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Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is often lauded for his patience -- but when it comes to building a better defense, he may be running out of it.
The 82-year-old Blank has owned the Falcons since 2002. He's seen his team's defense finish in the top 10 in both points and yards allowed once in that span, coming in 2017. Atlanta's defense has been top 10 in scoring four times and only once in yards allowed.
Led by first-year defensive coordinator, the Falcons are trying to build on a unit that finished last season ranked 23rd in both scoring and total defense and second-to-last in sacks with 31.
And after a free agency period marred by a lack of financial resources netted cost-effective but unspectacular signings, Atlanta is eyeing the 2025 NFL draft to further aid its efforts.
The Falcons' focus? In Blank's eyes, it's not a question.
"The emphasis during the draft will be certainly on our defensive side of the ball," Blank said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. "Pretty obvious to everybody."
Atlanta only has five draft picks, but the number "could end up more than that," said Blank, who added "you just never know."
The Falcons own a pair of picks inside the top 50 -- they're slated to choose No. 15 overall in the first round and No. 46 overall in the second frame -- but won't be on the clock again until No. 118 overall in the fourth round. Atlanta also has two seventh-round picks at No. 218 and No. 242 overall.
The Falcons traded their third-round pick to the New England Patriots for outside linebacker Matthew Judon in mid-August, and they lost their fifth-round pick for tampering with quarterback Kirk Cousins, receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner in free agency of 2024.
Atlanta dealt its sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for receiver Van Jefferson in a trade during the 2023 season.
The Falcons entered free agency with questions along their defensive front and at nickel corner, strong safety and linebacker. Edge rusher Leonard Floyd, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal, is Atlanta's only free agent addition with a cap hit greater than $5 million in 2025.
Safety Jordan Fuller and linebacker Divine Deablo provide short-term options for the Falcons' defense, affording Atlanta at least some flexibility in the draft.
And while the Falcons know they need more help, Blank believes free agency went well given the team's "limited amount of cap space" entering the signing period.
"I think the football ops folks, coaches, etc., did a good job reassessing how to extend some players to free up some cap dollars," Blank said. "We picked up as many players as we could. We picked up some good ones. A lot of it, you pick up players, and then a big part of the job is what the coaches do with them in the system.
"So, we have players that play someplace else, they come here and suddenly they become even better maybe in another system. So, I feel like we did a really good job, as much as we could."
The Falcons have a similarly small number of resources at their disposal entering the draft, and even after their signings, their goal remains the same: building a better defense than the one that walked off the field after Week 18 last season.
More must-reads:
- NFLPA reportedly under federal investigation
- Nick Saban responds to speculation about coaching return amid NFL rumors
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
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