Free agency is set to begin. Legal tampering kicks off tomorrow at noon eastern time, and teams can make outside signings official at 4 p.m. on Wednesday when the new league year officially starts. It’s a busy, heady period for every NFL team.
Will it be a transformative one for the Falcons? Probably not, given their limited dollars, long list of free agents, and how competitive the market is going to be. Nonetheless, we should expect our Falcons to be active even if the big swings are limited, with a focus on shoring up key positions like quarterback, wide receiver, inside linebacker, cornerback, and depth across the roster. There is much to be done before the draft just for us to feel like this team can tread water, after all.
We’ll track the action here in the hours and days ahead, so keep it open among your many dozens of tabs and let’s get rolling.
The talented tight end had something of a breakout season in 2025, and was franchise tagged as a result. Unless the Falcons find a trade partner, expect them to hammer out a long-term deal with Pitts sometime in 2026.
Check back frequently for updates! We hope!
Falcons set to cut Darnell Mooney
Mooney had one terrific season in 2024 and one injury-marred, forgettable campaign in 2025, but should have little trouble landing a job elsewhere.
Falcons will cut Kirk Cousins, designate as a post-June 1 cut
The least surprising news of the offseason, especially after the Falcons restructured Cousins’ deal to create a poison pill situation for themselves if he isn’t cut. The move gave Atlanta the cap space they needed to franchise tag Kyle Pitts and make a handful of moves early in free agency, but if they don’t release him before March 13, they’ll eat nearly $70 million in dead money next year. That’s not going to happen, so the official cut should be coming soon.
The Falcons will now be shopping for another veteran quarterback to pair with Michael Penix Jr.
Falcons decline to tender Sam Roberts, Malik Heath
The Falcons scooped up Heath late last year after the Packers cut him, but he never saw any action. The new regime apparently doesn’t think he’ll crack their new-look depth chart, which is currently looking pretty barren.
Bolded players have signed elsewhere; bolded and italicized players have returned to the Falcons.
TE Kyle Pitts (Franchise tagged)
ILB Kaden Elliss
ILB Troy Andersen
WR Malik Heath (not tendered)
DL Sam Roberts (not tendered)
Exclusive rights free agents