"The Falcons are coming off a franchise record-setting season for their pass rush, and the defensive line was a major contributor to that success. While the edge rusher room also took significant strides in 2025, it was actually the interior that made up the bulk of Atlanta's sack count. That's quite the turnaround for a unit that looked stuck in the mud during the 2024 season, with regression across the board and virtually zero production from two highly-drafted rookies."
"The Falcons made a curious decision to keep David Onyemata in 2025 despite the opportunity for significant cap savings. I'm not sure Onyemata was ultimately worth the lofty price tag, but I do think Onyemata played a significant role for Atlanta's revamped defensive line. As one of the only effective run stoppers, Onyemata's presence on early downs was critical to a line that struggled in that regard through most of the season."
Atlanta’s defense enjoyed a franchise record pass rush in 2025, with the interior defensive line producing the majority of sacks. The interior reversed 2024 regression and lack of rookie production, contributing significantly to team pass-rush success. David Onyemata remained under contract through 2027 and served as a primary run stopper on early downs despite diminished pass-rush impact. Ruke Orhorhoro, a long-term project, recovered from limited 2024 play to show inconsistent but improving play, providing reliable run defense and emerging pass-rush flashes. Overall interior play improved across the season, setting up potential further growth entering 2026.
Read at The Falcoholic
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