Darnell Mooney missing time is an opportunity for the Falcons to become a better team

The Falcons will miss Mooney as long as he’s gone, but they can become a more resilient and well-rounded team in his absence.

The Atlanta Falcons are going to be without Darnell Mooney for “most” of training camp and/or a “few weeks”, a bummer way to start the first day. If you’re like me, it’s easy to think negatively after taking in the information, and that was my first inclination last night.

Yes, it’s good that Mooney isn’t expected to miss time during the regular season, for now. But Michael Penix Jr needed as many reps with the top guys as possible, and Mooney provides a skillset no one else in the wide receiver. room offers. However, all hope is not lost, and there are some positives to glean from this situation.

Prep time

You never know what can happen in any given season, and the best coaches can react quickly and maintain the status quo. This will be Zach Robinson’s first challenge of the 2025 season. A challenge he was all too familiar with in 2024.

Mooney has been a critical part of Robinson’s game plan since the two arrived last year. The second-year offensive coordinator will now be forced to get creative and find new ways to move the ball in this offense. It’s not an ideal scenario, but Robinson now has the gift of preparation and can adjust his playbook for an offense without Mooney.

The offense will have the benefit of ironing out every detail, and time is valuable in this league. Robinson needs to take strides if this offense is going to be the driving force of this team. One injury can’t stand in their way. An early lesson like this one is a good reminder that the season has started, and no one is going to wait on you.

2025, the year of Pitts(?)

Kyle Pitts is the most polarizing player on the team. This year will dictate his future in this league, not just on this team. Atlanta hasn’t found a way to maximize the player since his rookie season, but as we’ve already heard, they’re looking for more ways to do that and have him practicing with the receivers to start training camp.

According to PFF, Pitts was lined up inline 52% of snaps (career high), in the slot 33% (tied career low), and out wide 15% (career low) on all plays. However, when isolating it to passing snaps, Pitts still did most of his work from the slot (41.3%). He also got a boost in snaps out wide (20.5%), and a decrease inline (38.2%). The team knows he’s at his best as a receiver when he isn’t attached to an offensive tackle. This injury will allow them to expand on that role.

The team needs a vertical threat with the loss of Mooney, and Pitts is the team’s best option. When allowed to get vertical and stretch his legs, Pitts wins consistently. The clear-out routes he ran in 2024 were invaluable to the offense, and he has the ability to take on a greater volume of those while Mooney is injured. If Mooney returns as expected, the team benefits from Pitts having a higher volume of reps.

Opportunity up for grabs

Atlanta was already in for a tight race at the bottom of the receiver room, and this move will allow the young and hungry receivers to claim a spot. When it comes to back of the roster receivers, the Falcons are minted with KahDarel Hodge, Casey Washington, Nick Nash, Jamal Agnew, Chris Blair, and D.J. Chark rounding out the room.

The pair of former Jacksonville Jaguars, Chark and Agnew, offer the ability to stretch the field. Chark has a more proven resume as a receiver, but hasn’t been able to recapture the success he found early in his career. Agnew is more of a gadget player who was signed for special teams purposes. Still, both have an edge over the other receivers in the room due to their speed.

A few will earn the opportunity to consistently run with the 1’s and 2’s in practice, and those reps can make all the difference for them come final cuts. Someone in that room is going to capitalize on this chance. Last year, that WR was KhaDarel Hodge, who provided us with one of the best plays of the season with his overtime walk-off 45-yard touchdown. The coaching staff will get a better look at the room while being able to amp up the competitive environment.

If all goes well, Mooney will return as advertised, and the team will have a more prepared group of players; if not, the team was given as much time as possible to prepare for the absence. Mooney will need to shake off his rust with little time to do so before live action, but there are far worse scenarios that could befall your Atlanta Falcons.