​Few around the NFL have fallen for the Atlanta Falcons’ offseason moves just yet, but general manager Ian Cunningham understands that his job is to play chess, not checkers. The club’s latest decisions to extend tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Drake London should benefit the franchise in both the near term and the long haul. By keeping these two dynamic playmakers, the Falcons freed up nearly $20 million in salary-cap space, a move that could prove pivotal for future who’s-who in Atlanta. Nevertheless, Cunningham would be prudent to allocate part of that freed cap to extend other core contributors, including Bijan Robinson and Matthew Bergeron, to ensure a well-rounded, sustainable core.
In today’s Falcons Wire Recap, Atlanta’s offensive line receives its due, Bleacher Report weighs in on A.J. Terrell’s recent ESPN snub, we review updated salary-cap figures, and we examine a concerning stat about Tua Tagovailoa. ESPN’s latest personnel poll did not place A.J. Terrell among the league’s top 10 cornerbacks, though he did earn honorable-mention recognition. Bleacher Report highlighted Terrell as one of the top snubs, arguing that there’s no shortage of elite cornerback talent in the honorable-mention fold. “Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. has been among the better players at his position since entering the league in 2020. The critique here seems to hinge on his lack of interceptions (six over six seasons),” wrote Paul Kasabian of B/R.
Meanwhile, the Falcons’ offensive line drew favorable notices across the league this week. Warren Sharp’s analysis rates Atlanta’s trench crew as the 10th-best unit in the NFL for the current year. Sharp noted that the line ranked 14th in pass-block win rate in 2025 and pointed to the addition of former Chief Jawaan Taylor at right tackle following Kaleb McGary’s retirement. The Falcons’ line enjoyed strong health last season, with four starters amassing more than 1,000 snaps apiece at their respective positions.
On the quarterback front, Pro Football Focus has flagged Tua Tagovailoa’s recent performance as troubling, highlighting a decline over the past two seasons. PFF grades show a notable drop, with Tagovailoa ranking 31st out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks in overall grade (67.9) since 2024, despite having posted outstanding efficiency during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, where he ranked fourth in PFF WAR among qualifying signal-callers for those years.
Here’s an updated snapshot of the Falcons’ 2026 top ten offensive cap hits. Notably, Pitts slides just outside the top 10 on the current list. Drake London commands $7,996,200; Bijan Robinson sits at $6,986,810; Matthew Bergeron is at $4,806,451; Jawaan Taylor checks in at $4,625,000; and Kyle Pitts comes in at $4,622,000. It’s worth noting that Falcons guards Chris Lindstrom and Matthew Bergeron have drawn praise as one of the NFL’s premier interior offensive-line duos, a sentiment echoed by SI’s Matt Verderame. As the Falcons continue to balance their cap and their on-field ambitions, the emphasis remains on building a durable, versatile offense around a core of homegrown talent and shrewd, strategic signings.