With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching and holding a franchise-low five picks, the Atlanta Falcons face significant strategic decisions. General Manager Terry Fontenot indicated a readiness to trade back in the draft to acquire more capital, diverging from his past strategy of trading up. “If there’s trades available, if you can move down in the first or second round and it makes sense to us, we’ll do it,” Fontenot stated.
Currently, the Falcons possess the No. 15 overall pick in Round 1, a pick in Round 2 at No. 46, Round 4 at No. 118, and two late picks in Round 7. This allocation gives them limited opportunities compared to teams like the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, who each hold 11 total picks.
Utilizing a strategic approach, Fontenot explained that they analyze the tendencies of other general managers to identify potential trading partners. “You want to know who’s actually willing to make a trade,” he said, emphasizing the complexity of real-world trades compared to simulated scenarios.
The Falcons aim to balance between acquiring talent and maintaining a manageable roster size, considering that the roster limit remains at 53 for the season. Fontenot noted, “What you want to do is you want to make sure those guys can make your team … some people can’t handle that many picks.”
The draft’s depth presents potential opportunities, as later first-round prospects might match the quality of early second-round picks. The outcome hinges on how willing other teams are to make trades during the draft.
Despite their strategic preparation, the Falcons acknowledge the inherent unpredictability of the draft process. “This is real life,” Fontenot concluded. “But that is something that obviously we’ll consider.”
