The Atlanta Falcons have a unique opportunity this offseason as they're officially building for the future, though this is still a roster that can win now in a relatively weak NFC South. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed enough flashes that fans can feel confident, though the other side of the ball needs improvement.
Despite having a good deal of veterans on defense, the Falcons still ranked 19th in opponent yards per play (5.5). Therefore, it feels likely that they'll target a high-impact defender in the NFL Draft later this month after spending the last several years investing in offensive playmakers.
That said, many hoped Atlanta would be more active in free agency. Yet, it largely seems they're running the secondary back, as they've just re-signed another defensive back after inking Dee Alford to a one-year deal.
#Falcons are re-signing DB Kevin King, per the team.
— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) April 11, 2025
Depth corner and safety who played multiple roles for the team but never quite cracked the starting lineup.
Falcons Re-Sign DB Kevin King to One-Year Deal in Free Agency
The Falcons have officially re-signed defensive back Kevin King to a one-year deal in free agency. He's a depth corner and safety who played only 7% of the defensive snaps in 2024, though he's served a valuable role on special teams with 41% of the snaps there.
There's no inherent problem with adding versatile depth to your secondary. It's a good thing, in fact. However, Atlanta seems prepared to go into the year without any major upgrade for a secondary that ranked 25th on the road in opponent yards per pass (7.1). The group had much better numbers at home in the comfy Mercedes-Benz Stadium, yet they aren't ready to take on the better passing attacks in the league when forced to go outside.
Alford was graded as the 138th-best cornerback out of 222 qualified corners at Pro Football Focus last year. King actually ranked seventh, but those numbers could be questioned given his limited sample size and that he surrendered an 81.8% completion percentage and 108.3 passer rating when targeted in coverage.
There's no issue with keeping Alford and King heading into this upcoming season. However, they're underwhelming signings based on production, and without any other additions, Atlanta could find itself vulnerable in a stellar NFC once again.
We'll see what comes in the NFL draft, though nothing about this inspires a ton of confidence.