The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have wrapped up their mandatory three-day minicamp, thereby completing their offseason workout program. While the focus in the offseason was on playbook installation and getting all 91 players on the same page so that competition can begin in earnest in training camp, attention soon will turn to the specific challenges the team will face during the 2026 season. As such, with the schedule now laid out, we are taking a closer look at each opponent on the Bucs' schedule, examining what they did last season, which players and coaches have come and gone in the offseason and some as-yet-unanswered questions. Today's focus is on another division rival, an Atlanta Falcons team that has a loaded offensive depth chart but a decision to make at quarterback.
2025 Results
Atlanta won three of its first five games and ended the season on a four-game winning streak, but a run of seven losses in eight weeks in the middle of the campaign kept the Falcons from capturing the title in a division won by an 8-9 team. The Falcons also finished 8-9 and in a three-way tie atop the NFC South with the Panthers and Buccaneers, but they had been technically eliminated from the playoffs weeks earlier. What Atlanta's season-ending flourish did do was give Carolina its first division title in a decade; had the Falcons not created the three-way tie, the tiebreakers would have favored the Buccaneers instead of the Panthers.
The Falcons opened 2025 with a narrow 23-20 loss at home to the Buccaneers in which the lead changed hands twice in the last three minutes. Running back Bijan Robinson started the scoring on the game's first drive with a 50-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and quarterback Michael Penix gave the Falcons a 20-17 lead with a four-yard scoring run on fourth down late in the fourth quarter. The Bucs responded with Baker Mayfield's 25-yard touchdown pass to rookiewideout Emeka Egbuka. The extra point attempt hit the left upright, giving Atlanta a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation, but kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 44-yard attempt.
Atlanta also lost to Carolina, 30-0, in Week Three but won its first three non-division games over Minnesota, Washington and Buffalo. Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Kyle Pitts and Drake London all scored in a 34-27 shootout with the Commanders, and after a bye week the Bears pulled off a 24-14 upset of the Bills behind a defense that intercepted Josh Allen twice and sacked him four times while only allowing 291 yards of total offense.
Unfortunately for Falcons fans, a five-game losing streak put the team in a hole it couldn't escapeas the offense started to flounder. Atlanta scored just 10 points each in losses to the 49ers and Dolphins in Weeks Seven and Eight and Penix suffered a knee injury in San Francisco that sidelined him against Miami. Kirk Cousins got the start in Week Eight but threw for only 173 yards and no touchdowns while Atlanta managed just 213 total yards.
Subsequent losses to New England, Indianapolis and Carolina were much closer, all decided by six or fewer points. Penix returned against the Patriots and threw what could have been a game-tying touchdown pass to London with five minutes left, but Andres Borregales pushed the extra point try wide right and New England escaped with a 24-23 win. The losses to the Colts and Panthers were both in overtime, the first one played in Berlin and marked by Jonathan Taylor's 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the Colts. In the 30-27 home loss to Carolina, Penix suffered a season-ending partial ACL tear, putting Cousins back under center the rest of the way.
Atlanta won Cousins' second start of the season, 24-10, in New Orleans with the veteran passer tossing two touchdowns, but consecutive losses to the Jets and Seahawks sunk the Falcons to 4-9. The season-ending four-game winning streak started with a stunning victory in Tampa in which Atlanta kept the game-winning drive alive by recovering a Cousins fumble and overcoming a third-and-28 situation with consecutive completions of 14 and 21 yards. That led to Zane Gonzalez's 43-yard field goal with four seconds left and a 29-28 decision. Atlanta also stunned the Rams in Week 16, 27-24, as a 93-yard touchdown run sparked an effort by Robinson that included 229 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. The streak was capped by the 19-17 win at home over New Orleans that decided the division winner.
2026 Arrivals
The first new arrivals came quickly for the Falcons, who dismissed Head Coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot hours after their 2025 season came to an end. They were replaced by Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham, respectively, though Cunningham is not the highest ranking personnel official after the team also created a new "president of football" position and filled it with franchise legend Matt Ryan. Owner Arthur Blank made it clear that Ryan, who played quarterback for 14 season in Atlanta and was the NFL MVP in 2016, would have "final decision-making authority."
Stefanski didn't have to wait long in the hiring circuit after being fired by the Cleveland Browns after the season. He had a 45-56 record in six seasons in Cleveland, winning a pair of Coach of the Year awards along the way. Stefanski retained Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich on his staff but brought Tommy Rees with him from Cleveland to serve as offensive coordinator, as he did for the Browns in 2025. Stefanski handed Rees the play-calling duties midway through last season in Cleveland and indicated Rees will also call plays for the Falcons. Stefanski also reunited with Offensive Line Coach Bill Callahan, who has spent a quarter-century coaching that position in the NFL, including 2020-23 with the Browns.
