With NFL Free Agency set to kick off March 11 at 4 p.m., the Atlanta Falcons have some glaring holes in their roster to address. A clear need at wide receiver highlights the group. Other positional needs include cornerback, edge rusher, interior defensive-line, linebacker and offensive-line depth. Filling every need in free agency isn’t likely, but I wanted to take a look at some budget friendly options the Falcons should target.
*All expected contracts are from spotrac.com
Falcons Under the Radar Free Agent Targets
Falcons’ Team Needs
- Z wide receiver
- Deep threat wide receiver
- Boundary cornerback opposite of A.J. Terrell Jr.
- Scheme fit interior defensive-linemen
- On-Ball Linebacker
- Offensive tackle/guard depth
- Edge Defenders
Z Wide Receiver
Nailor has quietly had back-2-back 400 yard seasons for the Minnesota Vikings. Now those numbers aren’t going to knock your socks off, but as the 4th or 5th option on the team, those are very respectable. Nailor spent a good amount of time in the slot for Minnesota in 2025, but has versatility to play outside if needed. Looking to become more involved in an offense, Nailor could see considerably more targets in Atlanta.
Nailor would add some much needed stability to the Falcons receiving core. The Falcons saw below average receiver play, outside of Drake London, last season. An expected salary of just under $5 million per year, makes Nailor a candidate for Atlanta. Jahan Dotson- $2.7 million, Jalen Tolbert- $3.8 million, Noah Brown- $2 million and Tylan Wallace- $2.8 million are other budget options to consider.
Deep Threat Wide Receiver
Marquise Brown “Hollywood”
Brown’s time in Kansas City was a bit underwhelming. The Chiefs saw the emergence of Rashee Rice as their top pass catcher and spent high draft capital on Xavier Worthy. Hollywood found himself as the fourth option rather quickly. Injuries and a suspension plagued the team early leaving Brown to receive good playing time and production with nearly 600 yards and five touchdowns. The advanced stats are good for Brown as a deep threat in 2025. On throws 10 plus yards over the middle of the field, Brown had a 92.7 receiving grade, and 20 plus yards over the middle a 90.3 grade.
Down the right side, Brown saw a 91.7 receiving grade on 10 plus yard targets, and a 95.0 grade on 20 plus yard targets. If the Falcons are looking to add some speed to their air attack, they could do much worse than adding the former first-round pick at an expected price point of $5.5 million per year. Other options include Dyami Brown- $2.1 million, Brandin Cooks- $3 million, Tyquan Thornton- $2.8 million and Calvin Austin III- $4.9 million.
Boundary Cornerback
Pierre was elite in coverage this season for Pittsburgh with an 89.7 PFF grade, and a total grade of 86.8. That 89.7 is No. 1 in the entire league. The caveat, he only played 377 total snaps. Injuries and being buried in the depth chart kept that number down early in the season, but for a decent chunk in the middle of the season, Pierre locked down his side of the field. Pierre will be 30-years-old by next season, and the expected price point is insulting low at $2 million per year.
If the Falcons are willing to bet on Pierre being able to replicate his 2025 production, or even close to it, they should take that chance. This production came exclusively as a boundary corner last season. Adding Pierre to the room as a starter or even as a rotational piece would be smart. Younger and more proven options include Eric Stokes- $7.4 million, Montaric Brown- $9.2 million and Rasul Douglas- $4 million.
Scheme Fit Interior Defensive Linemen
Although the Falcons should heavily consider re-signing David Onyemata, LaCale London and Zach Harrison, retaining either of them isn’t guaranteed. I do expect one or two of them to be back with Atlanta in 2026, but adding to the room wouldn’t hurt. Harris spent his last three seasons with new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland with the Browns. Harris is a veteran three-technique that can step into a leadership role on a defensive-line that may lack veteran leadership come 2026.
