Jan. 23, 2026, 11:16 a.m. ET
The Atlanta Falcons have some good pieces on offense, but they may need more help to finally get over the hump in 2026. With head coach Kevin Stefanski in place, the team can start to evaluate its biggest roster holes heading into the offseason.
While Stefanski has yet to discuss his plan for the quarterback position, most assume Michael Penix Jr. will be back as the starter in Week 1, assuming he’s healthy. If Penix is the guy going forward, the team needs to do everything possible to make sure he’s successful.
That includes giving Penix enough weapons to fully utilize his skill set. Last season, the Falcons dealt with a multitude of injuries at the wide receiver position.
Drake London missed several weeks with a knee injury, Darnell Mooney was injured during training camp and Ray-Ray McCloud was released for performance reasons. Tight end Kyle Pitts had a solid year, but he’s an unrestricted free agent and there’s no guarantee he’ll be back in Atlanta next season.
Pro Football Focus had an interesting idea for how the Falcons can improve on offense. In a new feature highlighting the best landing spots for the top offensive free agents, PFF’s Mason Cameron suggested Atlanta sign wide receiver George Pickens.
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The change of scenery to Dallas cemented Pickens as a bona fide elite name at the receiver position, and entering his age-25 season, he’ll have no shortage of suitors this free agency cycle. This past season, Pickens earned a career-best 87.2 PFF receiving grade, posting top-three marks in receiving yardage (1,429) and 15-plus-yard receptions of 15 (38).
The 2026 season will prove to be an important crossroad for Michael Penix Jr.’s development as a passer. Despite leading the Power Four in deep completions his final year at Washington, Penix ranks just below the league average in percentage of attempts 20-plus yards downfield since entering the NFL. Pairing George Pickens with Drake London would create one of the NFL’s most electric receiver duos and set the young quarterback up for success. — Mason Cameron, PFF
The Falcons currently have about $18 million in salary cap space and could get a few million more by releasing Kirk Cousins with a post-June 1 designation. While adding a top-tier free agent like Pickens seems unlikely, the Falcons do need to add some wide receiver depth this offseason.
The team has no clear No. 3 receiver on the roster, and potentially losing Pitts would only make things worse. NFL free agency begins on March 11, with the legal tampering period starting on March 9.
