After a disappointing performance from the Atlanta Falcons defense this past season, head coach Raheem Morris needs to address this unit in the 2025 NFL and free agency.
The Falcons are projected to be $11.9 million over the cap entering the offseason, which does not give them much wiggle room to sign many free agents. Therefore, Atlanta will have a few cap casualties, which could include veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.
If the Falcons can free up some money for free agency, one defender they should look to go after is linebacker Jamien Sherwood. The 25-year-old linebacker is coming off a tremendous 2024 season with the New York Jets.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen believes that the young linebacker is the best fit for the Falcons, who have a new defensive coordinator (Jeff Ulbrich), who coached Sherwood in the Big Apple.
"Sherwood could follow new Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich from New York to Atlanta. A three-down linebacker who is trending up at this stage of his career, Sherwood posted 154 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three pass breakups with the Jets last season. He can play downhill with speed, cutting off the ball and pursuing the edges. The Falcons need playmakers on defense."
The former fifth-round draft pick exploded onto the scene in 2024 as he was a full-time starter and made plays on the Jets’ defense. In his three years with the Jets, Sherwood recorded 77 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit.
However, Sherwood shattered those numbers this season, producing 158 combined tackles and 10 tackles for loss. According to PFF, the 6-foot-2 linebacker was solid in pass coverage (66.2, ranked 39th among 189 qualified linebackers) and in stopping the run (77.1, 40th).
Sherwood would be a major upgrade for the Falcons, whose best linebacker this past season was Kaden Elliss. Elliss had his second-straight 100-plus tackle season (151), plus 16 QB hits, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, and three pass deflections.
However, Elliss struggled in pass coverage (58.8 grade) but was good at rushing the passer (81.4, ranked ninth) and admirable at stopping the run (70.3). For the Falcons to compete in the NFC South, they need to make a concerted effort to add playmakers on defense this offseason.