The Falcons were busy in free agency, and the most noteworthy move they made was also the most cost-effective. Atlanta signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after he was released by Miami, and since the Dolphins are still on the hook for Tagovailoa's $54 million salary for 2026, all the Falcons had to give him was the league minimum. Atlanta is dealing with the uncertainty of whether young passer Michael Penix will be ready for the start of the season following his November ACL tear, and notably Tagovailoa is left-handed, like Penix. Tagovailoa's time in Miami ended ignominiously, but he threw for 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns as recently as 2023.
Twice this offseason the Falcons have pivoted quickly to replace offensive linemen who will not be on the field in 2026 (or beyond, in at least one case), in both cases dipping into the Kansas City Chiefs' line depth. First, starting right tackle Kaleb McGary retired in April after missing last season due to a knee injury. A day later, the team signed Jawaan Taylor, who has 111 career starts at right tackle for the Chiefs and Jaguars, including 12 last season in Kansas City. Then, on the same day in June, swing tackle Storm Norton was put on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and the Falcons sent a sixth-round draft pick to Kansas City for tackle Wanya Morris. Norton is still dealing with the ankle injury that caused him to miss last season; Morris started 16 games across three seasons with the Chiefs.
Atlanta also brought in a brand-new kicking duo. With kicker Zane Gonzalez signing in Miami and punter Bradley Pinion a free agent, the team signed veteran kicker Nick Folk to a two-year deal and former Dolphins punter Jake Bailey to a three-year pact.
After the first rush of free agency, Atlanta also made a move to bolster their depth in the secondary by trading with Philadelphia for safety Sydney Brown, a 2023 third-round pick who started nine games over three seasons with the Eagles. The trade came at the cost of pick swaps in the fourth and sixth rounds, both favoring the Eagles. Brown could figure into the equation as a slot corner, given that Dee Alford departed in free agency and Billy Bowman is recovering from a torn Achilles after a promising rookie season. The same is true of Darnay Holmes, the former Raider defensive back signed in April.
The Falcons also made a couple moves later in March to bolster their backfield after the departure of Tyler Allgeier. In an addition that is sure to confuse fantasy football drafters in the summer, Atlanta signed Brian Robinson to be Bijan Robinson's primary backup. The former Robinson saw his role shrink considerably in one season with the 49ers after topping 850 yards from scrimmage in each of his three seasons in Washington. On the same day as the Robinson signing, the Falcons also added former Colts running back Tyler Goodson for added depth and added a third quarterback in well-traveled veteran Trevor Siemian.
A week before the draft, the Falcons traded defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars for defensive tackle Maason Smith, a swap of two players drafted 13 picks apart in the second round in 2024. Neither player was particularly productive in their first two seasons with their respective clubs, so this trade has been viewed as an opportunity for both to break out in a new environment. For depth on the line, the Falcons also signed former Bear Chris Williams in March and former Titan Ross Blacklock in May.
A number of Atlanta's other moves in the early days of free agency mirrored roster losses, or anticipated losses, at the same positions. With edge rusher James Pearce's availability rendered uncertain by multiple felony charges in South Florida, following his 10.5-sack rookie campaign, the Falcons signed edges Cam Thomas, Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari from the Browns, Colts and Eagles, respectively. In late April, Pearce agreed to enter a six-month intervention program which will result in the dismissal of the charges against him, though it is still possible his availability in 2026 will be affected by an NFL suspension.
Atlanta also brought back a pair of their former pass-catchers in Patriots tight end Austin Hooper and Bears wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and added wide receiver Jahan Dotson, most recently of the Eagles. There were also a couple of depth signings on defense in Texans linebacker Christian Harris and Chargers' defensive tackle Da'Shawn Hand.
Atlanta had to wait until midway through the second round of the draft in April to make its first pick due to the trade up a year ago to get Pearce. They still generated one of the more enjoyable storylines of draft weekend at number 48 by selecting Clemson cornerback Aveion Terrell, who happens to be the younger brother of standout Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell. The younger Terrell could push ninth-year veteran Mike Hughes for a starting job opposite his brother as the two outside corners. The rookie could also be an option in the slot, particularly if Bowman is not ready for the start of the season.
The Falcons then hit one of their most pressing needs in the third round, taking advantage of a deep class of promising receivers by landing speedy Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch at number 79. Branch ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and pairs that straight-line speed with very quick feet, which makes him a YAC threat out of the slot. He also could factor significantly in the Falcons' return game.
Fourth-round pick Kendal Daniels may also challenge for early playing time thanks in part to his versatility. Daniels started his collegiate tenure as a safety at Oklahoma State but ended it as a 6-5, 242-pound linebacker at Oklahoma who the Sooners lined up all over the field. Atlanta has gotten good results out of versatile hybrid-type players such as Bowman, Walker and linebacker Divine Deablo, and Daniels could push newcomer Harris for a starting spot or be featured in some sub packages.
