Which Falcons will be free agents in 2027? Bates, Tagovailoa headline list.

The Falcons sought depth. The players wanted a chance to rebuild their stock. Collectively, they found each other.

“Giving guys a chance to come here, compete, play meaningful snaps to potentially help them in their career but also, most importantly, help us this season,” Cunningham said in March. “That definitely went into some of the decision-making.”

Cunningham’s right-hand man, assistant general manager Jeff Scott, wasn’t yet hired when the Falcons made a majority of the signings. But the volume of one-year contracts creates opportunity throughout the roster and, in Scott’s eyes, can influence the team’s identity.

“I think naturally it does,” Scott said in June. “I think guys want to be where they have a chance and they’re all going to get their opportunity here. They’ll have their opportunity to compete in camp and we’re looking forward to it.”

The Falcons’ veterans report to training camp Tuesday — and nearly half the players arriving that day will do so entering a contract season.

One of the consequences of the Falcons’ roster-building approach is the team will have 35 unrestricted free agents after this season. Only two teams, the Giants (40) and Cardinals (37), will have more.

Here’s the full list of looming Falcons free agents, via Spotrac, followed by some thoughts on the group at large:

Quarterback (1)

Running back (2)

Receiver (0)

Tight end (2)

Offensive line (8)

Defensive line/edge (8)

Linebacker (5)

Defensive back (9)

Special teams (0)

Several defensive starters, rotation players to hit the market

Bates is the most prominent figure on the list if Tagovailoa doesn’t win the quarterback job. The Falcons gave Bates a four-year deal in 2023, and he’s been excellent since, collecting 332 tackles, 13 interceptions, three pick-6s and a pair of second-team All-Pro nods. He’s the heart of the Falcons’ defense, an invaluable leader and terrific communicator on the back end.

But the native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, isn’t the only key defender set to be a free agent.

Deablo, who will wear the green dot this fall, and fellow starting linebacker Christian Harris are both set to be unrestricted free agents.

The Falcons’ defensive line, which underwent significant change this offseason, might lose several rotational pieces and be in line for another makeover next spring. In the secondary, Brown has a chance to start at nickel, while Hellams should be a reserve safety.

Bates and Deablo are the biggest names, but the Falcons will have big decisions to make at all three levels of their defense next spring.

Offensive line could look different

Three starters — Bergeron, Neuzil and Taylor — will be unrestricted free agents. Bergeron, 26, could become one of the highest-paid guards in the league. Spotrac projects his value at $19.66 million, which would put him No. 6 at the position.

Neuzil, who’s entering his second season as the Falcons’ center, has plenty of money to play for this season, as does Taylor, who signed a $5 million contract after longtime right tackle Kaleb McGary retired this spring.

Starters aside, the Falcons’ second-string offensive line has questions, too. Levin is in contention to be Neuzil’s backup, while Morris projects as the team’s swing tackle and Hinton has spent several seasons as a reserve guard.

Offensive skill position players intentionally locked up

For as many impending free agents as the Falcons have on defense and along their offensive line, they have a noticeable shortage among their skill positions because they’ve already locked down their brightest stars.

Drake London and Kyle Pitts would’ve been on this list at the start of June, but both received long-term extensions this summer.

There are still notable potential losses — Robinson Jr. and Goodson project as the second and third running backs behind Bijan Robinson, while Hooper and Woerner complement Pitts at tight end — but the receiving corps is clear of unrestricted free agents.

If Tagovailoa starts and performs well, perhaps the Falcons up their ante to keep him in Atlanta long term. But that’s a significant if. No matter, the team has its most valuable assets under control around the quarterback position, which remains the biggest long-term question mark facing the franchise.