Falcons – Syndication Server

Kirk Cousins offers possible explanation for midseason slump

Kirk Cousins offers possible explanation for his midseason slump in 2024

The Atlanta Falcons got off to an impressive 6-3 start in 2024 before a midseason slump cost them a chance at the playoffs. Starting in Week 10, the team lost four straight games and Kirk Cousins‘ poor play was the biggest reason for the streak.

So what exactly happened to the veteran quarterback that caused his midseason dropoff? Cousins’ arm strength seemed to vanish out of thin air and he began throwing more interceptions than touchdowns.

This eventually led the Falcons to bench Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr. in Week 16. While Cousins claimed there was nothing physically wrong with him at the time, it sounds like he was playing hurt after all.

During an appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” program, Cousins admitted to hurting his arm and elbow in the team’s Week 10 loss to the Saints.

“But then against the Saints, I got hit pretty good in my right shoulder and elbow, and from there, kind of dealing with that,” said Cousins. “It was something that I was working through and just never really could get it to where I wanted it.”

Prior to the alleged injury, Cousins had passed for 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. From Weeks 10-15, he passed for one touchdown and eight interceptions. Clearly, he was not the same player after that Saints game.

Cousins finished the season with 18 touchdowns and a career-high 16 interceptions. Many rightfully criticized his decision-making down the stretch, but perhaps those bad decisions were due to a lack of confidence in his arm strength.

However, while Cousins’ injury potentially explains his dropoff, it also begs the question of why he denied being hurt. The Falcons were in control of the NFC South in Week 10. Had Cousins sat out a few games to get healthy, the team likely would’ve made the playoffs.

It’s possible that Cousins could have been worried he wouldn’t get his job back if the team went to Penix. That’s a valid concern, but not when it comes at the expense of the rest of the team.

The Falcons deserve some criticism for not benching Cousins sooner, but head coach Raheem Morris clearly believed the veteran QB would bounce back.

On the bright side, this injury news could help increase Cousins’ trade value, assuming the team moves him in the offseason as expected.

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Saquon Barkley gives major compliment to Falcons RB Bijan Robinson

Saquon Barkley gives major compliment to Falcons RB Bijan Robinson during Super Bowl press conference

If the 2024 NFL season taught us anything, it’s that running backs officially matter again. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Saquon Barkley in the offseason and his 2,000-yard campaign helped the team make it to the Super Bowl.

Barkley may have been the best running back in the league, but several others also had incredible seasons. Derrick Henry dominated for the Baltimore Ravens, while Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs each had breakout years.

During Super Bowl media day, Barkley was asked to name his top three running backs. The former No. 2 overall pick excluded himself in his answer, naming Henry, Gibbs and Robinson as his top three.

“I’mma go Derrick [Henry],” said Barkley. “I’mma go [Jahmyr] Gibbs. I’mma go Bijan [Robinson].”

Robinson finished third in rushing behind Barkley and Henry with 1,456 yards last season. The former Texas standout was selected with the No. 8 overall pick in 2023 — the highest any running back has been drafted since Barkley was taken by the New York Giants second overall in 2018.

Barkley and Robinson faced off in Week 2 on Monday Night Football. The Falcons pulled off a miraculous fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Eagles, 22-21.

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Could the Falcons actually trade for Browns EDGE Myles Garrett?

Could the Falcons actually pull off a trade for Browns DE Myles Garrett?

If you ask any fan of the Atlanta Falcons what the team’s biggest need is, you will likely get the same answer. The defensive pass rush continues to be a problem year after year. In 2024, the team ranked 31st in total sacks despite the offseason addition of Matthew Judon.

On Monday, one of the league’s best edge rushers, Myles Garrett, requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns as he looks to take on a new challenge. That challenge is to compete for a Super Bowl. That begs the question, can the Falcons make a move for Garrett?

The first hurdle for Atlanta is the salary cap. Currently, the team is $11 million over the projected salary cap limit, and the Browns are $30 million over, per Over The Cap‘s projections. While this might suggest a trade would help Cleveland, any move before June 1 would be extremely expensive for the Browns.

This is because Garrett has a salary cap hit of $19 million for this season, and trading him away would force Cleveland to eat the remaining portion of his prorated signing bonus, thus taking on a massive dead cap hit of $36 million.

