 30th in the league.
General Manager Terry Fontenot and his staff set out to fix those glaring holes. They drafted pass rushers like James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, and adding quality veterans such as Devine Deablo, Morgan Fox, and Leonard Floyd.
The impact of these moves is measurable. Using projections that factor in both NFL rookie adaptation and proven veteran performance, Atlanta’s pass rush grade is expected to jump more than 10 points (from 59 to 67), moving the team to the mid-tier league-wide.
Tackling, perhaps the ugliest Achilles’ heel last year, is projected to rise from a nearly league-worst 33 to just under 50, This would represent another leap into competency. These projections are on the conservative side; the upgrades could look even better if Atlanta’s acquisitions click faster than expected.
NFL fans might shrug at moving from 30th to middle of thepack in two defensive metrics, but the impact for the Falcons could be transformative. With the likes of Bijan Robinson looking like a star, a strong offensive line, dangerous receiving options, and Michael Penix Jr. poised to improve, Atlanta’s offense already profiles as top-tier. The data backs this up; the Falcons boasted one of the highest overall PFF grades in the NFL for 2024. In fact, they were the only top-eight graded team to miss the playoffs and to finish without a winning record.
If Atlanta’s defense can simply “get back to average” in pass rushing and tackling, the Falcons suddenly go from barely being considered a playoff hopeful to a legitimate threat in the NFC. In fact, according to last season’s metrics, if those two woes had merely reached league average, Atlanta would have easily won the NFC South.
It’s tempting to get caught up in emerging stars like Penix and Robinson. But perhaps the bigger story is the team’s holistic approach to roster building and problem solving. Instead of chasing yet another big-name receiver or running back, the Falcons focused on the most actionable improvements: areas that would yield wins in key moments
If Atlanta’s offseason additions integrate smoothly, and if Penix takes the next step as many project, the Falcons won’t just compete for the division, they could be one of the NFC’s toughest playoff outs. All Atlanta needs from its new faces on defense is competence, not dominance, to let the rest of the talented roster shine.
For years, Falcons fans have heard endless debates about the offense’s ceiling or the coaching carousel. But 2025 could be different. The numbers show a team that, from a talent and production perspective, is already playoff caliber, being held back only by a few clear flaws. Now, those flaws have been directly—and, it appears, effectively—addressed.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
