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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/2/25

June 2nd, 2025 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves, including a handful of recent retirements that were made official:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Kyle Pitts Drawing Trade Interest; Falcons TE Has Not Requested Trade

June 1st, 2025 at 11:33am CST by Adam La Rose

JUNE 1: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms the Falcons are not actively shopping Pitts but are open to the possibility of a trade (video link). Pitts himself may be amenable to such a move as well, because while he has not requested a trade and is said to love Atlanta, he may prefer an offense that allows him to be more of a featured target (especially since he is entering a platform year).

MAY 30: Since a productive rookie campaign, Kyle Pitts has not lived up to expectations. The Falcons tight end remains in the team’s plans, but he has been the subject of trade talks.

Multiple teams have reached out to speak about Pitts’ availability, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports. He adds that nothing is imminent at this time. Today’s development is not entirely new, however. Bleacher Report’s James Palmer notes the former No. 4 pick has been “relatively available” throughout the offseason.

After a strong college career at Florida, Pitts faced major expectations given his draft slot. He managed to record 1,026 yards during his debut season, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. That campaign only included one touchdown grab, though, and improved red zone production was viewed as a source of improvement moving forward. In different offensive systems and with a number of quarterbacks in Atlanta, Pitts has been unable to match his rookie year or establish himself as a consistent touchdown threat.

Given the Falcons’ decision to pick up Pitts’ fifth-year option, he is owed $10.88MM in 2025. The pending free agent would thus represent an expensive addition on the part of any acquiring team. Swinging a trade for the 24-year-old would no doubt include at least a short extension being worked out upon arrival. To date, Pitts has not done enough to warrant a big-ticket deal or a sizable price on the trade market.

On that point, Schultz reports a Day 2 pick would need to be the starting point for any serious trade talks. He adds Atlanta’s preference would be to keep Pitts in place for at least one more season. The team’s offense also features former top-10 picks in the form of wideout Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson. Expectations are high for those two to continue developing as the Falcons turn to Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback on a full-time basis on 2025.

Pitts has played a full 17 game-slate in three of his four NFL seasons, but since his encouraging rookie campaign he has only averaged between 35.4 and 39.2 receiving yards per game. Especially considering his skillset, increasing that figure will be critical in landing him a notable second contract in the NFL. That effort will likely take place in Atlanta, but an acceleration of trade discussions could pave the way for a swap taking place before the start of the season.

Falcons Sign RFA C Ryan Neuzil

May 28th, 2025 at 7:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Last year, the Falcons were able to avoid tendering center Ryan Neuzil as an exclusive rights free agent with a one-year extension. With Neuzil as a restricted free agent this offseason, Atlanta ended up tendering him. That tender is a thing of the past, though, as Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Neuzil and the Falcons have agreed to a two-year, $9.5MM deal.

Neuzil signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State in 2021. After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, Neuzil made his NFL debut in Week 9 of his sophomore campaign, getting called up as a practice squad elevation. He would appear in every game for the rest of the 2022 season, appearing only on special teams, except for five offensive snaps in the team’s regular season finale.

In 2023, injuries to starting guard and primary backup center Matt Hennessy opened the door for Neuzil to climb the depth chart as the new top option to back up then-starter Drew Dalman. Neuzil entered the year playing the same special teams role in which he ended 2022, but he earned his first career start in Week 6, though only as a technicality as he was an extra lineman on the first play of the game and only played five offensive snaps.

Later in the season, though, Dalman would be forced to miss three games, opening the door for Neuzil to finally start a full game at center and earn snaps on the line during games in which he didn’t start. Ending the season with four starts under his belt likely helped him earn his extension as the primary backup to Dalman. When Dalman missed eight games with a high ankle sprain this past season, Neuzil was the one to fill in. Dalman wanted to return to Atlanta this offseason, and the two sides even met to discuss a new deal, but ultimately, Dalman ended up signing with the Bears, leaving the Falcons seemingly no choice but to sign Neuzil as the team’s new primary center.

According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, Neuzil had been working out and practicing with the team without a deal signed, but likely under the impression that he would, at the very least, sign his restricted free agent tender. Now, with a new contract in hand, Neuzil officially rejoins the roster to likely serve as the Falcons’ starting center in 2025.