As for the Falcons, if they were to make a move for Garrett, his salary would only cost them just over $1 million in 2025 because his salary cap hit is made up of almost $15 million in prorated signing bonus and another $3 million in other bonuses. The Falcons would only be held responsible for his base salary of $1,255.000.

Now, addressing the salary cap for the Falcons, cuts will have to be made regardless. So it makes sense to do so for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. But do the Falcons have the players to tempt the Browns into a deal? The short answer is probably not.

Arguably the biggest need for the Browns is a quarterback, and the Falcons don’t have one to offer. Atlanta could attempt to bait them with Kirk Cousins, but his limitations under center were made very apparent in 2024.

Atlanta could offer up Kyle Pitts, which would free up $10 million in cap space. Pitts’ value has diminished in recent seasons but he’s still young enough to fetch something in return.

When it comes to the salary cap in the modern-day NFL, there always seems some backroom magic to help teams become cap-compliant. In his trade request, Garrett stated his desire is to compete and win championships. Are the Falcons at that level yet or would he be back in the same situation he is in Cleveland?

The Falcons haven’t made the playoffs since the 2017 season. The team may be on an upward trajectory, but the fact is, until they make the playoffs, it’s just a trajectory and nothing more. Since the Falcons last went to the postseason, the Browns have gone twice, with one win in 2020, and have more wins in the regular season than Atlanta.

Experts around the league may project Atlanta as a potential landing destination, but that’s just because the glaring need is there for the team. Myles is an exceptional player, but probably too expensive for Atlanta at the moment.

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3 Falcons players to participate in Thursday’s Pro Bowl Skills Show

Three Falcons players to participate in Thursday night’s Pro Bowl Skills Show

The NFL has changed its tune regarding the Pro Bowl over the last few years. Gone are the days when the NFC and AFC teams lined up for an underwhelming game of 11 on 11 the Sunday before the Super Bowl.

The league has shifted to a flag football format while revamping the skills challenge to be more focused on having a fun and spirited competition. Thursday night’s Pro Bowl Skills Show starts at 7 p.m. ET and will feature three Falcons players participating in six events.

Pro Bowl Skills Show events:

Passing the Test
Satisfying Catches
The Big Spike
Relay Race
Helmet Harmony
Dodgeball

Chris Lindstrom, KhaDarel Hodge, and Bijan Robinson will partake in The Big Spike, Relay Race, and “Dodgeball. Hodge will get a chance to show off his speed in the Relay Race. Lindstrom will be participating in The Big Spike, which measures the power and impact of the participating players’ football spike.

Robinson will be competing in a classic seven-on-seven match of dodgeball. Lindstrom and Hodge both made the Pro Bowl roster initially. Robinson was later added as a replacement for Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.

Tune into the Pro Bowl Games Skills Show on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Chargers expected to make efforts to re-sign Khalil Mack, 2 teams linked to him

Khalil Mack made it clear that he will play in 2025, but for which team remains to be seen.

The Chargers head into free agency with a handful of their own players whose contracts are up, most notably edge defender Khalil Mack.

Earlier this month, Mack said he would take time to figure out his future. Despite considering retirement, he made it clear he will play in 2025.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Los Angeles is expected to make efforts to re-sign Mack, adding that the team embodies the spirit of the team’s toughness.

However, it won’t be done without a fight. Other teams, including the Panthers and Falcons, who are in the market for pass-rush help, are expected to make offers to the veteran.

Mack is coming off another great season, playing like he’s younger than his age (33). He finished first in quarterback pressures (54) and second in sacks (6). Mack also had the second-highest PFF run defense grade among edge rushers (88.0).

PFF projects Mack’s contract to be for two years worth $22.5 million per year with $40 million guaranteed.

Luckily, the Chargers are in excellent shape to bring back Mack as they are projected to have $63.05 available in cap space, with potentially more if they choose to move from some players.

Three Falcons players make PFF’s top 100 free agents list

Falcons News: 3 players make PFF’s top 100 free agents list

Free agency is always an exciting time once the regular season ends. The Falcons have made massive moves during the last two offseasons, for better and for worse, with the signings of Jessie Bates and Kirk Cousins.

Bates was a home-run signing while Cousins was a high-priced mistake. However, don’t expect the team to spend money like that in 2025. Atlanta has 30 players set to enter free agency, including several key members of the defense.

Pro Football Focus released its annual list of the top 100 free agents and three Falcons players made the cut. Two of the three players were added to the team before the season began as last-minute attempts to address glaring needs at linebacker and safety.

