The Falcons made a pair of veteran defensive additions not long before the start of the season. One of those was the trade acquisition of Matt Judon, but another move along the edge could be coming. 
Atlanta is “very open” to bringing in more help in the pass-rush department, Sports Illustrated’s Albert notes. Judon racked up 1.5 sacks during his first two Falcons games, but he has been held without one in four weeks since then. Overall, the team has posted only five sacks, the fewest in the league this season.
Improving in that department has long been an organizational need, so it would come as little surprise if a depth move were to be made before the November 5 deadline. Atlanta currently sits 20th in the league in terms of cap space with $8.9MM in available funds. That could make a low-cost addition (especially for a rental) a feasible option if the 4-2 outfit adopts a buyer’s stance over the coming weeks.
Someone like Maxx Crosby – who offered a less-than-conclusive stance on his Raiders future – would represent a blockbuster target for the Falcons or any number of other teams aiming to take a major step forward in production along the edge. Far more realistic targets, as Breer notes, are players like Za’Darius Smith (Browns), Jadeveon Clowney (Panthers) and, if the 2-5 Saints were to try and add draft capital midway through what may well be a lost season, Chase Young. Only the latter is a pending free agent, whereas Smith and Clowney are under contract through the 2025 season.
While Atlanta will continue to rely on Grady Jarrett as a key pass-rushing presence along the defensive interior, the team will also be looking to the likes of Judon, Lorenzo Carter and Arnold Ebiketie along the edge. Third-round rookie Bralen Trice would have been positioned to handle a rotational role this year, but he tore his ACL in the preseason, meaning his Falcons debut will be delayed until 2025. Before that point, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot could be in the market for a stop-gap addition.