Atlanta rounded out its six-player draft with Washington defensive tackle Anterio Thompson and LSU linebacker Harold Perkins in Round Six plus Ohio State tackle Ethan Onianwa. Of the three, Perkins is probably the most intriguing given his top-level athleticism and his tendency to make plays in the backfield, but the Tigers' coaching staff struggled to find the perfect spot for him in their defense. At 6-1 and 220 pounds, Perkins is not likely to stick as a dedicated edge rusher and he is still developing as a coverage player, but his speed, quickness and range make him a prospect worth betting on in the latter stages of the draft.
After the conclusion of the draft, the Falcons signed undrafted quarterback Jack Strand of Minnesota-Moorhead, who had been viewed as a possible seventh-round pick. While he obviously played a lower level of competition in Division II he threw 42 touchdown passes last year, has prototypical size at 6-4 and 232 pounds and boasts a strong arm.
2026 Departures
As already noted, of course, Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot were let go in January; Morris landed back in California as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. Also already mentioned was the retirement of right tackle Kaleb McGary, the trade of defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and the free agency departures of running back Tyler Allgeier and cornerback Dee Alford. Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, who had 3.5 sacks in his lone season in Atlanta, has not been re-signed.
On March 11, the Falcons made the expected move of releasing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, which they did with a "post-June 1" designation in order to spread out the dead cap hit over this season and 2027. That move came two years into the lucrative four-year deal Cousins signed with Atlanta in 2024; he subsequently signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, presumably tobe the bridge to Fernando Mendoza, the first-overall pick in the upcoming draft.
The first week of free agency proved to be a two-way street for the Falcons, as a handful of notable contributors found new jobs elsewhere in the NFL. Linebacker Kaden Elliss, who had 107 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2025, got the biggest deal, returning to his original team in New Orleans for three years and $33 million after three seasons with Atlanta. Other losses on defense included Alford (two years and $15.75 million in Buffalo), defensive tackle David Onyemata (one year and $10.5 million with the Jets) and edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie (one year and $7.3 million in Philly). Onyemata and Elliss each started all 17 games in 2025 and Onyemata hadstarted 47 of 51 games since signing with the Falcons in 2023.
Allgeier, a productive complementary back for four seasons in Atlanta, left for a potentially larger role with the Arizona Cardinals on a two-year, $12.5 million deal, although the Cardinals subsequently drafted Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love third overall. Allgeier scored a career-high eight rushing touchdowns in 2025. Guard Elijah Wilkinson ended up starting a career-high 17 games in 2025 after the season-ending injury to McGary, but he is now moving on to Arizona on a two-year deal.
The Falcons released wide receivers Darnell Mooney and KhaDarel Hodge on the same day in early March. Mooney had a very productive first season for the Falcons in 2024 but caught just 32 passes in 15 games last season.
Pressing Questions
Will young quarterback Michael Penix hold on to his starting job or is Tua Tagovailoa is a serious threat to usurp him?
The first question regarding Penix is whether he will be ready to play by the start of the regular season. His ACL injury occurred on November 16 and he did not take part in full-team drills during the Falcons' offseason program. Atlanta is targeting his return by Week One of the regular season but it's fair that is not yet a sure thing. Meanwhile, the team brought in former Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa, and while Tagovailoa's time in Miami didn't end well he does have significantly more experience than Penix. He started 76 games over six seasons in South Florida and made the Pro Bowl in 2023 after throwing for 4,624 yards. He also completed 72.9% of his passes in 2024 to lead the NFL in that category. Penix has 12 career starts, of which the Falcons have won four, and he has averaged fewer than 200 passing yards per game with a 12-6 TD-INT ratio. Penix was the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, but that was under the leadership of Fontenot and Morris. Stefanski could see things differently, and he might prefer a more experienced option after playing much of last season in Cleveland with rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel under center.
Can the Atlanta defense keep up its high sack and takeaway rates from 2025?
The Falcons' defense finished in the middle of the pack in terms of yards allowed last season and ranked 24th in points allowed, but it did do quite well in two areas that often lead to victories: It took the ball away and it got after the quarterback. Most significantly for the Falcons, they may have finally turned the corner in terms of building a competent pass rush after years of struggling in that category. Prior to 2025, Atlanta's defense had been last or second-to-last in sack rate in three of the previous four seasons and hadn't finished higher than 19th since 2017. After drafting both Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round last year, Atlanta jumped all the way to fourth in the league in that category, with a 10.78% sack rate. Pearce lead the team with 10.5 sacks, Walker add 5.5 and eight different Falcons tallied at least 3.5 QB takedowns. Meanwhile, Atlanta created 23 takeaways, including 16 interceptions to tie for seventh in the NFL in thatcategory. Atlanta's 3.02% interception rate ranked fifth in the NFL. Turnovers tend to be volatile from season to season but the Falcons have a handful of playmakers in the secondary including safeties Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts and the Terrell brothers at cornerback. The improved pass rush seemed to be real, though the possible suspension for Pearce could put a dent in the Falcons' sack output.
