Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham will have to hit the ground running
Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham will have to hit the ground running in his new position.
“It’s been incredible to build a relationship with (president of football) Matt (Ryan) over the last several weeks and to have an immediate connection with (coach) Kevin (Stefanski).” Cunningham said in a statement released by the team Thursday night announcing his hire. “I can’t wait to work with both of these great football minds to put a team on the field everyone will be very excited about. … It’s time to work.”
Bears general manager Ryan Poles was happy for his former colleague, who was the assistant GM with the Bears when the Falcons hired him.
“I couldn’t be happier for him,” Poles told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s ready. He’s prepared. I know it’s been a tough interview cycle over these last few years. I know he’s gotten his hopes up but as I always told him, when the right opportunity presents itself, he’d be able to close it up and get that job.”
Cunningham will have just over five weeks before the start of the new NFL business year at 4 p.m. March 11 and several major decisions to make, working with Ryan and Stefanski.
He’ll have more money to spend with the new NFL salary cap projected to be between $301.2 and $305.7 million, up from $279.2 million last year.
The first order of business will be what to do with quarterback Kirk Cousins, who likely will be released with a post-June 1 designation to allow him to test the open market.
If he doesn’t find an opportunity to his liking, perhaps he will return to the Falcons and reunite with Stefanski, who was his coordinator in Minnesota.
Another early decision that will require the new leadership team’s attention will be what to do with tight end Kyle Pitts, who’s headed for free agency. The Falcons could have worked out an extension, but elected to let Pitts play out the fifth year of his rookie contract last season.
Pitts, who was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is coming off a strong fifth season. He also played well as a rookie before stringing together three seasons with 28, 53 and 47 catches, respectively.
The franchise tag window opens Feb. 17 and runs through March 3. The NFL Scouting Combine is set for Feb. 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis.
The Falcons will have time to work out a contract extension before the franchise tag period begins. If the Falcons can’t cut a deal with Pitts, they can tag him and kick the can down the road if signing Pitts to a long-term deal is a goal.
The franchise tag is projected to be $15.8 million, while the transition tag is projected to be $13.5 million by Overthecap.com.
Other players the Falcons have to make decisions on include potential free agents linebacker Kaden Elliss, defensive tackle David Onyemata, running back Tyler Allgeier and cornerback Dee Alford.
Elliss and Onyemata were starters on the defense last season. Allgeier was Bijan Robinson’s backup and the team’s short-yardage and power back. Alford filled in admirably at nickel back, and he was cut and re-signed and lost his nickel back spot to rookie Billy Bowman Jr. He never complained and ended up playing well.
The Falcons are in the middle of the pack in the NFL with available salary cap space and have plenty of room for quality moves.
Cunningham must share his vision for the scouting department. When a new general manager is hired, there normally is some turnover and perhaps an overhaul after the draft.
The Falcons scouts have been working on the coming draft for more than a year. They can address the grading of their reports to fit a new system, but they’ve done most of the legwork.
Usually, there are changes after the draft, and Cunningham may want to retrain the current scouts or bring in scouts that are familiar with his grading and evaluation systems.
The list of the 329 prospects invited to the 2025 scouting combine came out Feb. 13 last year.
The quarterback group is considered weak behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who guided the Hoosiers to their first national championship and won the Heisman Trophy.
LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Arkansas’ Taylen Green were at the Senior Bowl trying to improve their draft stock.
The Falcons’ perceived areas of need include defensive tackle, cornerback, tight end and running back. Also, the Falcons need to start restocking the offensive line, as tackles Jake Matthews (33) and Kaleb McGary (turns 31 on Feb. 22) are in their 30s.
While working the combine, NFL front office executives have been known to lay the groundwork for potential free-agent deals before the league’s legal negotiating period starts. The period is set for March 9-11, right before the start of the new league year.
After free agency opens, the NFL annual league meeting is set for March 29 through April 1 in Phoenix.
The Falcons will start their offseason program April 7 and the NFL draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
