The Falcons depth chart is already under scrutiny before the Sept. 13 opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the reason is straightforward: Atlanta will begin the season without the top two edge rushers it spent two first-round picks on in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jalon Walker, the No. 15 overall pick, was placed on season-ending injured reserve in early August after tearing his ACL in camp. James Pearce Jr., selected No. 26 overall, has been unavailable since facing domestic violence-related charges in February 2026. That leaves the Falcons thin at a position group they expected to help anchor their defense.
Who is on the Falcons depth chart at defensive end?
On the current Falcons depth chart, Cameron Thomas and Brandon Dorlus are listed ahead of veteran Za’Darius Smith. Smith joined the team out of retirement in mid-August and gives Atlanta another experienced option, but he is still listed behind those two players.
That setup is notable because Smith was added specifically for depth, not as an immediate fix to the edge-rusher injuries and uncertainty. The Falcons entered Week 1 without both players they had planned to build around on the outside, and that changes the look of the front seven right away.
What it means for Week 1
The Falcons and Steelers open the season with Atlanta expected to be stronger on the interior defensive line than at edge rusher. That does not solve the problem on the outside, where the Falcons are now leaning on a depth chart that looks much less settled than it did when the 2025 draft ended.
There is still time for roles to shift, and Smith’s presence gives Atlanta a proven veteran to turn to if needed. But for now, the Falcons depth chart points to a defense that will have to find pressure with a patched-together edge group in the season opener.