Rank	Name	Position	Position Rank
21	Drew Dalman	Center	1st
69	Justin Simmons	Safety	7th
71	Matthew Judon	Edge Rusher	12th

Dalman was a player taken in the fourth round by Atlanta in 2021. Initially coming in as a guard, he quickly made the move to center due to injuries and poor play. Pass blocking has never been Dalman’s strong suit, but it’s hard to shun the center when it comes to run blocking.

With a running back like Bijan Robinson, it would make sense for the team to bring back Dalman for his run-blocking game alone. However, if the Falcons want to be more dynamic on offense, he has to improve his pass protection.

Dalman has room to grow as a pass protector but is one of the best run-blocking centers in the NFL and will advance the continued growth of the interior offensive line market after Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey finally reset the center market. — Pro Football Focus

Simmons was a player the front office signed deep into the preseason. The acquisition itself was praised, but the results on the field left a lot to be desired. The Falcons likely thought they would get more than they did when they brought in Simmons late in August.

Simmons did have his moments, including intercepting Patrick Mahomes for an NFL-record sixth time.

One of the top ball-hawks of the past decade, Simmons continued his streak of multiple interceptions in every season of his nine-year NFL career after signing with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason. — Pro Football Focus

Alongside Simmons, the trade for Matthew Judon brought a massive spotlight to the Falcons defense. Simply put, this unit underachieved and it’s unlikely that Judon played his way into a contract extension in Atlanta.

Judon arguably had the worst season of his career, managing six sacks in 17 games. Two of those sacks came in the first 10 weeks. In every single graded category, Judon recorded a career low.

Outside of his injury-shortened 2023 season that played a role in the trade, Judon set career lows almost across the board in 2024 compared to all prior healthy seasons besides his rookie campaign in 2016. — Pro Football Focus

The Falcons have some tough decisions to make and not a lot of money for free agency. Bringing back Dalman and Judon might not be realistic. Simmons has at least expressed interest in returning to Atlanta.

“Man, I love it in Atlanta. I think things are trending in the right direction. There’s a lot of firsts here, but I’ve been a part of a lot of firsts in Denver, and I just feel like things are trending in the right directions,” said Simmons after the game against the Panthers.

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Cameron Jordan calls Saints-Falcons rivalry ‘the only one that matters’

The Saints have had tense games with the Buccaneers and Panthers, but Cameron Jordan says the Falcons rivalry is ‘the only one that matters’

Rivalries often form in the divisions purely off playing each other frequently, especially when both teams are good. Not all rivalries are created equal, however. For example, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tried, and still try, to force a rivalry with the New Orleans Saints when Tom Brady came to town.

Admittedly, Brady versus Drew Brees and Marshon Lattimore versus Mike Evans felt like chapters for an exciting rivalry. However, there never felt like enough true animosity between the fanbases to call it a true rivalry.

Everyone knows the Atlanta Falcons are the Saints’ true rival. As Cameron Jordan told Julian Edelman, “It’s the only one that matters.” There were some fun moments over the years with Tampa Bay, but Evans is the only one of the quartet still standing. No matter how many pieces come and go between New Orleans and Atlanta, the level of vitriol doesn’t fade.

“The only one that matters” is a great description of the Saints’ relationship with other teams around the division. The Saints have had a tense stretch of games with the Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. They’ve faced both of those rivals in the playoffs. If either the Saints or those other teams weren’t good, though, the game didn’t matter as much.

Just look at their records against each other. The Saints are 56-55 against the Falcons, 31-29 against the Panthers, and 40-26 against the Buccaneers.

There’s only one pair of teams where records don’t matter, where hate week is mandatory, where animosity is eternal. That’s the Saints and Falcons. In Jordan’s words, “the only one that matters.”

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Atlanta Falcons hire Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator

BREAKING: Atlanta Falcons hire Jeff Ulbrich as defensive coordinator

The Atlanta Falcons have found their new defensive coordinator, officially hiring Jeff Ulbrich on Saturday evening. The team interviewed seven candidates for its coaching vacancy but opted for the familiar face.

Ulbrich, 47, was with the Falcons from 2015 to 2020. He served as the linebackers coach for the first five years before taking over as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach once Atlanta fired Dan Quinn five games into the 2020 NFL season.

