FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — With training camp set to begin next month for the Atlanta Falcons, we're kicking off our preview series that will take a closer look at where each position group stands after the 2026 offseason.

This series will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between now and July 22, which is one week before the Falcons' first training camp practice is set to take place on July 29. We will start with special teams before getting into the offense and defense in alternating fashion. Tori McElhaney will be helping me write these previews, which will include any offseason personnel changes, notable stats from the 2025 season and key questions entering training camp.

Let's dig into the Falcons' special teams unit, which has changed a lot this offseason.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Coaches:

• Craig Aukerman — Special teams coordinator
• Chase Blackburn — Assistant special teams coach

Returning contributors:

• Liam McCullough — Long snapper
• Natrone Brooks — Kick returner
• Dylan Drummond — Kick returner

Notable newcomers:

• Jake Bailey - Punter
• Nick Folk - Kicker
• Zachariah Branch - Kick returner
• Jahan Dotson - Kick returner
• Olamide Zaccheaus — Kick returner

Rest of the roster:

• Matthew Hayball — Punter
• Philip Florenzo — Long snapper

Offseason departures:

• Bradley Pinion — Punter
• Zane Gonzalez — Kicker
• Jamal Agnew — Kick returner
• Deven Thompkins — Kick returner

3 key questions for Falcons special teams

1. Will the offseason changes lead to improvements?

We won't know the answer to this question until the season begins, but it's an important one for the franchise. Untimely special teams mistakes contributed to some of the Falcons' losses last year, and it's why the unit underwent an overhaul this offseason. New special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman has held this role with three other teams — the San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins — and he's got a combined eight years of experience as a coordinator.

"That's my biggest thing: I want to teach these guys, I want to develop them, and I want to inspire them to play as hard as they possibly can," Aukerman said at his introductory press conference. "So, that's part of my job as a special teams coach, and that's what I'm going to try to live up to."

The Falcons also brought in a new kicker and punter for Aukerman to work with, although they have kept long snapper Liam McCullough, who is entering his fifth season with Atlanta. After starting three different kickers in 2025, the Falcons signed 41-year-old veteran Nick Folk, who has been one of the league's most consistent kickers for a very long time. They also signed punter Jake Bailey in free agency and moved on from Bradley Pinion in the process. Bailey worked directly with Aukerman last season and is a former All-Pro.

Statistically, there's a lot of room for improvement from the 2025 season. Last year, the Falcons ranked last in average yards gained on kickoff returns and 27th in punt return yardage. They allowed the most yardage in the league on kickoff returns and had a kick returned against them for a touchdown. Atlanta ranked 24th as a team in percentage of made field goals, converting on 82% of attempts, and opponents blocked three Falcons field goal attempts, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

What kind of turnaround can Aukerman and the new members of the Falcons' special teams units orchestrate this year?

2. Who emerges as the team's kickoff and punt returners

Not since 2019 have the Falcons finished in the top half of the league in both average kickoff and punt return yardage gained, although it should be noted that they led the league in average punt return yardage during the 2022 season. Entering training camp, there are plenty of exciting new options for the team to evaluate for their return roles.

Atop that list is third-round pick Zachariah Branch, who was one of the most electrifying return men in college football the last three seasons. Branch led all D-I players in punt return yardage as a freshman with 332 yards for USC, and he scored a touchdown off both a punt return and kickoff return that year. In total, Branch gained more than 500 punt return yards and 700 kickoff return yards during his college career. He worked with the returners during OTAs and minicamp, and it seems likely Branch will continue to get work on special teams during training camp.

We noted the returner rotation on Day 1 and Day 2 of minicamp, but the players who were getting a look at punt returner included wide receivers Branch, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, Dylan Drummond, Keelan Marion and Vinny Anthony II. Many of those players were also getting reps on kickoff return, but a few others joined that rotation. Running backs Brian Robinson Jr., Tyler Goodson and Cash Jones were back there handling kickoffs, as well as cornerback Natrone Brooks.

There's potential for the returner roles to be one of the more competitive camp battles if Branch isn't the clear candidate in the coaches' minds.

RELATED: Tua compared Zachariah Branch to Jaylen Waddle — how similar are they?

3. Finding the next crop of core special teamers

Every team has a select group of players who are pillars of the special teams groups and prized for their reliability and leadership in the third phase of the game. Cornerback Mike Ford is a great example of this type of player for the Falcons, and he carries on a lineage that includes former players like Eric Weems and Artie Ulmer. Ford played 366 special teams snaps last season, the most of any Falcons player and more than 80% of the team's total. Many of the players just behind him on the special teams snap-count list are no longer on the roster.

Who will step up to fill the roles held last year by Feleipe Franks, Josh Woods, Teagan Quitoriano and KhaDarel Hodge? Those players played at least 48% of Atlanta's special teams snaps in 2025 and accounted for 19 of the Falcons' 60 special teams tackles.

Several of the free agents Atlanta acquired this offseason have been pillar special teams players at other stops along the way. Defensive end Cameron Thomas played 53% of Cleveland's special teams snaps last season, and linebacker Channing Tindall has never played less than 40% of his team's snaps on special teams. Other free agents with extensive experience in this phase include cornerback Darren Hall and running back Darnay Holmes. Safety Sydney Brown, who the Falcons traded for this offseason, is also a proven ace and logged 757 special teams snaps for the Eagles across his first three seasons.

Branch isn't the only rookie who could carve out a big role in special teams, either. Linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. has the all-around athleticism to become a true asset in that phase. He could be a player to watch in what should be a competitive camp for special teams jobs. It's all part of the Falcons' push to improve in a key aspect of the game.