Kirk Cousins Absent From Day 1 Of Falcons OTAs

May 27th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins remains on the Falcons roster, but both sides seem motivated to find the QB a new team sooner than later. As the organization figures out a solution, the veteran QB is predictably staying away from OTAs.

[RELATED: Steelers Still Interested In Kirk Cousins]

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters that he hadn’t seen Cousins in the building as his team opened voluntary team activities today (per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network). It doesn’t seem like this absence is necessarily leading to any holdout, as he unexpectedly attended the start of the team’s voluntary offseason last month.

Still, Cousins’ absence from Day 1 of OTAs is still glaring. There doesn’t appear to be any resolution in sight regarding Cousins’ future in Atlanta. The Falcons pivoted to first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. before Cousins completed a full season of his four-year, $180MM contract, and both sides have been willing to consider a peaceful divorce as the veteran looks to start elsewhere.

While Cousins has been seeking an outright release, the Falcons haven’t budged on their trade-route stance. The team understands that they’d need to eat $37.5MM in guaranteed money even if Cousins was cut, and they’ve stated a willingness to keep Cousins on board as a high-priced QB2 in 2025. NFL Network Ian Rapoport said today that he believes the most likely path in this drama sees Cousins positioned as the backup in Atlanta.

With a release not on the table, focus has pivoted to a trade, and the Falcons have been signaling that they want suitors to take on at least $20MM of Cousins’ 2025 salary. Understandably, a deal hasn’t been made, and it’s uncertain if the Falcons will change their stance as the summer goes on. We heard yesterday that a trade likely would have already been completed if the Falcons were willing to absorb a larger portion (such as $7MM or $8MM) of Cousins’ upcoming $27.5MM base salary.

If the Falcons do change their stance, it’s uncertain what teams would be lining up for Cousins’ services. The Browns and Vikings were once mentioned as suitors, but both teams added to their QB depth charts during the draft (Cleveland drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders while Minnesota acquired Sam Howell via trade).

We heard yesterday that the Steelers remain an option as they await a decision on the Aaron Rodgers front. Of course, a Rodgers decision would quickly change that calculus, leaving maybe only the Saints as a logical suitor. New Orleans was once mentioned as a landing spot, and the team’s need only increased following Derek Carr‘s retirement. The Saints claim they’re not aiming to make an outside addition, but perhaps they would change their tune if the Cousins’ financial commitment comes down.

Steelers Still Interested In Kirk Cousins

May 26th, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The wait continues for Aaron Rodgers to make an official commitment to playing in 2025. Provided he does so, a deal sending him to the Steelers for at least one season remains the expectation around the league.

Rodgers has plenty of time to sign ahead of training camp (or in advance of next month’s mandatory minicamp), but before that takes place Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation carries uncertainty. One other option is still attainable this deep into the offseason, and the team is continuing to monitor that situation. The Steelers still have Kirk Cousins on their radar, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on a Sunday SportsCenter appearance (h/t Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells).

The Falcons have been open to trading Cousins for much of the offseason despite their stated willingness to keep him in place as an expensive Michael Penix Jr. backup. The four-time Pro Bowler’s preference would be a fresh start after only one year in Atlanta, but his contract represents an impediment to a trade taking place. $37.5MM in guaranteed money is owed over the course of the 2025 and ’26 seasons, and the Falcons are uninterested in retaining a large potion of that amount to facilitate a deal.

Early last month, Atlanta was reportedly asking suitors to absorb at least $20MM of Cousins’ 2025 salary for a trade to take place. To no surprise, that stance did not generate offers, although a list of interested teams remained in place just before the draft took place. The Steelers were among them, and they find themselves as the only team whose presumed starting quarterback is not already on the roster at this point.

Per Fowler’s report, a Cousins trade would have already taken place by now if the Falcons had been willing to absorb a portion (such as $7MM or $8MM) of his $27.5MM base salary for the coming season. They are clearly not prepared to do so, and that position is unlikely to change any time soon. The Browns and Vikings added to their QB depth charts during the draft (through the selection of rookies in one case, and a trade in the other). The Saints, meanwhile, are not aiming to make an outside addition in the wake of Derek Carr‘s retirement.

