Falcons Looking To Acquire Draft Picks
Ian Cunningham‘s first draft at the helm of the Falcons is approaching. Atlanta’s new general manager currently has only five picks to work with, but that could soon change.
“For us, it’s one of those things where we have to go into this thinking we only have five picks. That’s worst case,” Cunningham said (via the team’s website) when reflecting on his offseason moves so far. “If we come out of [the draft] with just five picks, we come out of it with just five picks. We are already looking at different ways to potentially manufacture some more. But if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out.”
The Falcons do not have their first-rounder in 2026 thanks to the trade-up move executed by Terry Fontenot to acquire James Pearce Jr. last April. That has Cunningham and Co. in line for a lengthy wait at the beginning of this year’s event. Atlanta’s top selection as things stand is No. 48. The team also has picks 79, 122, 215 and 231.
Acquiring additional capital during rounds three through five would be a logical goal for the Falcons. The 2026 class has been noted more for its depth than its star power, and swinging a deal for a Day 1 pick would be challenging. Instead, focusing on depth acquisitions to supplement a large group of free agent additions would likely be more manageable. Cunningham noted his busy approach to free agency was partially informed by Atlanta’s lack of draft capital.
With the first few waves of open market activity in the books, attention around the league has increasingly turned toward the draft. The Falcons are coming off an eighth consecutive losing season, and Cunningham’s hire was part of a major housecleaning in the organization. Matt Ryan is in the fold as the team’s president of football, while Kevin Stefanski will lead a new-look coaching staff in 2026. Those new faces will shoulder the task of returning Atlanta to the playoffs.
A key factor in that effort will of course be the impact of the team’s draft picks over time. With Cunningham looking to increase the number of selections at his disposal, a trade down the board will be something to watch for once the draft begins.
Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Signs Franchise Tag
The Falcons begin their offseason program today. Kyle Pitts will be in attendance since he is now under contract with the team once again.
Pitts has signed his franchise tag, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He still has plenty of time to work out a long-term agreement with Atlanta, but today’s news allows him to take part in offseason work. Pitts’ 2026 tag is worth $15.05MM.
Questions have long been present about where Pitts will wind up in the short- and long-term future. The former fourth overall pick has been expected to play on the tag, and doing so in Atlanta would represent a sixth year with the team. There has not been much (if anything) in the way of progress regarding talks on a multiyear commitment in this case, however. Speculation about a trade has therefore continued since the Falcons took the tag route with Pitts.
Indeed, general manager Ian Cunningham acknowledged one week ago that he would entertain trade offers on this front. Pitts, 25, topped 1,000 yards as a rookie. His next three seasons were seen as a disappointment given his drop in production and a lack of high-end touchdown totals. A turnaround took place in 2025, though, as Pitts totaled 928 yards on a career-high 88 catches. He could remain a focal point on offense in the event he stays in the Falcons’ plans for at least one more year.
Players unhappy with the tag have previously waited as long as possible before signing the one-year tender close to the beginning of the season. That has not been the case for Pitts, an encouraging sign with respect to his willingness to take part in voluntary spring work. The Florida product is one of many young offensive players the Falcons need to keep in mind when budgeting for future financial commitments. Wideout Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson are of course in a similar situation.
To no surprise, Atlanta is planning for extensions on the London and Robinson fronts, and the team will circle back to that after the upcoming draft. The event is often a prime trade window for veterans around the league, and it will be interesting to see if Pitts draws increased attention from potential suitors over the coming days. In any case, he is in position to collect a fully guaranteed figure for the second year in a row from the Falcons or another team.
Unclear If James Pearce Jr. Will Report To Falcons’ Offseason Program
Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is the subject of three felony charges. As such, his immediate and long-term futures remain unclear at this point.
Pearce has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person stemming from an incident which led to an arrest in early February. Pearce has been the subject of numerous domestic violence allegations from ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Jackson filed a petition for a protective order, and it was granted; a permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for April 21.
