Three Biggest Questions for Atlanta Falcons Heading Into Week 1

By this point, not much more can be said about the worry along the right side of the offensive line. The Falcons were aggressive last week in working to address the need, but have since (effectively) named Elijah Wilkinson the starter for Week 1.

“Wilkinson is awesome,” Morris said. “I feel really good about Wilkinson going out there and being part of what we do and how we do it and really fitting in at a high level.”

He has nine years of NFL experience and has appeared in 77 games (45 starts) at both guard and tackle. Of those games, 20 of them included starts at right tackle. Wilkinson spent the 2024 season in Atlanta, where he appeared in one game. He also spent the 2022 season in Atlanta, where he was the starting left guard. 

Morris expressed his confidence in Wilkinson to produce in Week 1, citing the overall comfort and familiarity with the system in Atlanta. 

“He has a lot of comfort with us, and we feel really good about him fitting in to that scheme, to the things that we do,” Morris said. “He'll go out there and give us his best efforts and do everything he can to help us win this football game.”

On Sunday, Wilkinson will match up with the Bucs’ offseason acquisition, Haason Reddick. The former All-Pro has been one of the league’s best pass rushers since 2020, having accounted for 51.5 sacks in that time (sixth most in the NFL). The former All-Pro sat out the majority of the 2024 season due to a contract dispute, but has been fully engaged with the Bucs throughout camp. 

Is the Youth Up For the Challenge?

The Falcons will be counting on several young players in 2025 as they hope to flip the script on their playoff drought. All five rookies made the active roster, and, in stark contrast to the 2024 season, four of them will be featured as core pieces of the defense. 

Safety Xavier Watts and nickel corner Billy Bowman Jr will both be getting their first NFL starts on Sunday, while first-round edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr will be slotted into the pass rush rotation. 

All four of them will be counted on, not just to gain experience, but to be difference-makers for the team. 

“They were drafted where they were for a reason,” linebacker Kaden Ellis said. “They've got all the capabilities, all the potential, I believe, Lord willing, they'll be great players in this league for a long time.” 

In addition to the rookies, the Falcons will be leaning on several second-year players, too. 

The obvious person is quarterback Michael Penix Jr, who started the final three games of the 2024 season, but defensive linemen Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus will be in a similar type of position after basically taking a redshirt season in 2024. Those two will be leaned on to play an important role in the defensive line rotation this fall and will have a difficult test against one of the NFL’s best offenses in Week 1. 

Penix, meanwhile, will be challenged early by a tricky playcaller in Todd Bowles. The Bucs’ head coach is known for his exotic looks, and with the potential deficiency along his blindside, Tampa Bay will be throwing a lot at the young signal caller. 

What is the Status of WR Darnell Mooney?

The Falcons’ second wide receiver missed the entirety of training camp this summer after picking up a shoulder injury on the first day of practices. 

Mooney was seen taking part in practice last week in the media viewing period, and Morris confirmed that he was participating in individual drills and jog-throughs on Monday. 

“He’s day-to-day,” Raheem Morris said about the current status of the Falcons’ wide receiver. “He’s out there working today. He did a couple of things, and we’ll see. Hopefully, we’ll see.”

While Morris stopped short of confirming he would be available on Sunday, he did say he “feels good about where [Mooney]’s at.” The team should have a better idea by the end of the week. 

Despite missing all of camp, Mooney will play a critical role for the Falcons’ offense in 2025. New quarterback Michael Penix Jr has an affinity for throwing it deep, and the former Bears’ receiver figures to be the primary target for those passes. Behind him, the Falcons have a handful of options like Casey Washington or Ray-Ray McCloud, but none to the level of Mooney.