Jeff Ulbrich will be returning as the Defensive Coordinator. Ulbrich rejoined the Falcons as DC for the 2025 season. Previously, Brich was with the Falcons from 2015 – 2020 as Linebackers Coach, Assistant Head Coach and Interim DC. Ulbrich was the DC for the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024, including becoming the interim Head Coach as Robert Saleh was fired mid-season 2024.
Ulbrich is 48 years old, originally from San Jose, California. He was a 2-year starter for Hawaii as a Linebacker. He was drafted in 2000 and played 9 years for San Francisco.
Under Ulbrich’s leadership in 2025, the Defense had 57 sacks, 2nd most in the NFL and an increase from the 31 sacks in 2024 and 42 in 2023. James Pearce, Jr. had 10.5 sacks with Brandon Dorlus with 8.5. There were 14 other players with sacks. The defense had 16 interceptions and 19 forced fumbles. One of two teams in NFL history to have a pair of rookies to record 10+ sacks (Pearce) and 5+ interceptions (Xavier Watts).
Ulbrich, “I want to make sure our guys understand what it means to play fast and with purpose. We’ve worked too hard to get where we are, and this group deserves to see that process continue.” Defenders seem pleased that Ulbrich will be returning, for stability, likeability, clear direction and improvement from 2024 and over the 2025 season.
Defensive accolades for the Falcons, so far, Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, Watts and Pearce. Pro Football Writers of America All-NFC Team, Watts. AP All Pro – Second Team, Jessie Bates III. Rookie of the Month. Pearce.
Bill Callahan was named the Offensive Line Coach on Tuesday morning, replacing Dwayne Ledford. Ledford has been with the Falcons since 2021, as the Offensive Line Coach and in 2024, added Run Game Coordinator to his responsibilities.
Callahan is 69 years old and played Quarterback at Benedictine. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois.
Callahan was the Offensive Line Coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2020 to 2023, coaching under Stefanski those years. Callahan left Cleveland to coach for the Tennessee Titans, where his son, Brian was Head Coach for the 2024 season and the first 6 games of the 2025, when he was fired. Bill Callahan was Head Coach of the Raiders during their last Super Bowl appearance in 2002. He is known around the league for being an Offensive Line Guru – one of the bets in the business. While several current lineman are sad to see Ledford go, as he did a good job, they are willing to accept the change.
Callahan has been coaching in the NFL since 1995, when he was an Offensive Line Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. He began with the Oakland Raiders in 1998 as the Offensive Coordinator, then moved up to Head Coach from 2002 – 2003. After coaching Nebraska for 3 years, Callahan returned to the NFL in 2008 for the New York Jets as Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach. Since then, he has mainly coached offensive lines for several teams. Callahan is known for his strong running game, including breaking team records in ground yards and sacks allowed, and sending multiple linemen to the Pro Bowl.
After being the most talked about team from night one, after taking a quarterback at 8 after just signing a $100 million quarterback in free agency, the Falcons rebounded with four back to back defensive players, filling current and future/rotation needs.
The Falcons moved up a few spots in the second round to take Clemson Defensive Tackle, Ruke Orhorhoro, just before a run on DT’s began. Then in the 3rd through 5th rounds, Linebacker Bralen Trice, DT Brandon Dorlus and another LB, JD Bertrand. With 3 picks in the 6th and final round for the Falcons, they drafted a Running Back, Wide Receiver and another DT. These will be development players, playing some on special teams and seeing if they stick on the team or not.
After being legit angry for nearly 24 hours, including driving 4 hours back from Atlanta, listening to 92.9 The Game the whole way, I was starting to calm down and buy in, but then triggered again, then calmer again. By the time the 2nd round pick came in, I was 15% less angry with Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris. I had full faith until that 1st round pick, but trying to come around and believe they have a plan.
As a Clemson fan, I was very happy about Orhorhoro, I know he is a beast. I’ve heard his name 1000 times in Clemson games. I’ve seen how disruptive he has been and can be in the NFL. Ruke is excited to join former teammate AJ Terrell and another Clemson legend, Grady Jarrett….who he will be able to learn behind. Ruke wants to prove he was worth trading up for. At 6 foot 4 and nearly 300 pounds, he had 12 starts, 22 tackles, 8 for losses and 5 sacks in his last year at Clemson. And was even more often, around the ball. Ruke is versatile and can play any position on the line and was considered a top 5 DT.