As a result, Pittsburgh will continue to be a team to monitor on the Cousins front. The 36-year-old is under contract through 2027 (although the Steelers could move on from him prior to that point), and he could be seen as a multi-year investment under center. Rodgers, by contrast, will likely represent a one-and-done addition presuming a contract agreement is eventually reached. Until and unless that happens, though, the Steelers will no doubt continue to keep tabs on Cousins’ availability.

The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History

May 21st, 2025 at 10:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job.

The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.

Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees

Carolina Panthers

Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)

Los Angeles Chargers

Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal

Los Angeles Rams

Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)

Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM guaranteed)

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)

NFC Staff Updates: Giants, Falcons, Vikings, Rams, Eagles

May 18th, 2025 at 6:01pm CST by Ely Allen

As is common in the wake of the 2025 NFL Draft, several teams have been making updates to their front offices. One of the latest such clubs to do so is the Giants, who made a number of changes to their scouting staff recently.

According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the Giants and national scout Mike Derice have parted ways. Derice had been in the role for three years, joining the team shortly after the 2022 draft. The change comes as a bit of surprise with so much positive reception to the team’s last two drafts.

A new face will join the scouting department, though, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports that the team has hired Tyson Beane as a scouting assistant. Tyson Beane is the son of Bills general manager Brandon Beane. With Giants general manager Joe Schoen having served five years in Buffalo as Beane’s assistant general manager, it makes sense for Tyson to land in New York, if not Buffalo.

Per Raanan, the Giants also lost a member of their coaching staff, as well. Offensive assistant Angela Baker has reportedly left the organization in order to pursue opportunities elsewhere in the NFL. Baker had worked with the team since 2022.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the NFC:

  • The Falcons also made a pair of changes, per Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Stratton noted a change in the LinkedIn account of Andy Grossman, showing a promotion from football data analyst to senior football data analyst. After working on staff at Northwestern, Grossman joined Atlanta back in 2022.
  • On the scouting side of things, Stratton adds the Falcons are saying goodbye to national scout Joel Collier, who has been with the team since 2016. After starting as a graduate assistant at Syracuse from 1988-89, Collier served as an NFL assistant coach from 1990-2007, working with the Buccaneers, Patriots, and Dolphins and taking one year in 1993 to work as a pro scout for the Patriots. His NFL coaching career came to an end when he was hired as assistant general manager of the Chiefs, a role he held for six years. He arrived in Atlanta as director of pro personnel in 2016 before being reassigned to national scout in 2019.
  • Stratton also informs us that another NFL staffer with 30-plus years of experience has parted ways with their most recent employer. The Vikings have reportedly parted ways with personnel scout Frank Acevedo. Acevedo has been in Minnesota for the last 23 years after starting his NFL career with seven seasons in Kansas City. He will explore other options in 2025.
  • The Rams also announced a number of updates to their scouting staff, per Stratton. Two scouting apprentices earned promotions as Cory Moore was named an area scout and Michael Young was named a pro scout. Roman Cooper was also hired to serve as senior scouting assistant.
  • Lastly, the Eagles have hired Smit Bajaj to serve as a quantitative analyst for the team. Bajaj was recently part of the winning team in this year’s NFL Big Data Bowl competition, helping him to earn this opportunity. Seth Walder of ESPN tells us that Bajaj will start in July.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/16/25

May 16th, 2025 at 6:43pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor NFL moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Jets

Every team has, at this point, officially announced their initial list of undrafted free agent rookie signings. Still, undrafted rookies continue to find opportunities here and there in the wake of the draft.

Since the departure of Alex Mack, the Falcons have been unable to find stability at the center position. Since then, Matt Hennessy, Drew Dalman, and Ryan Neuzil have been tasked with filling the role. Dalman was a dependable option for a bit, but injury caused him to miss 11 games in the past two years. Neuzil filled in for eight starts last year, and the former undrafted free agent stands to take the starting job in 2025.

