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ORLANDO, Fla. -- While the Atlanta Falcons theoretically solved their quarterback issues by signing Kirk Cousins, and added receivers to further bolster their offense, two familiar issues remain: How to address the team's pass rush and what to do at cornerback. Neither area was handled during the first crush of free agency in March, but possibilities remain through the draft and the later tiers of free agency. While Atlanta has Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata on the interior of the defensive line, both are coming off injury-altered seasons and will be age 31 this year. Jarrett tore an ACL in October and is still rehabbing. Onyemata played in 14 games but dealt with an ankle injury throughout the second half of last year. On the ends and at edge rusher, Atlanta's two leading sackers from last season with 6.5 each -- Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree -- remain free agents. The Falcons' top returner is edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie, with six. At the league meetings last week, new coach Raheem Morris said he'd spoken with Campbell and called him "impressive," believing he can bring something to Atlanta if he wants to return. Beyond Campbell, there's more unknown. How Zach Harrison fits into the new defense could allay some concerns. A third-round pick last season, he had three total sacks in his last three games. Veteran Lorenzo Carter, who had three sacks last year, also returns. But adding an edge rusher -- perhaps as early as No. 8 in the draft -- could be a priority. "It's a premier position," Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. "So I would say any offseason it's going to be a priority." Since Fontenot took over as general manager in 2021, though, it has been a rotating group of players -- in part due to cap constraints his first two seasons and then bringing in a largely veteran group in 2023. There are multiple veteran options Atlanta could pursue, although few seem like long-term solutions based on age. Considering how the draft might play out -- with possibly four quarterbacks going in the top seven and three high-level receivers along with a couple of tackles with massive potential, Atlanta could end up with an wide selection of defensive players. Which means the top expected edge rushers, such as Alabama's Dallas Turner, Florida State's Jared Verse and UCLA's Laiatu Latu, could be available. Atlanta could have more insight into Latu than Turner or Verse because Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake was Latu's coordinator at Washington in 2019. He also was Latu's head coach at Washington when Latu suffered a neck injury, which forced him to medically retire in 2021. Latu eventually transferred to UCLA to continue his career. This is all to bolster a pass rush which was tied with Denver at No. 21 in sacks last season (42), but since 2020 has been last in the NFL in bringing down the quarterback with 110 sacks. Since 2020, Atlanta is also No. 26 in the league in pass rush win rate (37.6%), and the defense had the worst quarterback pressure percentage in the league at 24.9%. While Atlanta needs to figure out its defense up front, it also has questions in the back. The Falcons have not yet extended cornerback A.J. Terrell as he enters a contract year. Terrell was the team's first-round pick in 2020 when Morris was Atlanta's defensive coordinator. Terrell is considered one of the league's better young corners, but he hasn't intercepted a pass since 2021. Terrell has, though, held opponents to a 56% completion rate or lower each of the last three years, according to Pro Football Reference. Atlanta has played more man-to-man defense the past two seasons versus in Terrell's best season, 2021, when the Falcons played more zone coverages, per ESPN Stats & Information. As the Falcons make decisions about Terrell long-term -- Fontenot said those talks are "private conversations" -- they still need to know who will play opposite him this season. Atlanta has Clark Phillips III entering his second year, but questions behind him -- and the Falcons may want to bring in someone to compete with him. "We will add some more people to that room, some more young pieces, but what I've seen on tape, I've been excited," Morris said. "I know it's an area of need for us, so to speak, but those guys played pretty well last year when you go back and look at the tape, how they played and how they're evaluated." There are free agents available, including former Rams corner Ahkello Witherspoon, who had the best year of his career last season under Morris and Lake, when he had 52 tackles, three interceptions, 14 passes defended and two fumble recoveries. Former All-Pros Xavien Howard and Stephon Gilmore are also free agents and could provide veteran presence. The draft also provides some potential help if the Falcons wanted to look there, including Iowa's Cooper DeJean, Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell, Alabama's Terrion Arnold and Clemson's Nate Wiggins as potential early to mid first-round options, and Georgia's Kamari Lassiter, Missouri's Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry potentially late in the first round or early in the second round. Through the second portion of free agency and the draft, though, Atlanta knows it needs to focus on its defense. The offense has its players. The defense needs the same type of complement.
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