Players under contract for 2026:
James Pearce Jr.
Jalon Walker
Bralen Trice
2026 Free agents:
Leonard Floyd
Arnold Ebiketie
DeAngelo Malone
Khalid Kareem
Biggest question facing the position group in 2026:
How will they choose to replace the production they stand to lose in free agency?
Although Pearce and Walker grabbed the headlines for most of the season, the secret sauce of Atlanta’s entire defensive front was its depth. By consistently rotating players throughout games, the Falcons kept fresher legs deep into the fourth quarter and could gain the advantage late. With Floyd and Ebiketie’s contracts about to expire, however, they could have to replace half of their main rotation on the edge.
The Falcons could try to work something out with either player, who both still offer a lot of value on the field. But with Kevin Stefanski replacing Raheem Morris as head coach and a new general manager soon to be named, it’s difficult to say exactly what the team will prioritize at this point. With the amount of promising youth Atlanta has in the trenches on defense, there are a couple of interesting roster-building paths it could travel this offseason. The Falcons could continue to invest draft capital at that spot, building around players of the same age like Philadelphia or Los Angeles, or they could choose to bring in more experienced players to mentor their two young aces.
A wild card in all of this is Bralen Trice, who has yet to suit up for the Falcons in a regular season game. The 2024 third-round pick showed a lot of promise in training camp as a rookie, but a knee injury in the first preseason game ended his year. Trice reinjured his knee just before the 2025 season and ultimately never made it onto the field. How the Falcons feel about Trice’s health and abilities moving forward could also factor into how they approach adding to their edge room.