Leonard Floyd is a free agent and Onyemata’s status is still in the air. Brandon Dorlus broke out as a pass rusher last season with nine sacks before a late season injury, and Ruke Orhorhoro has been inconsistent in his first two seasons. Harris adds a floor as a run defender and has flashed as a pass rusher throughout his career. If Harris decides to prolong his career, a stint in Atlanta makes a ton of sense at a $2.9 million expected price point per year. Look out for Roy Lopez- $6.4 million, Sebastian Joseph-Day- $6.9 million and Logan Hall- $8 million as potential other options.Â
On-Ball Linebacker
Kaden Elliss out-performed his three-year $21.5 million deal for the Falcons. He was pivotal in re-shaping the Atlanta defense these past three seasons. He was elite as a pass rushing linebacker and provided stability as a run defender. His coverage ability took big steps in the right direction as well. This puts the Falcons in a pickle with their cap space because Elliss deserves a big extension, but the money isn’t something the organization may be willing to give out to a soon to be 31-year-old. Divine Deablo was fantastic in his first season with the team and finding a running mate for him is pivotal for 2026.
Devin Bush is coming off a great season for the Browns under Kevin Stefanski. Pulling some strings to pair Devin Bush with Divine Deable can make this one of the more dangerous duos in the NFL. Bush posted an 87.6 defensive grade, 87.3 run defense grade and an 80.4 coverage grade according to PFF. Those rank fourth, ninth and fourth overall for linebackers in 2025.
He’s younger than Elliss and provides more range as a coverage player if the Falcons want to improve in that area of the defense. Bush does come with a bigger price tag though, expected at $8.9 million per year. Cheaper options include Alex Singleton- $4.7 million and Ivan Pace Jr. if the Vikings let him walk.Â
Offensive-Line Depth
The Falcons depth across the offensive-line was putrid last season. Finding guys who can make spot starts and bring consistent play across the board is key for Atlanta.
Brett Toth played some great football for Eagles on the inside this season. A versatile player who can play in-line at guard and pop out to play tackle. Toth had a 75.6 run blocking grade last season ranking 8th amongst guards, and a 73.6 total grade ranked 14th. He was well coached under Jeff Stoutland and was mentored by some of the best linemen in the game. He should be at the top of the Falcons radar this off-season and $4 million per year is a good salary for a player of Toth’s caliber.
Another target is Jamaree Salyer. Salyer dealt with injury last season and played in only 13 games, five of those which he started. Due to the Los Angeles Chargers major injuries at offensive tackle, Salyer was thrusted into playing tackle for half of his games this season. Salyer primarily has been an interior lineman in his career, but showed some versatility as a backup across the line. An injury prone year makes his price of $1.8 million per year a steal. Both players would be solid additions to the Falcons offensive-line room, barring they attract starting offers.
Edge Defender
James Pearce Jr.’ s status with the Atlanta Falcons is unclear at this point and Leonard Floyd and Zach Harrison are free agents. The pass rushing room could be taking a massive hit soon, so looking at options in free agency is a must.
Uche was good for Philadelphia in limited snaps in 2025. An 85.1 overall grade with an 83.2 pass rush grade is promising in his limited time. Uche had a solid stint in New England and can find a semi-perminant role with the Falcons as they add more juice. $1.8 million per year is reasonable for a player looking for a new opportunity. Other options off the edge are K’Lavon Chaisson- $9 million, Arden Key- $6.7 million and Charles Snowden if the Raiders let him walk.
Time will tell with the Pearce situation as more and more evidence comes out. A truly sad situation for a player with such a promising start, but the allegations are horrible. Planning for a future without him is the only logical way to approach the situation. The team has declined to speak on the matter until further information is brought forward.Â
Finding meaningful players on a budget is pivotal for the Falcons playoff hopes in 2026. Atlanta is unlikely to make all of these moves in free agency, but players of this caliber would be terrific additions. Stay in the loop with weekly Atlanta Falcons articles covering the off-season as we head into the 2026 regular season.Â
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