Ian Cunningham, in his first appearance as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, addressed a range of topics at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday. He discussed draft strategy, roster decisions, and updates on key players.
Cunningham highlighted that the Falcons currently hold only five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft but expressed a desire to increase that number. “That’s going to be a part of our philosophy in order to have as many swings at the plate as we can,” Cunningham said. He noted that during his time with Chicago as assistant general manager, he learned to “use every method as humanly possible in order to manufacture picks.” Despite acknowledging there is a chance the team may end up with just five selections this year, he added, “I hope that’s not the case.”
Regarding tight end Kyle Pitts, Cunningham confirmed that the team expects to use the franchise tag on him soon. “It’s the time frame that we have here where you get hired and you have to make a big decision like that,” Cunningham said. “We felt that it was the right decision to use the franchise tag on him now to allow us to evaluate and see things forward.” He explained that keeping “a player of his caliber” from reaching free agency was a significant factor in this decision.
On quarterback Kirk Cousins’ future with Atlanta, Cunningham stated that Cousins will be released at the start of the new league year in March with a post-June 1 designation. This move is described as being out of respect for Cousins. When asked about re-signing him after release, Cunningham said they would not pursue it.
Cunningham also provided an update on Michael Penix Jr., who is recovering from a knee injury. “I feel like he is doing a really good job,” Cunningham said. “He’s coming in every single day, and he’s doing what he needs to do. We are confident that he is on track.” Penix recently visited the team’s draft room and spoke briefly with Cunningham.
Inside linebacker Kaden Elliss was another topic addressed by Cunningham. As one of Atlanta’s top free agents for 2026, Elliss’ future remains uncertain: “I won’t get into that. I feel like for Kaden, he’s a free agent. We will see how that goes moving forward… He is a guy we are obviously evaluating, and thinking there are a lot of linebackers in this market. I feel like we have to really look at our cap situation and our roster moving forward.”
The wide receiver position was described by Cunningham as “premium,” though he did not comment specifically on Darnell Mooney’s status: “That is another thing that we are working through right now, and we will decide that here shortly.”
During interviews with prospects Monday night at the combine, Cunningham mentioned that around ten people were present from Atlanta’s organization—including president Matt Ryan and head coach Kevin Stefanski—alongside coordinators and scouts.
The Atlanta Falcons compete in the NFC South division of the NFL and play their home games in Atlanta, Georgia (https://www.atlantafalcons.com/). The team began as an expansion franchise in 1965 (https://www.atlantafalcons.com/) and has advanced twice to the Super Bowl—in 1998 and 2016 (https://www.atlantafalcons.com/).
