Falcons heading into their final NFL draft meetings with options open

“The emphasis during the draft will be certainly on the defensive side of the ball,” Blank said at the league meeting earlier this week. “It’s pretty obvious to everybody. I would say.”

But maybe not to the football men.

Starting left offensive tackle Jake Matthews is 33 years old. Starting right tackle Kaleb McGary is 30 and is in the last year of his contract.

“So, I felt like we did a really good job as much as we could (in free agency),” Blank said. “We’re looking forward to the draft. We don’t have a ton of picks. We have five. Can end up with more than that, but you just never know. You go into it knowing you have five.”

The Falcons ranked 31st in the league in sacks last season. The pass rush is undergoing a major offseason makeover.

The Falcons lost or elected not to re-sign defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (five sacks), outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman in free agency. Also, they have elected, thus far, not to re-sign linebacker Matthew Judon, who was second on the team with 5.5 sacks.

The Falcons sent their third-round pick to New England in the Judon trade. They lost the fifth-round pick for tampering in the signings of Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner in free agency last season.

Outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (six sacks), linebacker Kaden Elliss (5) and David Onyemata (3) are the top returning pass rushers. The Falcons also signed outside linebacker Leonard Floyd (66.5 career sacks) in free agency.

If the Falcons selected a pass rusher in the draft, no one would be surprised.

“You can’t have enough edge,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “I think that is something that you constantly have to be doing (adding to the pass rush). It’s different.”

The Falcons ideally would like to develop a rotation of edge rushers, who can sustain the pass rush over the course of a game.

“On the edge you play a bunch of different people,” Morris said. “You (have) a chance to roll those guys around … to go out there and try to win matchups. You want to continue to add those guys as much as you can.”

The draft is considered deep in edge rushers. Marshall’s Mike Green, Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr., Georgia’s Mykel Williams and Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart could be available when the Falcons pick in the first round. Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker is a projected top-10 pick.

Green, who led the nation in sacks with 17, and Pearce have red flags that may cause the Falcons to bypass them. Green left Virginia under murky circumstances, while Pearce had a very sketchy traffic stop with law enforcement officials and other matters.

The Falcons could elect to take a tackle early and come back and load up on the defense later in the draft. The draft is deep at defensive end and defensive tackle.

Some of the top tackles the Falcons have scouted include Oregon’s Jon Conerly, Texas’ Kelvin Banks and Ohio State’s Josh Simmons.

Morris has been spotted at Pro Days at Marshall, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Texas.

“We do a bunch of jumping around,” Morris said. “It will be hard for me to say that it’s a spot that you want to address early. You don’t necessarily control the draft. You’d like to be able to address some of your definite needs.”

Fontenot, who last spoke to the media at the combine and declined an interview request at Georgia Pro Day through the teams’ public relations staff, likes to draft the best player available. If the tackles are rated higher than the edge rushers, they’ll take the tackle.

Fontenot repeatedly, over his four previous drafts, has said he doesn’t want to get in trouble “reaching” for needs and has noted that character is important by citing the team’s “ethos.”

“We went to see a bunch of different spots with edges,” said Morris, who also attended Georgia’s Pro Day. “We went to a bunch of different spots with tackles …. got a chance to get some really good eyes, some good looks on some different people as we also (got) a chance to watch their tape as well.”

The Falcons are hoping to get a boost from the defensive players they drafted in 2024. Defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (second round), outside linebacker Bralen Trice (third round) and defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus (fourth round) will be counted on to develop.

Morris is also counting on new defensive line coach Nate Ollie and outside linebackers coach Jacquies Smith to develop the players.

“Believing in the coaching, believing the guys we’ve got coming back,” Morris said. “Believing in the guys getting better this year. Guys who were hurt. (Safety DeMarcco) Hellams and Trice.”

Hellams (ankle) and Trice (Achilles) missed all of last season.

“Some of last year’s draft class is going to be really helpful (with) us getting better,” Morris said. “We’ll be able to add this year. You’re constantly trying to grow your football team. We are definitely confident that we’ll be better on that side of the ball this year.”

With the draft approaching the Falcons will finish up their top-30 visits with players. They also have their locals day set for April 12.

Conerly and Stewart have top 30 visits set up with the team.

Others set to visit with the Falcons, according to multiple sources, include William & Mary offensive tackle Charles Grant, Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston, South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori, Alabama linebacker Que Robinson and Memphis linebacker Chandler Martin.

In addition to offensive tackle and edge rusher, the Falcons could select a cornerback as Johnson and Hairston are both highly regarded players.