Burns
Hall of Famer
Atlanta, GA --- Falcons fans, football is finally back after a long offseason. The team suffered defeat in the Super Bowl at the hands of the Texans, but coming off one of the most successful seasons in franchise history, this team is going nowhere. A few guys left, a few guys were brought in, but all in all, this Falcons team will look very familiar.
Offense
The Falcons return almost every starter from an offense that led the league in scoring last season. Matt Ryan will lead the team at QB, with the rookie out of Boise State Brett Rypien backing him up.
The biggest change is seen at the RB position, as Devonta Freeman followed the money to Pittsburgh. Freeman hands the keys to Tevin Coleman, who has shown he is more than capable of being a starting RB in this league, rushing for 17 TDs in the past two seasons. 2nd year man out of Boise State Jeremy McNichols will now assume the backup role, and Tre Mason has come over from the Rams as a serviceable 3rd option at the tailback position.
Not much changed in the WR Department with Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu Sr. on the outside, and the electrifying John Ross III in the slot. Terrelle Pryor Sr. could see some playing time early in the season, especially with the injury to Justin Hunter in the preseason. The Falcons also brought in Trenton Irwin out of Stanford, who had a great preseason to solidify his spot as the #5 WR. This group of WRs will hopefully stay healthy this season, as the offense struggled when both Jones and Ross III went down with injuries last season.
TE is where we saw the biggest change. After a disappointing season, the Falcons cut Jared Cook due to his inability to actually catch the football. Then, the Falcons arguably got the biggest steal of Free Agency, signing Jimmy Graham to a 4 year, $13M deal. Graham is going to be a huge part of this offense, and will take pressure off of Jones and Ross III. Graham didn't play all that much in the preseason, but the little we saw of him showed that he may have a chance to return to his status as the best TE in the league. The Falcons also added Ryan Izzo out of Florida State in the draft. He'll be #3 on the depth chart.
The offensive line didn't see much change, as there are 4 starters returning there. LT Jake Matthews was franchise tagged, and the only new starter will be at LG, where Alex Kupper will be assuming the role.
Defense
The defense didn't see all that much change, as 10 starters return from last season.
At defensive end, Brooks Reed will no longer be beside Adrian Clayborn, as the Falcons brought in Lamarr Houston from the Chicago Bears to start at RE. Jonathan Newsome and Deatrich Wise Jr. will be backing them up.
At DT, this team has arguably the most depth of any team in the league. The oldest DT is only 26, and after the preseason, the Falcons decided to keep 6 DTs. Grady Jarrett and Dominique Easley return as the starters from last year. 2nd year man out of Florida Caleb Brantley returns from last season as the #4 DT. The Falcons brought in Malcom Brown to be a backup, and drafted Albert Huggins out of Clemson and David Moa out of Boise State, who both impressed in the preseason. All in all, the Falcons are set at this position for years to come.
The Falcons return 2 starters at LB, Deion Jones and Vic Beasley Jr, and after cutting veteran Sean Weatherspoon, last year's starting LOLB, announced that rookie out of Florida Alex Anzalone will now be the starter at that position. Atlanta also brought in Dee Ford as a reserve. Paul Worrilow and Devondre Campbell return from last year as well.
In the secondary, Atlanta returns all four starters. Desmond Trufant and Marshon Lattimore will be a great duo for years to come, and Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen are extremely talented as well. The Falcons brought in Adam 'Pacman' Jones to be the nickel corner this year, despite concerns over his speed and age. Jalen Collins and Davon House will be the backups at the corner position, with Kyshoen Jarrett and Kemal Ishmael backing up the safeties.
This defense will look to improve on a mediocre year last season, and if they can do that, this Falcons team will be a force to be reckoned with.
Special Teams
Matt Bosher returns as the punter and John Ross III will once again return kicks and punts. The Falcons replaced veteran K Robbie Gould in Free Agency, by signing Brandon McManus to a 4 year deal.
Schedule
The Falcons have an extremely tough schedule this year. They start off the season against the much improved Dallas Cowboys, and then have to play Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Of course, there's always the two matchups against the rival Buccaneers and the rival Panthers. These 6 games could go any way. In Week 13, the Falcons will try to exorcise their demons against the Minnesota Vikings, who have beaten Atlanta by 30+ in each of the past two seasons. The Falcons will also host Devonta Freeman in Week 15 against the Steelers, which could prove to be a shootout.
Another division crown is definitely possible. Another Super Bowl is run is definitely possible. This team will need to stay healthy, and improve on the defensive side of the ball in order to do so. One thing is for sure, this team will be fun to watch.
For all things Atlanta Falcons, stay tuned to The Falcoholic.