As detailed by Josh Kendall of The Athletic, a docket sounding is set for April 23. That will mark the final opportunity for a plea agreement to be reached in this case. If that does not take place, Pearce – who also faces a charge of aggravated stalking which was reduced to a misdemeanor – will see his case proceed to trial. One is currently scheduled to begin on May 4.
Well before that point, the Falcons will start their offseason program. As one of the teams with a new head coach in place, Atlanta’s spring work will begin tomorrow. It remains to be seen, per Kendall, if Pearce will report to the team. The 22-year-old recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025 and was a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but the allegations he faces have led to uncertainty regarding his situation. To little surprise, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports an absence is expected in this case.
Shortly after Pearce’s arrest, the NFL began reviewing the matter. That is still the case at this point, although a league representative declined to confirm to Kendall if a formal investigation has been opened yet. The NFL’s personal conduct policy carries a baseline suspension of six games for first-time offenses of domestic violence, with the potential for that figure to be raised or lowered based on mitigating or aggravating factors. The league often waits until a criminal proceeding takes its course before handing down any potential discipline; convictions are not required for a fine and/or suspension to be issued.
Atlanta’s other 2025 first-round pick, Jalon Walker, enjoyed a strong rookie season of his own and can be expected to remain a mainstay in the pass rush department for years to come. The same may not be true of Pearce, whose status will be worth monitoring closely over the coming days as well as the course of the offseason.
Florida DT Caleb Banks Up To Eight Pre-Draft Visits
Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks has already completed pre-draft visits with the Chiefs, Ravens, and Cardinals, per Zach Goodall of 247 Sports. Remaining on the docket are the Lions, Titans, Broncos, Falcons, and Chargers.
The 23-year-old flew up draft boards after an impressive performance at the Combine, which featured a 5.04-second 40-yard dash and a 9-foot-6 broad jump at 327 pounds. The hype around Banks cooled after a pre-draft visit revealed a foot fracture suffered the night before he took the field in Indianapolis. Testing well on a broken foot is impressive, but after Banks missed most of the 2025 season due to a foot injury, teams are understandably wary of using a top pick on him. Banks underwent surgery in mid-March and is expected to miss some of his first NFL offseason program.
Medical concerns are almost certainly the driver behind his busy schedule. Teams will need to be comfortable with the state of his foot, especially given the multiple injuries.
But as far as talent and long-term upside goes, Banks is up there with the top defensive prospects in the draft. He checks every physical box with a 6-foot-6, 327-pound frame with 35-inch arms. His power and athleticism overwhelmed most college offensive linemen and led to constant disruption in the trenches. Banks will need to shore up his technique in the NFL, where he will not be as much of a size outlier, but he has all the tools to succeed.
It remains to be seen if Banks’ injury will drop him out of the first round. Teams are certainly interested, and it only takes one to be comfortable enough with his foot to lock him down as early as possible.
Bears Will Not Receive Draft Compensation For Ian Cunningham Hire
The Falcons’ decision to hire Ian Cunningham as their new general manager led to an initial decision by the NFL not to award compensatory draft picks to the Bears. Standard practice in recent years for minority hires has been for their previous employer to receive a third-round selection in two consecutive years.
The league’s stance in this case was that Cunningham will hold the GM title but will not operate as Atlanta’s top decision-maker in the front office. Indeed, Matt Ryan will serve as the team’s president of football and in doing so will outrank Cunningham and the rest of the Falcons’ management team. The Bears reached out to the NFL to discuss the mater further, but a reversal will not be forthcoming.
“The matter is now closed following the club’s appeal,” a league statement reads (h/t Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). “The NFL informed the Bears today they will not receive compensatory picks. The policy is designed to provide picks for the Primary Football Executive position. The League determined Mr. Cunningham did not fill that role with the Falcons as it is defined in League rules.”
Ryan’s return to Atlanta brought with it questions about his ability to oversee the wide-ranging changes brought on during the 2026 hiring cycle due to his lack of expereince. Cunningham and new head coach Kevin Stefanski are now in the fold, and they will look to bring about improved play relative to the Raheem Morris/Terry Fontenot tandem. Cunningham’s first NFL general manager opportunity will come about with his hometown team.
