The middle of Round 1 is where the draft truly starts to bend.
Picks 13 through 16 often belong to competitive teams — but this year, trade activity has reshaped the order. The Los Angeles Rams and New York Jets currently control selections in this range, yet for the purpose of evaluating roster construction and long-term outlooks, we’ll focus on the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts alongside the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This is a fascinating tier.
These aren’t TOTAL bottom-feeders. These are organizations with defined identities — some pushing for deep playoff runs, others trying to break through after trading first-round picks last season. But each has clear pressure points on the roster.
For contenders like Baltimore and Tampa Bay, this is about sustaining a window. For Atlanta and Indianapolis, it’s about accelerating one and overcoming the lack of first-round draft capital (and injured starting QBs).
The margin for error shrinks here. Reach too far for need, and you miss out on value. Sit back and draft purely on talent, and you risk ignoring a glaring weakness. Add in looming extensions and future cap decisions, and these picks become as strategic as they are impactful.
In this batch, we break down:
- The biggest roster holes for each franchise
- Contract situations and future cap implications
- Which positions should be prioritized for veterans and rookies
- Potential fantasy football implications
This is the range where good teams separate themselves from great ones — and where smart roster management pays off.
Up next: the Atlanta Falcons (via Rams selection), the Baltimore Ravens, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Indianapolis Colts (via Jets selection).
Salary cap contract information provided by Spotrac.
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2026 NFL Draft Team Needs & Predictions: Falcons
2026 Free Agents
- QB: Easton Stick, Emory Jones (ERFA)
- RB: Tyler Allgeier
- WR: Malik Heath, David Sills (RFA)
- TE: Kyle Pitts, Feleipe Franks, Teagan Quitoriano
- OL: G Elijah Wilkinson, C Jovaughn Gwyn (RFA), RT Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (ERFA)
- EDGE: Leonard Floyd, Arnold Ebiketie
- DL: David Onyemata, Kentavius Street, Sam Roberts, Elijah Garcia, LaCale London
- LB: Kaden Elliss, Troy Andersen, DeAngelo Malone, Josh Woods
- CB: Natrone Brooks (ERFA), Dee Alford
- S: Ronnie Harrison
- ST: P Bradley Pinion, K Zane Gonzalez
2027 Free Agents
- RB: Bijan Robinson (CLUB), Carlos Washington Jr. (ERFA)
- WR: Drake London, Darnell Mooney, KhaDarel Hodge, Deven Thompkins, Chris Blair (RFA), Dylan Drummond (ERFA)
- TE: Charlie Woerner, Joshua Simon (ERFA)
- OL: C Ryan Neuzil, G Kyle Hinton, OT Matthew Bergeron, OT Storm Norton, OT Andrew Stueber (ERFA)
- DL: Zach Harrison, Ben Stille
- LB: Divine Deablo
- CB: Michael Ford, C.J. Henderson, Clark Phillips III, Cobee Bryant (ERFA), A.J. Woods (ERFA)
- S: Jessie Bates III, Jammie Robinson, DeMarcco Hellams, Tysheem Johnson (ERFA)
- ST: P Trenton Gill
Team Needs: DT, EDGE, WR, TE, CB, OT, LB
Obviously, solving the QB2 situation is a need for this new-look Atlanta Falcons roster under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Kirk Cousins seemed possible to stick around, given his connection with Stefanski (they played together in Minnesota).
But he is expected to be released by the Falcons… with the team hoping to re-sign him on a cheaper contract (a la if he can’t get any starting jobs in free agency).
Kirk Cousins WILL be released by the start of the league year, per @AdamSchefter.
Schefter mentions the Vikings and even asked Cousins about it last week. Cousins didn't say yes or no.
