FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons added six new players into the fold this past weekend with the NFL Draft to go along with the long list of free agents the organization had previously signed in March.
With each addition, the 2026 roster is taking shape. And while this alleviates and answers some questions, it causes others to pop up. What are some of those questions? And how do they affect roster planning and training camp battles? Let's dive into it.
For more on this topic, Tori McElhaney and Will McFadden discussed all of this in their most recent Friday Five episode, available on all platforms Friday.
1. What's the plan for Aveion Terrell?
One part of Terrell's upside is his ability to play inside or outside in the secondary. He may have more recent tape at Clemson of being a true outside corner, but he has experience at nickel, too. This is helpful for Atlanta seeing as they could start the year in need of a nickel. We will talk more about Billy Bowman Jr.'s injury and recovery in a later section of this article, but suffice to say, there is a world in which the Falcons are not in the position to give Bowman a full green light come Week 1. If that ends up coming to pass, Atlanta does have options with both Terrell and Mike Hughes with nickel chops.
The thing is, however, is moving Terrell inside only to move him back outside once Bowman returns to full status the right decision? Especially knowing Hughes in on the final year of his deal. That's where the calculus of Terrell and his future meets its crossroad. How the Falcons choose to deploy and work Terrell throughout his first training camp could be indicative of how quickly they need his future as a starter to arrive, along with Bowman's outlook for early 2026 play.
2. What are the ripple effects of Jalon Walker's usage?
Walker — his role, expectations and versatility — is the linchpin of nearly all Falcons defensive decisions in 2026. Everyone saw how Walker was used as this moveable and fluid chess piece of Kirby Smart's 2024 defense at the University of Georgia. But upon Walker's entrance into the league, Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich didn't want to put too much on the rookie's plate. He wanted him to master being a more traditional edge rusher, which in hindsight, was a lucrative decision that helped the Falcons towards a new franchise record in sacks.
That said, without Kaden Elliss on the team in 2026 and with questions lingering about who the Mike is on this current roster, does this change what is expected of Walker? Could we see his role in this defense expand to look more like what it did at Georgia? If so, how does that change the defensive lineup, because theoretically, it would. If Walker gets more off-ball linebacking looks, there is a hole needing filled off the edge. And then vice versa: If the Falcons so choose to keep Walker in a similar role to 2025, who makes up the loss of a Elliss-type linebacker on the second level? Answers to the Walker question holds significant answers elsewhere when it comes to the future of this Falcons defense.
3. Could the Falcons use more offensive line depth, particularly at center?
Atlanta is in a good spot when it comes to their offensive line, and have been for a while. They return four starters from not just last year, but the year before, too. The only difference expected is the inclusion of Jawaan Taylor at right tackle. As a veteran in this league with a lot of starting experience, that seems like a given.
However, when you pull back the curtain, there is one particularly hole in depth that could be a priority to look into between now and training camp, and that's at center.
The door opened for current center Ryan Neuzil when he was a backup and then-starter Drew Dalman missed nine games with an ankle injury. In the case of a hypothetical injury to Neuzil, who on the roster backs him up? That's a big question that the Falcons will surely evaluate as the season gets closer.
4. What could the wide receiver line up look like this fall?
One could argue there is no singular position that underwent as much change as wide receiver did this offseason. The Falcons cut ties with Darnell Mooney and KhaDarel Hodge before the start of the new league year, and picked up Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency thereafter the new year's start. The most recent selection of Zachariah Branch in the third round of the draft added yet another element in an already solid-looking Falcons pass game.
That said, how does their workload shake out through the offseason and into the pre-season? The Falcons have a bunch of skillsets in the receiver room to capitalize on, so which role will each individual play in the receiver lineup and rotation?
An offshoot of this, too, is who emerges as depth pieces. Casey Washington returns on his rookie deal. But with rookie minicamp and other tryouts scheduled for Atlanta this spring, is there someone we haven't yet named who could make a case for themselves? And if so, what could their role be?
5. Timeline for return for key could-be starters?
Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham's draft press conferences were the first times in a while that the names Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa didn't come up. That doesn't mean their presence, and the impending competition between them, didn't linger in the air. It has to.
Truth be told, though, its not just Penix's return to play that should be of note for the coming months. His name is arguably the biggest, yes, but there are others who could tweak the roster and the lineups upon their returns.
We've hit on Bowman already, who ruptured his Achilles last year. What about Storm Norton? The Falcons swing tackle who would have been Kaleb McGary's backup last year had he himself not been injured to the point of surgery. The Falcons should get Zach Harrison back. That'll be a major boon for the defensive line as Harrison was a key contributor and playmaker prior to his injury midway through last season. What about Troy Andersen? Bralen Trice? Two former draft picks that haven't yet gotten a long enough runway post injury to really see what they could be. That's a lot of names who have an unknown element to them that could affect roster decisions and playing time. How they ultimately return to health and what impacts that health has is something to monitor.