The Bears will again be led in the front office by general manager Ryan Poles for 2026. Following Cunningham’s departure, Jeff King was promoted to the role of assistant GM. Those two and the rest of Chicago’s staff will move forward knowing no compensation will be coming the team’s way. The Bears currently own seven picks in April’s draft.
Bears ‘In Communication’ With NFL Over Ian Cunningham Comp Picks
The NFL’s Rooney Rule, originally instituted in 2002 to expand opportunities for minority coaches, has expanded and evolved over the past two decades.
Among the changes are the inclusion of top front office positions and a compensatory system that rewards teams who develop minority coaching or executive talent. Clubs who lose a minority coach or executive to another team will receive third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts.
The Bears would seem to fall into that category after losing assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, who took the Falcons’ GM job. However, the NFL initially ruled that Chicago would not receive comp picks since president of football operations Matt Ryan, not Cunningham, is designated as the primary football executive in Atlanta.
The Bears are pushing back. Team president Kevin Warren said (via CHGO Bears) that Chicago has “been in communication” with the NFL regarding the matter. He used some very specific language when explaining the nature of those talks.
“I wouldn’t say ‘change their mind,'” Warren continued. “We’re just trying to follow up with them, just a normal protocol within the NFL to send in a response to say that we feel that we deserve the compensatory picks.”
Warren joined Bears owner George McCaskey and general manager Ryan Poles in a recent trip to New York to make their case directly to commissioner Roger Goodell, per Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. With only a few weeks before the draft, a decision will need to come quickly if the Bears are to receive a third-rounder this year.
“We did what the league wants every member club to do,” McCaskey said at league meetings this week. “We identified diverse talent; we recruited him; we created a position for him.”
The Falcons believe the Bears should receive compensatory picks from Cunningham’s departure, as does Cunningham himself. McCaskey noted that the league may be hesitant to set a new precedent that could force them to award comp picks in similar situations in the future.
But refusing to give Chicago those picks would be setting a different and presumably more dangerous precedent. Though the Falcons are supportive of the Bears in this situation, other teams may not be as charitable. They could see a new loophole in which they name someone other than their general manager hire as the primary football executive so that the new GM’s original team does not receive comp picks. Depriving a competitor of extra draft capital would not be out of bounds for a league that is frequently referred to as a business when discussing issues of this nature.
NFC Contract Details: Cards, Falcons, Panthers, Bears, Lions, Pack, Rams, Saints, Eagles, Hawks, Commanders
Here are the details on a boatload of contracts that NFC teams have given out in recent weeks. Unless specified otherwise, all information is courtesy of Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jack Gibbens, LB (two years, $7.5MM): Gibbens joined the Cardinals for a guaranteed $4.5MM, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. His deal includes cap charges of $3.73MM and $4.03MM.
- Andrew Billings, DT (one year, $2.4MM): Billings received a $1.55MM salary, $700K in guarantees and a $350K signing bonus.
- Oli Udoh, OL (one year, $1.4MM): Udoh will make $1.22MM in salary, $350K in guarantees and a $50K signing bonus, according to Howard Balzer of Cardinals Wire.
Atlanta Falcons
- Da’Shawn Hand, DT (one year, $3MM): The Falcons gave Hand a matching $1.5MM salary and signing bonus.
- Chris Williams, DL (one year, $2MM): Williams landed a $1.5MM salary and a $500K signing bonus.
- Azeez Ojulari, OLB (one year, $1.4MM): Ojulari’s pact comes with a $1.22MM salary, $387,500 in guarantees and a signing bonus of $187,500.
Carolina Panthers
- Sam Martin, P (two years, $3.75MM): Martin’s contract includes $2MM in guarantees, salaries of $1.3MM and $1.55MM, and a $750K signing bonus.
- Nick Scott, S (one year, $2MM): Scott re-upped with the Panthers for a deal worth up to $3.25MM. It comes with a $1.3MM salary, $1.1MM in guarantees and a $505K signing bonus.
