Falcons Offense Position-By-Position Breakdown: What Needs More Help?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The early wave of free agency is done, the 2025 NFL draft is less than a month away and the Atlanta Falcons have signed eight players -- along with retaining several others -- as the player acquisition stage of the offseason rolls forward.

Atlanta's pre-draft roster is taking shape -- but several questions and vacancies still remain.

Here's an in-depth look at the Falcons' offense before the start of the 2025 NFL owners meetings in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Quarterback

Projected starter: Michael Penix Jr.

Projected backups: Kirk Cousins (for now), Emory Jones

The Falcons have made it clear Penix, who started the final three games of the 2024 season, is their quarterback moving forward. But what happens with Cousins?

That's the question of the offseason for Atlanta, which would prefer to trade Cousins but, of course, needs a dancing partner -- and adequate compensation for the 36-year-old's services.

Operating under the assumption Cousins won't be on the team next season, the Falcons lack a viable backup. They need insurance for Penix, who has a well-documented injury history and a relatively small sample size, and would do well to add with a veteran mentor to be a sounding board in what's expected to be his first full season as the starter.

In essence, the top of Atlanta's depth chart under center is set -- but everything behind Penix is far from it.

Running back

Projected starter: Bijan Robinson

Projected backups: Tyler Allgeier, Jase McClellan

Others in the mix: Carlos Washington Jr., Elijah Dotson

Robinson emerged as one of the NFL's best running backs in 2024. He third with 1,456 rushing yards, fourth with 1,886 scrimmage yards and sixth with 14 touchdowns -- which tied for the second-most in franchise history.

Behind Robinson, Allgeier enjoyed a steady campaign as the complementary ball carrier. He rushed 137 times for 644 yards and three touchdowns while adding 13 catches for 88 yards. Allgeier, a fifth-round pick in 2022, is entering a contract year.

The Falcons' ground game relied almost solely on Robinson and Allgeier. McClellan, a 2024 sixth-round pick, only saw action late in lopsided games, while Avery Williams -- the team's return specialist who left for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency -- didn't see an offensive touch.

Atlanta will likely depend heavily on Robinson and Allgeier again in 2025. But with Allgeier set to be an unrestricted free agent next spring and the Falcons' depth lacking behind the top two, there's a chance Atlanta taps into a deep running back class in the later rounds or undrafted free agent pool.

Receiver

Projected starters: Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud III

Projected backups: Jamal Agnew, KhaDarel Hodge, Casey Washington

Others in the mix: Chris Blair, Dylan Drummond, Jesse Matthews, Phillip Dorsett II, Makai Polk, David Sills V

The Falcons return each of their top three receivers from last season, a welcomed sight for Penix.

London eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his three-year pro career, and Mooney -- who missed the last game of the season due to a shoulder injury -- was eight yards shy from joining him.

There has been external discussions about the chance to upgrade over McCloud, but Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson altered his preseason personnel plans during the year because he felt he couldn't leave McCloud off the field.

As a result, McCloud saw career-high 87 targets and capitalized, setting additional career highs with 62 catches for 686 yards and one touchdown.

The Falcons signed Agnew to replace Williams as the primary returner, and the group of Agnew, Hodge and Washington figures to play mostly on special teams.

So, Atlanta's top three receivers -- London, Mooney and McCloud -- appear likely to play a heavy dose of snaps once more next season.

Tight end

Projected starters: Kyle Pitts Sr., Charlie Woerner (if 12 personnel)

Projected backups: Feleipe Franks, Teagan Quitoriano

Others in the mix: Nikola Kalinic

One may notice Pitts has "Sr." attached to his name -- that's what he'd like to go by moving forward. As for his on-field place in the organization, Pitts, the subject of substantiated offseason trade rumors, is set to be back with Atlanta in 2025.

But what about after?

Pitts will play 2025 on the fifth-year option attached to his rookie contract. Barring an extension, he will hit unrestricted free agency in the spring of 2026. Whether he returns to the Falcons -- or if there's any interest from either side -- will largely depend on how this fall unfolds.

Atlanta's room behind Pitts has a few different faces but a similar makeup to last season. Woerner, a terrific blocker who's lightly used in the passing game, projects as a staple in 12 personnel, as he was in 2024.

But the Falcons haven't re-signed No. 3 tight end Ross Dwelley, instead adding Quitoriano and reuniting with Franks, who started his career as a quarterback with the Falcons in 2021 and spent last season as a tight end for the Carolina Panthers.

The tight ends behind Pitts have minimal receiving production. Quitoriano has nine catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns across 23 games and 15 starts. Woerner caught a career-high seven passes in 2024. Franks made the first -- and only -- grab of his pro career last season.

Atlanta didn't have a second receiving tight end in 2024, and it doesn't appear likely to have one in 2025, either.

Offensive line

Projected starters: left tackle Jake Matthews, left guard Matthew Bergeron, center Ryan Neuzil, right guard Chris Lindstrom and right tackle Kaleb McGary

Projected backups: offensive tackle Storm Norton, offensive tackle Brandon Parker, offensive guard Elijah Wikinson, offensive guard Kyle Hinton interior offensive lineman Jovaughn Gwyn

Others in the mix: offensive tackle Kilian Zierer, offensive tackle Tyron Wheatley Jr., offensive guard Joey Fisher, interior offensive lineman Matthew Cindric

The Falcons lost center Drew Dalman, a three-year starter, to the Chicago Bears in free agency. They're expected to replace him with Neuzil, who's a restricted free agent and has been given a right-of-first-refusal tag, meaning Atlanta can match any offer made by another team.

However, such a tag and subsequent contract doesn't necessarily align to the financial value of a starter. It's possible the Falcons look to add another starting-caliber player at center, though Neuzil performed well in eight starts for the injured Dalman last season.

Elsewhere, Atlanta re-signed Norton, a quality swing tackle, along with other depth pieces in Parker, Hinton and Wilkinson. The Falcons inked Gwyn, a seventh-round pick in 2023, to a reserve/futures deal after the season.

Matthews agreed to a two-year, $45 million contract extension before the start of free agency, and Lindstrom saw $10 million in salary convert to a signing bonus, helping Atlanta open cap space. McGary is entering a contract year, which may put the Falcons in the market for a developmental successor at some point in the draft.