Atlanta will provide him no shortage of competition, though, with depth at the position coming in the form of Gonzalez, former seventh-round pick Jovaughn Gwyn, and former undrafted free agent Matthew Cindric. Gonzalez also brings some versatility to the line after starting games at both guard and tackle at Louisville.

Fletcher transferred to Appalachian State after four years at Michigan State. He never really got on the field much with the Spartans, only earning three starts, but he immediately made an impact for the Mountaineers. In his two years with the team, Fletcher tallied 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Multiple Teams Have Shown Interest In OLB Matt Judon

May 14th, 2025 at 4:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matt Judon went unsigned in the NFL’s initial waves of free agency signings, but he has received interest from multiple teams, per Kyle Odegard of Card Player.

Judon spoke about his 2024 season in Atlanta and his free agency plans while participating in a celebrity basketball game hosted by former Patriots teammate Mack Wilson in Arizona. Other ex-Patriots like Christian Gonzalez and Keion White were also in attendance, as well as Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

The 32-year-old Judon still thinks he can be an impact pass rusher in the NFL despite a step back in 2024; his 5.5 sacks were his fewest in a full season since his rookie year with the Ravens in 2016. He attributed his regression to a Falcons defensive scheme that asked too much of him in pass coverage.

“If you go look at the film, I dropped on 60 percent of the plays,” said Judon (via Odegard). “It’s hard to get a pick and a sack on the same play.”

While Judon seems to be exaggerating, he did see an uptick in the percentage of snaps he dropped into coverage in Atlanta compared to his time in New England, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, he had even more coverage responsibilities during his four years as a starter in Baltimore.

Jones, who has regularly skipped OTAs in his career, will likely wait until the summer to sign with a new team, though he has been in touch with multiple.

Re-signing with the Falcons would be a surprise. Though the team replaced defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake with Jeff Ulbrich this offseason – which may appeal to Judon given his issues with last year’s scheme – they also drafted two edge rushers in the first round and signed Leonard Floyd in free agency. Judon thinks that would rule out a return to Atlanta, who noted that 2024 third-rounder Bralen Trice would also factor into the defense after missing his rookie year due to a torn ACL.

Judon said he was “open to whatever” when asked about reuniting with the Ravens, but they have a similarly-full edge rushing room. As for other potential destinations, he simply said, “It’s got to make sense,” likely meaning it would take a sizable salary and/or shot at a Super Bowl to get him to put pen to paper.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/25

May 12th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: CB Jeremiah Walker
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Tory Taylor

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Jordan Turner, WR Kyrese White, LS Zach Triner, TE Cole Fotheringham
  • Waived: CB Kendall Bohler, LB K.J. Cloyd, NT Christian Dowell, TE Thomas Yassmin
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Jeremy Crawshaw

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: QB Taylor Elgersma
  • Released: OL Marquis Hayes

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Mose Vavao
  • Waived: DT Joe Evans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: WR Dalevon Campbell, LB Kana’i Mauga
  • Waived: OL Bucky Williams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DT Isaiah Iton, G Mehki Butler, DT Wilfried Pene
  • Waived: OT Cole Birdow

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: CB T.J. Moore
  • Waived: DB R.J. Delancey, DB Tommy McCormick

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: TE Drake Dabney,WR TJ Sheffield
  • Waived: CB Virgil Lemons, S Jerrin Thompson

Hoyland converted 79.3% of his field goal attempts for the Wyoming Cowboys across the last five years. He was ultra-consistent on extra points with 147 makes on 148 tries. Hoyland will compete with sixth-round pick Tyler Loop for the Ravens’ kicking job after the team released Justin Tucker.

Sheffield brings some much-needed experience to the Dolphins’ cornerback room, though he hasn’t started since 2020. He could provide crucial veteran depth in Miami, especially if Jalen Ramsey is traded.

Elgersma was the starting quarterback at Wilfried Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, for the last three years. In 2024, he won the Hec Crighton Trophy – the Canadian equivalent to the Heisman – and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, the first-ever for a Canadian QB. Elgersma was drafted in the second round of the 2025 CFL Draft by the Winnepeg Blue Bombers, but a successful tryout with the Packers will give him a chance at making an NFL roster.

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