FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When Ian Cunningham and Kevin Stefanski first arrived in Atlanta to take over as general manager and head coach at the tail end of the winter, they inherited a core group of skill players in Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts that could make even the most seasoned offensive minds envious.

As they evaluated the roster, they knew this offseason wouldn't be about acquiring pieces that overshadowed that trio, but rather enhancing it. The goal was to find players who differed in build and skill set while complementing the Falcons' established stars.

That's exactly what they set out to do.

At running back, they needed a bruising role player. They signed Brian Robinson Jr. following Tyler Allgeier's departure in free agency. At wide receiver, they wanted more speed. They brought in Jahan Dotson, re-signed Olamide Zaccheaus and selected Zachariah Branch in the draft. At tight end, they re-signed Austin Hooper, a veteran presence whose skill set falls somewhere between Pitts' large catch radius and Charlie Woerner's run-game prowess.

The additions made to the offense this offseason were designed to complement the core, and that's what the Falcons believe they have found as mandatory minicamp approaches in a couple of weeks. In fact, that was the expectation all along.

Cunningham said as much in the aftermath of the first wave of free agency, when the Falcons signed Dotson and Zaccheaus.

"I feel like bringing him here, it gives him a chance to showcase what he's capable of doing and what he was kind of building up to in his time at Washington, and it fits our offense. It complements Drake, it complements Bijan and it also compliments Kyle," Cunningham explained when a question was posed to him about the addition of Dotson. "Excited for what he's capable of doing, excited for him getting a chance to showcase what he's capable of doing, and not just him but 'OZ' (Zaccheaus), too, and a lot of the other guys that we've brought in."

That was the goal. But how are things progressing now, months later, with OTAs in full swing?

We checked in with Robinson, London and Pitts to find out. Hear directly from them:

Kyle Pitts on Austin Hooper and what he has learned from him so far:

"Actually a lot. You know he went to Stanford? So, he's gifted. Hoop is going on Year 11 so that tells you a lot that he's been able to sustain and play at a high level going on 11 years now. He is very mentally sharp. So, it's cool to hear about some things about how I can think quicker on the field and see things quicker that will allow me to play faster."

Drake London on the full complement of receivers around him:

"It's just ball players. Jahan, you got OZ (Zaccheaus) back, which I am stoked about, CB (Chris Blair), you got ZB (Branch) — you could go down the list, really, Drum (Dylan Drummond), Casey (Washington). I think we have a lot of versatile guys.

"... Guys who are flying under the radar a little bit who can really, really ball. I am really excited for them to showcase that, and show the team their value right now."

Bijan Robinson on rookies he has connected with since the draft:

"Zach, we talk all the time, just about how we set up people, how to break tackles. I am slowing just trying to get in his ear. And if he ever has any questions, he already knows he can always come to me. I want to make sure those guys are playing at their best no matter what the situation is."

The Falcons didn't overhaul their offensive core this offseason. Instead, Cunningham and Stefanski prioritized complementary pieces around their existing stars, betting that improved depth and role specialization would elevate the offensive unit as a whole.

And while it's still early (with the team in the throws of the offseason program) the early returns suggest the Falcons have accomplished what they set out to do. Hooper has already become a sounding board for Pitts, Robinson has taken Branch under his wing and London's praise for the receiver room reflects a group that believes it has more depth and versatility than a year ago.

The Falcons offensive is working, and the core is ready to activate with the new additions.