The Falcons did not bring Ulbrich back in 2021 and he took a job as the New York Jets defensive coordinator under Robert Saleh. When the Jets fired Saleh five games into the 2024 season, Ulbrich was named the interim head coach. New York went 3-9 over the final 12 games under Ulbrich.

The Falcons defense struggled down the stretch and the team fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake once the season ended. Atlanta gave up 24.9 points and 345.2 yards per game this season, ranking 23rd in the NFL in both categories.

Sacks were a problem again as the team ranked 31st in the league. Atlanta managed just 10 sacks over the first 11 games and had no answer for mobile quarterbacks last season.

The team interviewed most of the top names for its defensive coordinator vacancy, including Steve Wilks, Wink Martindale and Lou Anarumo, before selecting Ulbrich.

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PFF identifies Falcons’ secret superstar from 2024 season

Kaden Elliss named Falcons’ secret superstar following 2024 season

The Atlanta Falcons’ 2024 season was derailed by a multitude of issues, including a horrendous defensive performance over the final few weeks. This led to the team firing defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake one week after the season ended.

The Falcons have already interviewed a handful of potential replacements, but there were some positives on that side of the ball. Linebacker Kaden Elliss was one major defensive bright spot last season, recording a career-high 151 tackles (85 solo), five sacks and one interception.

Pro Football Focus named Elliss the Falcons’ “secret superstar” from 2024. The former Saints linebacker who struggled to get onto the field in New Orleans has found a long-term home here in Atlanta.

Much of the reason that Atlanta wasn’t able to make the playoffs fell on a defense that already moved on from defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, but Elliss put together a well-rounded season. His 43 pressures led Atlanta, as did his 20.3% pass-rush win rate — good for third among all defenders with 150 or more pass-rushing snaps. Beyond that, Elliss was solid as a run defender yet again, netting a 70.3 PFF run-defense grade. If he can cut down on the missed tackles (13.2%), Elliss could ascend even more in Atlanta in 2025. – Bradley Locker, PFF

While Elliss finished the season strong, he took a few weeks to get going. Elliss didn’t record a PFF overall grade over 70 until after Week 5. Plus, he struggled with a career-high 22 missed tackles. It was his first season with more than nine missed tackles.

Elliss, who becomes a free agent in 2026, has a chance to play himself into an extension with a repeat performance in 2025. With the team needing cap space, freeing up Elliss’ $5 million would be helpful.

According to Over The Cap’s projections, the Falcons are more than $7 million over the salary cap, so some work still needs to be done. Either way, Elliss figures to play a major role on this defense next season.

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Tracking each interview for Falcons defensive coordinator vacancy

Who have the Falcons interviewed for their defensive coordinator vacancy?

The Atlanta Falcons fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake over the weekend and the search for his replacement has already begun. Despite head coach Raheem Morris’ experience as a defensive play-caller, the team will look to hire another experienced coach to take over the defense in 2025.

Last season, the Falcons ranked 23rd in points allowed and 31st in defensive sacks recorded. Stay up to date with each reported interview using our defensive coordinator tracker below.

Who are Falcons interviewing for defensive coordinator vacancy?

Wink Martindale (Completed 1/14)
Jeff Ulbrich (Completed 1/15)
Lou Anarumo (Completed 1/16)
Derrick Ansley (Completed 1/16)
Grady Brown (Completed 1/17)
Steve Wilks (Completed 1/17)
Matt Eberflus (Completed 1/18)

Thus far, the Falcons have completed six interviews. Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale completed his interview with the team on Tuesday and New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich was interviewed by Atlanta on Wednesday.

Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Green Bay Packers defensive pass-game coordinator Derrick Ansley both interviewed with the team on Thursday. Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown and former NFL head coach Steve Wilks were interviewed on Friday.

Martindale, 61, has coached in both the NCAA and NFL for many years. Before taking the highest-paying defensive coordinator job in the country at Michigan in 2024, Martindale was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens.

Ulbrich, 47, coached in Atlanta from 2015 to 2020 on Dan Quinn’s staff. took over as the Jets interim coach following the dismissal of Robert Saleh in Week 6.

Anarumo, 58, spent the last six seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Bengals (2019-2024). Cincinnati fired Anarumo following the 2024 season.

Wilks, 55, was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers in 2023 and previously served as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers (interim).

Check back for more updates on the Falcons’ search for a new defensive coordinator.

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