Chicago Bears
- Elijah Hicks, S (one year, $2.6MM): Hicks pulled in a $2.41MM salary, $1.69MM in guarantees and a $187,500 signing bonus.
Detroit Lions
- D.J. Wonnum, DE (one year, $3MM): Wonnum received $2.27MM in guarantees, a $1.37MM salary and a $900K signing bonus.
- Rock Ya-Sin, CB (one year, $3.2MM): Ya-Sin is staying in Detroit for $2.64MM in guarantees, a $1.64MM salary and a $1MM signing bonus.
Green Bay Packers
- Skyy Moore, WR (one year, $2.5MM): Moore, who reeled in a $1MM signing bonus, will earn a $1.22MM salary.
- Nick Niemann, LB (one year, $2.25MM): The Packers handed Niemann a $500K signing bonus, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The contract has $750K in incentives, a max of $235K in per game roster bonuses and a $200K workout bonus.
Los Angeles Rams
- Grant Stuard, LB (two years, $4.45MM): The max value of Stuard’s deal checks in at $5.05MM. It carries $3.5MM in guarantees, including $1.8MM in full guarantees, salaries of $1.5MM and $2MM, and a $300K signing bonus.
New Orleans Saints
- Ryan Wright, P (four years, $14MM): Wright’s base salaries in 2026 ($1.25MM) and ’27 ($3.25MM) are fully guaranteed, Katherine Terrell of ESPN relays. He’s due to collect a $3.5MM base salary in both 2028 and ’29; $1MM of that is guaranteed for injury in ’28. The Saints gave Wright $7MM in full guarantees and a $2.5MM signing bonus.
- John Ridgeway, DT (two years, $6.2MM): Ridgeway earned a matching $1.65MM signing bonus and guaranteed money total, per Terrell.
- Chris Rumph, DE (one year, $2MM): Rumph re-upped for a $1.22MM base salary and a $785K signing bonus, both of which are guaranteed (via Terrell).
Philadelphia Eagles
- Arnold Ebiketie, OLB (one year, $4.3MM): Ebiketie went from the Falcons to the Eagles for a $3MM signing bonus and a $1.3MM salary. General manager Howie Roseman tacked four void years on the contract.
- Jonathan Jones, CB (one year, $2MM): This deal also includes four void years. Jones received $2MM in guarantees, a $1.3MM salary and $500K at signing.
- Dameon Pierce, RB (one year, $1.29MM): As part of a veteran salary benefit agreement, Pierce will earn a $1.22MM salary and count $1.15MM against the cap. The Eagles gave him $250K in full guarantees.
Seattle Seahawks
- Brady Russell, FB (two years, $4.8MM): Russell’s agreement features $2.15MM in total guarantees, salaries of $1.5MM and $1.79MM, and a $1MM signing bonus.
- Jack Stoll, LS (two years, $2.91MM): Stoll picked up $1.2MM in fully guaranteed money and a $500K signing bonus, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.
- Noah Igbinoghene, CB (one year, $1.81MM): Along with a $1.22MM salary, Igbinoghene will collect $750K in full guarantees, including a $250K signing bonus.
Washington Commanders
- Jeremy Reaves, S (one year, $6.45MM): The Commanders added a 2028 void year to Reaves’ extension, which includes $4.15MM in guarantees, salaries of $1.3MM and $2.10MM, and a $1.65MM signing bonus.
- Dyami Brown, WR (one year, $1.75MM): Returning to Washington for a second stint, Brown signed for a $1.22MM salary and a $250K bonus.
- Jake Moody, K (one year, $1.5MM): Moody raked in $125K at signing. He will collect a $1.25MM salary.
- Jeremy McNichols, RB (one year, $1.49MM): McNichols will earn a $1.3MM salary ($1.262MM cap hit), $562,500 in total guarantees and a $162,500 signing bonus.
- Jerome Ford, RB (one year, $1.4MM): Washington gave Ford a $1.22MM salary ($1.262MM hit), $437,500 in total guarantees and a $137,500 signing bonus.