Bralen Trice is out of Washington, the near 2023 National Champions, so you know he has good experience on the field and in big pressure situations. Trice will be a great edge rusher, which is a definite need for the Falcons and should be contributing early on. He started 15 games, amassed 49 tackles, 11 for loss and 7 sacks in his final season. Trice was the top player in all of college football in the last two seasons for pressures.
Not to confuse Bralen with Brandon….but in the 4th round, the Falcons drafted Defensive Tackle, Brandon Dorlus from Oregon. Dorlus will make a great addition to this line, whether starting or in rotation learning behind Jarrett and David Onyemata. Dorlus started 13 of 14 games with 25 tackles, 6 for loss and 5 sacks. At 280 pounds, Dorlus is a little small for a nose tackle, but is versatile and can move to other locations on the line.
Note that sacks are starting to add up already with these additions and you can’t outrun everyone, so if you escape Ruke, Bralen, or Brandon, there will be someone else waiting for you.
In the 5th round, the Falcons continue on their defensive draft and snapped up another Linebacker, JD Bertrand from Notre Dame. A homegrown product from Alpharetta, GA, making his family happy for short drives to home games. In 12 starts, Bertrand had 76 tackles, 7 for loss, and a forced fumble. He led the Irish in tackles in his last 3 seasons. Bertrand seems to match the current linebacking core in makeup, personality and play. Hopefully he will be the force that Kaden Ellis, Troy Anderson, and Nate Landman have been in their short times in Atlanta. Bertrand is likely not a day 1 starter, but has a great group to learn behind and grow with and rotate in quickly, specifically behind Landman.
All of these guys have played college since 2019, so they are a little older, but also more experienced and more mature. I believe that was intentional by Fontenot and Morris.
While trying to buy in to the draft so far, one must remember that the only constant over the last few years is Fontenot. Not only is the head coach new, his coordinators are new to being coordinators and everyone is bringing fresh eyes to the game. The guys just drafted (and obtained in free agency) fit what this new regime has planned.
Now, it gets a little sideways for me again, but going to try to assume that Fontenot and Morris have a plan. They are drafting and planning for their jobs, I just want to have a team to win games, they NEED this team to win, and win NOW.
In the 6th round, the Falcons had 3 picks and selected Alabama Running Back, Jase McClellan, Illinois’ Wide Receiver Casey Washington, and then another DT, Zion Logue from Georgia. McClellan and Washington will likely be on special teams for a while, but a roster spot is a roster spot. Logue is a straight up Nose Tackle at 6 foot 5 and 315 pounds. If he can learn and follow from the current defensive line, he can win a spot onto the final roster as well. These later rounds aren’t necessarily for finding starters, but diamonds in the rough, special teamers, practice squad guys.
One of my biggest questions is the lack of drafting a cornerback (CB2), but maybe he is already on the roster, he just needs to be coached up. Several were obtained in free agency (Clark Phillips, Kevin King, Antonio Hamilton) and others were already on the roster (Dee Alford, Richie Grant), so with new coaching, maybe he identifies himself in mini or training camp. I have to believe that Fontenot and Morris know they need a corner opposite of Terrell.
The second big question is money….isn’t it always? Can we pay everyone that we need to pay. As I type this, the Falcons exercised their 5th year option on Tight End Kyle Pitts. Terrell will need to be dealt with next year at the latest, it would be smart to lock him in now, just in case he gets even better. We don’t know if Calius Campbell is coming back….and if so, will he take a discount to stay one more year in The Atl? We don’t want to start restructuring too many contracts and get into the same mess we were in previously, but again, smarter people than me, that are fighting for their jobs know that.
The more I think that way, this isn’t “just” a job for Fontenot and Morris, this is their livelihood and you have to believe that Fontenot, for sure, is on a short leash. Being evaluated on what he can do separated from former coach Arthur Smith. Can Morris redeem himself as a head coach and take Atlanta to the promised land?
Seems that some of these picks, or lack of picks say that this coaching staff and GM think this team is set now and ready to “Win Now.”
With that said, I close by saying, when Raheem Morris was announced as the new Head Coach, and held his first press conference, while being so excited to have Ra back, tearing up some, I felt (and have told countless people) that I had a good feeling and am planning to travel to New Orleans next February to watch us win the Super Bowl. So, as the days move farther from the shock of the draft, I am still saving my time and money and planning on a Super Bowl win for my Falcons.
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