The Atlanta Falcons have had a remarkable turnaround in Raheem Morris’ first season as their full-time head coach. So far, the Falcons have a 6-3 record, are 1st in the NFC South division, and 3rd in the NFC Playoff Picture. Not only should Morris receive credit for their turnaround, but Kirk Cousins deserves some praise for making the offense relevant, something Arthur Smith couldn’t do in the previous three seasons.
The Falcons offense has failed to rank in the top 10 in scoring, total yards, and passing all in the same year for the past five seasons. The last time the offense ranked in the top 10 in scoring, total yards, and passing was in 2018 when Matt Ryan was under center. So far, the offense ranks 8th in points, 5th in total yards, and 3rd in passing, thanks to Cousins.
However, the Falcons defense hasn’t had a remarkable turnaround like the offense. The defense has struggled and ranked in the bottom half in points allowed, total yards, passing, and rushing. They need to address one major issue with the defense before it’s too late.
The Atlanta Falcons’ major problem on the defense is…
The Falcons’ major problem on defense that needs to be addressed is the pass rush, which arguably is the worst in the National Football League. According to Pro Football Reference, their pass rush ranks T-29th in pressures with 48, 31st in pressure percentage with 13.6%, T-18th in QB knockdowns with 22, T-23rd in hurries with 17, and 32nd in sacks with nine. ESPN analytics ranks them 25th in pass rush win rate, and PFF ranks them 25th in defensive line rankings.
Their top two leading sackers are Grady Jarrett and Matthew Judon. Jarrett has 2.5 sacks, Judon has 1.5, and five defenders have one. The Judon trade hasn’t panned out, and they need to acquire another pass rusher before the NFL Trade Deadline, which ends at 4 P.M. ET on Tuesday, November 5.
One player from the NFC East has emerged as a favorite to land with the Falcons.
The Atlanta Falcons are a favorite to land the pass rusher from the New York Giants
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the New York Giants have made teams aware that they are shopping Azeez Ojualari for the NFL Trade Deadline. As Russini points out, three teams have emerged as contenders to land the talented pass rusher, and the Falcons are one of the three teams interested in Ojulari. Here’s what she had to say:
“It’s known around the league that the New York Giants, sitting in last place in the NFC East, are shopping young edge rusher Azeez Ojulari. Teams that are keeping an eye on the 24-year-old include the Falcons, Cardinals and Bengals,” Russini said. “The Giants are already paying Brian Burns and spent a top-five pick on Kayvon Thibodeaux, so with Ojulari set to hit free agency after the season, GM Joe Schoen is trying to get something in return for him now.”
Finally, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Falcons have aggressively tried to pursue a pass rusher before tomorrow’s deadline. Schefter points out that they will try to acquire Ojulari in a potential trade. They will make a strong push.
Also Read: Atlanta Falcons Urged To Trade for $6.8 Million Linebacker Amid 4-2 Start
He is having a solid season
Azeez Ojulari is having an incredible 2024 season and has done a nice job filling in for Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Ojulari has 26 tackles, seven TFLs, nine QB hits, and six sacks. He ranks T-1st in TFLs, 3rd in QB hits, and 2nd in sacks on the team.
Ojulari will be an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of the 2024 season. Since he has a low cap hit and is a free agent in 2025, this makes him an intriguing trade candidate. The only concern is his injury history since he missed 16 games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