Falcons To Re-Sign LB DeAngelo Malone
The Falcons are re-signing linebacker and special teams ace DeAngelo Malone to a one-year contract, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Malone, 26, has been a core special teams contributor in Atlanta for the last four years. Despite the team’s coaching change, he will return for a fifth season under new head coach Kevin Stefanski and special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman.
Originally the 82nd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Malone appeared in 15 games as a rookie with exactly 216 snaps on defense and special teams. In his next three seasons, though, he played just 111 defensive snaps with a core role on special teams.
Malone’s special teams snap share stayed above 75% from 2023 to 2025. He appeared in every game in the first two seasons, but was limited to nine last year due to a broken ankle suffered in November. That was the first major injury and IR placement of his career. The Falcons were best-positioned to evaluate Malone’s rehab, and their decision to re-sign him indicates confidence in his recovery.
Malone did explore a move to another NFC South team. He recently visited the Buccaneers, who could stand to add special teams talent after uninspiring results last year. That meeting may very well have created some urgency in Atlanta to re-sign him rather than let him join a division rival.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
NFL teams have until May 1 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth, and weeks remain until this year’s deadline. In the meantime, we will use the space below to track all the 2027 option decisions from around the league:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): To be exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): To be exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM)
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM)
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM)
- DE Tyree Wilson, Raiders ($14.48MM)
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM)
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM)
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM)
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM)
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM)
- DE Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM)
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM)
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): To be exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM)
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): To be exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM)
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM)
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised*
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM)
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): To be exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): To be exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM)
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): To be exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM)
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): To be exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM)
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM)
- DE Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM)
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($13.75MM)
* = Seahawks gave Smith-Njigba four-year, $168.6MM extension
Falcons Expected To Hire Eagles’ Jeff Scott As Assistant GM
The Falcons’ hierarchy has generated interest this offseason, after ownership cleaned house. The team added Matt Ryan and Ian Cunningham to right the ship, with the NFL viewing Ryan’s role as enough to deny the Bears two third-round picks for losing a minority exec (Cunningham) to a GM role.
Chicago promoted from within (Jeff King) to fill Cunningham’s assistant general manager post, while KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the Falcons are expected to make an outside hire to fill their AGM job. Eagles VP of football operations Jeff Scott is expected to be named the next Falcons assistant GM.
Scott worked with Cunningham in Philadelphia. The Eagles lost four execs to assistant GM roles in 2022 — Cunningham (Bears), Brandon Brown (Giants), Catherine Hickman (Browns) and Andy Weidl (Steelers) — but Cunningham and Scott overlapped in Philly from 2021-22. The Eagles hired Scott in 2021, bringing him over from Washington.
Spending nine years in Washington — most of which coming under then-president Bruce Allen — Scott climbed to the assistant director of pro scouting role by 2020. The Commanders had shaken up their organizational hierarchy in 2020, dismissing Allen and hiring Ron Rivera to head up operations from his HC post. Scott joined the Eagles as a senior pro scout and climbed to their director of football ops post in 2022, when the wave of execs left Philly for AGM roles elsewhere.
The Eagles elevated Scott to VP of football ops in 2024. This came at a key juncture for career advancement, as the Eagles assembled a strong roster ahead of their Super Bowl LIX rout of the Chiefs. Scott, who began his NFL run as an intern with Washington 14 years ago, has not taken any GM interviews. Moving to the assistant GM level, however, could greenlight some.
While many AGM positions represent top lieutenant roles, this one — thanks to Ryan’s role as president of football, a position the Falcons created for their former MVP quarterback — will bring third-in-command status. Still, Scott will be expected to become an integral part of Atlanta’s overhaul. For the Eagles, this will mark yet another Howie Roseman lieutenant to move to a high-ranking front office role elsewhere. Cunningham has climbed to the GM tier, while the other three execs to leave in 2022 have taken interviews. Brown, Hickman and Weidl each remain in their respective AGM roles; Scott now joins them on this tier.