After some outlets are giving the Atlanta Falcons an “A” with this year’s draft class, it’s now or never.
The “I’s” were dotted and the “T’s” were crossed for Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot in this year’s NFL Draft. Needs were addressed, and the team drafted a Georgia Bulldogs player in the first round. Now, it’s time for all of the hype surrounding this offseason to be put to the test on the field.
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Entering his fifth season with Atlanta, Fontenot has gone all in. The gloves are off, and his seat has been relatively warm for a couple of seasons. The pressure has been mounting for some time for Atlanta to get back to relevancy, and at a minimum, get to the playoffs year to year.
Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Falcons swapped their 2026 first-round pick, a second for a third, and sent a seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to get back into the first round to select Tennessee Volunteers edge rusher James Pearce Jr. Critics say that Atlanta has given up entirely too much.
Still, Atlanta has lacked a pass rush the past several seasons, so two high-projected edge rushers are better than one. The Falcons hope they get the results the team is looking for. Fontenot spent future capital to attempt to gain an immediate impact. He knows the team is out of excuses for why Atlanta is not a perennial playoff contender every year in the NFC South.
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With no time to spare for Fontenot, the Falcons will look to develop this year’s draft class to produce quickly, or he may be out of Atlanta sooner rather than later.
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