The Atlanta Falcons have a major problem to solve off the field. And their quarterback situation is far from settled. That makes the next 2026 offseason steps important, and here are three sneaky good free agents they must sign.
Coming off an 8-9 finish that ended with an impressive four-game winning streak, the Falcons have a roster with some very talented players. But they also have areas they need to address to make the first season under head coach Kevin Stefanski a special one.
Because of the situation with edge rusher James Pearce Jr., it’s hard to know what direction the team will need to take in free agency. But we will look at this as if the Falcons find a way to get Pearce on the field this season.
Falcons should sign TE Isaiah Likely
Certainly, the Falcons should first try to retain star tight end Kyle Pitts. He appeared to be coming into his NFL prime with the strong finish to the 2025 season.
However, the Falcons might not be able to work things out with the 25-year-old standout. And this offense needs a tight end to make things click better for wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson.
Likely hasn’t reached his potential yet. He is also 25, but doesn’t have nearly the same numbers that Pitts has. Still, he has averaged over 10 yards per reception in each of his four NFL seasons.
His best season came in 2024, when he racked up 477 yards receiving with six scores despite playing second fiddle to Mark Andrews. Likely is an intriguing free agent who should have a breakout year in 2026.
Still, there is a possbility Likely won’t pan out to what people think he could be, according to bleacherreport.com.
“While Likely flashes his ability to be elite occasionally — most notably in the 2024 opener when he racked up a whopping nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets — he's been unable to contribute high-level production with any consistency,” Alex Kay wrote. “He followed up that breakout Week 1 performance last year by catching two of three looks for 26 yards with no touchdowns.”
“The hope would be that Likely, who is still just 25 years old, makes a significant leap in 2026. Unfortunately, based on his past production and inability to capitalize on opportunities, this simply isn't likely to happen.”
However, the NFL is a world where chances have to be taken. And this is one the Falcons should strongly consider if they can’t reach terms with Pitts.
WR Rashid Shaheed should be a priority
The thing about Shaheed is not his effectiveness as a receiver. He hasn’t been able to step into the spotlight in that role.
However, as a special teams player, he’s elite. And he’s good enough as a field stretcher at the receiver position to make him a valuable overall player.
Also, the Falcons aren’t scaring anybody deep with their current receiver room. That makes Shaheed a nice fit.
The Seahawks would no doubt like to keep Shaheed. But that will be tough, according to Move the Sticks podcast via sports.mynorthwest.com.
“To me, (Kenneth Walker III) I would actually put at the top (of the Seahawks’ priority list to bring back), which is surprising,” Daniel Jeremiah said. “And one of the reasons I say that is because Shaheed’s going to be the hardest to keep of all these guys.”
Imagine what Shaheed could bring to the Falcons after what he did for the Seahawks this year. He returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the regular season. And then in the playoffs, he opened the game with a kick return touchdown that seemed to demoralize the 49ers in the Divisional Round.
“I love (Shaheed), and I know what you gave up for him,” Jeremiah said. “And I know the value that he has. The problem is when your offensive coordinator goes to maybe the most offensively-starved team in the National Football League, and he’s had him at two locations now.”
That may mean Shaheed could wind up with the Raiders under new coach Klint Kubiak.
Falcons should sign RB Brian Robinson Jr.
This wouldn’t be a significant move in some respects. But the Falcons want their offense to be similar to what it was in 2025. And Tyler Allgeier filled an important role. With Allgeier likely leaving in free agency, Robinson would provide a nice Plan B.
Robinson already had a season backing up another standout back, playing behind Christian McCaffrey in 2025. He knows that role and could do well behind Robinson in Atlanta.
However, it may not be easy to convince Robinson to play backup to another star, according to Sports Illustrated.
“The best idea for Robinson is likely to sign for a team where he can compete to get legitimate carries,” Parker Hurley wrote. “And then try to earn a significant contract next offseason after carrying a workload. That is not going to happen in San Francisco.”
