If not for the Atlanta Falcons distraction that is Kirk Cousins, the team's offseason would be one of the bigger wins in recent memory. The team has kept the offense intact and brought in needed defensive upgrades. This includes bringing a new trio of pass rushers in Leonard Floyd, Jalon Walker, and James Pearce Jr. However, if there is one remaining complaint, it is the current state of the Atlanta secondary. While the safety position has been upgraded with the addition of Xavier Watts, there are nothing but question marks at the corner. A.J. Terrell is the one constant.
After Terrell, things aren't clear with one glaring decision remaining a mistake for the Falcons. Bringing back Dee Alford for the 2025 season has been one of the strangest decisions for a front office that has made a number of odd calls. Alford was one of the biggest issues in the team's defensive collapse at the end of the 2024 season. Bringing back a piece who contributed to the team's demise so heavily is questionable at best.
Falcons Should Have Moved on From Dee Alford
It was Alford who was impossibly embarrassed against the Minnesota Vikings with his laughable coverage. Falling away in the wrong direction as Justin Jefferson caught a touchdown was the lowlight that proved it was time to turn the page. If this game didn't drive this point home enough, Atlanta's showdown against Washington would. The Commanders and Falcons were both fighting for a playoff spot, with the Falcons simply needing two wins to host a playoff game.
Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels unlocked Atlanta's defense by targeting Alford at every opportunity. This was included in overtime, with the corner giving up the game-winning touchdown. It was clear that the veteran was undersized and simply not ready for the role the Falcons had asked him to fill.
With this in mind, the 2025 re-signing remains a shock and a failure for a franchise that has gone a long way in turning the page. However, there is hope remaining that Alford will be put into a depth role and not asked to start. Rookies Billy Bowman and Cobee Bryant will both be handed chances to win the slot corner role.
There are rumblings as well that the team could still look to bring Jalen Ramsey in for the 2025 season. With this in mind, the Falcons still have plenty of avenues to save the worst decision they have made in an impressive offseason.