Definitely sounds like Cousins wants to start or he won't play.pic.twitter.com/0qK8ZgID62
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) February 9, 2026
Former OC with Zac Robinson gone – replaced with Tommy Rees. Rees was also brought over from Cleveland to serve as the Falcons’ new OC. Before coming to Cleveland, Rees was at Alabama and Notre Dame, serving as offensive coordinator. Some players he coached eligible in this year’s draft class include TE Eli Raridon, RB Jadarian Price, QB Ty Simpson, and RB Jam Miller.
Matt Ryan was named the new President of Football.
Michael Penix Jr. is coming off another torn ACL injury. It’s his fifth season-ending injury. The Falcons must have a decent second option at the position. Joe Flacco looks like the obvious veteran option if Penix isn’t ready to start the year.
If not Flacco, it will most likely be in the form of a QB that can play under center. A la, Kyler Murray to Atlanta is probably a no-go.
Part of Stefanski’s offensive identity is to run under center – something Murray has not traditionally done.
They might need a replacement tight end if Kyle Pitts leaves in free agency. Adding another TE – David Njoku perhaps – also makes a lot of sense given the 12 personnel this offense also likes to operate from.
But Pitts seems likely to remain in Atlanta, according to The Athletic. The biggest question is whether the Falcons sign him to a long-term deal or place the franchise tag on him.
Also need to address the tackle position and IOL with FAs hitting those areas.
RT Kaleb McGary will also be returning from a season-ending knee injury in 2026.
Could also see WR given how poor Darnell Mooney was in 2025. The depth behind Mooney/Drake London was absurd for the Falcons.
Defensively, the pass rush finally came alive last season. One of the few bright spots in a disappointing year for the Dirty Birds overall.
But then edge rusher James Pearce Jr. had to go and get arrested, putting his status in doubt for next year (and future years, given the prior regime traded up for him).
So just like death and taxes…pass rush is back on the Falcons’ draft/needs board.
Otherwise, bolstering the secondary would be priority No. 1. Dee Alford is a free agent. However, Billy Bowman could kick inside and defend the slot (he got hurt last season).
LB Kaden Ellis is also a free agent and led the team in snaps on defense. Divine Deablo will be a free agent in 2027.
And even though pass rush was much better in 2025…there are a lot of bodies on the DL/EDGE that might walk in free agency (regardless of how Pearce’s situation shakes out). So, more defensive line depth is really needed here (particularly the interior). According to the Athletic…six of the nine interior defensive linemen who played for Atlanta last year are impending free agents or already gone.
Matt Ryan said in his opening news conference that his team would stop the run this year.
He also echoed that sentiment on an episode of “This Is Football” with Kevin Clark: Opened with running the football well, stopping the opponent from running the football well, etc.
The Falcons’ new GM is Ian Cunningham, who has been the Bears’ assistant GM since 2022. Started with the Ravens, and did personnel stuff with the Eagles as well. A lot of experience from some strong drafting teams that tend not to let value slip down the board.
Also learned a lot from those teams, building through the trenches across the OL and DL.
And given Cunningham’s ties to the Bears, possibly he could make a move for a player on the trade block, such as D.J. Moore.
Cole Kmet and Raiders No. 2 TE Michael Mayer also played with Rees at Notre Dame.
And although Falcons fans might not like it…Justin Fields might also make some sense here as back-up QB option if he is released from the Jets.
Cunningham was with him in Chicago. Tanner Engstrand (former Jets OC) was with Fields in New York last year. And Ryan has spoken pretty positively about Fields during his time as an analyst since he stopped playing football.
Both QBs played with Arthur Smith, so there is some coaching familiarity between them.
Regardless, Atlanta has to add somebody behind Penix due to his injury (and history of injuries).
Smart draft strategy and free-agent spending will be key for Atlanta, given that they do not have a first-round pick (traded to the Rams to select Pearce in last year’s draft). A move aging like spoiled milk.
Cunningham recently stated on ESPN that he wants to build his team through the draft, following the three principles: “draft, develop, and retain.”
And he loves draft picks.
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