The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Another successful season could depend on defensive improvement
On offense, Falcons intend to build on impressive 2016.
If the Falcons are going to remain at the elite level of NFL teams, the offense must continue to play spectacularly while the defense makes major strides.
The Falcons are counting on the Beasley-Jarrett factor to help improve their defense at key positions.
They hope that three rookie starters — strong safety Keanu Neal, middle linebacker Deion Jones and strongside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell — can make big leaps in their second season, as Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett did last season.
Beasley went from four sacks as a rookie to leading the league in sacks with 15.5 last season. Jarrett went from reserve to playing the most snaps (630) along the defensive line.
“I think those guys made the jump from the beginning of the season to the middle of the season to the end of the season,” defensive passing-game coordinator Jerome Henderson said. “They played a lot of football, more than most rookies. They were playing the whole way and then going into the playoffs and playing those games against really good competition. You hope that they make another jump this year.”
Here’s a look at the Falcons’ 90-man roster (including the international tight end Alex Gray, who is exempt from the 90) as they are set to report for camp Wednesday:
Quarterbacks
Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, Matt Simms and Alek Torgersen.
Ryan was flawless in 2016 and guided the franchise to its second Super Bowl appearance since it started play in 1966. Ryan threw touchdown passes to 13 different receivers.
With some pinpoint accuracy, Ryan led the league’s top-scoring offense, setting club records in passing yards (4,944) and touchdowns (38). He started all 16 regular-season games and completed 373 of 534 passes (69.9 percent; third in the NFL), with only seven interceptions and a 117.1 passer rating.
New quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan plans to aid Ryan on the finer points of his game, including the bootlegs and rollouts that are required in the offensive scheme.
“When you look at the offense as a whole, one of the strengths of it is that everything looks the same,” Hamdan said. “A lot of the (play) action passes, a lot of the keepers occur from the simple standpoint is that it looks like a run and all of sudden one guy is switching his route and Matt is getting outside and using that.
“It’s intricate. It’s extremely important in the run game as well. Again, we have the ability to keep them honest. To keep an extra guy out of run defense is critical. It’s a staple of this offense and we just have to continue to grow with it.”
Schaub returns to serve as Ryan’s backup.
Running backs
Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Terron Ward, Brian Hill and B.J. Daniels. (Fullbacks Derrick Coleman and Tyler Renew.)
Rookie Hill is the wild card and perhaps insurance if Freeman’s negotiations go off the rails. If Hill turns out to be the player whom the Falcons scouted in college, he’ll be quite the change of pace and perhaps a solution to their short-yardage woes.
Freeman is set to make $1.838 million in 2017 but would like a contract extension. The team is not expecting any issues despite rumblings from Freeman’s representation that surfaced at the Super Bowl and during free agency.
While the Falcons hope to continue the blend of Freeman and Coleman, they drafted Hill in the fifth round. He’ll have to beat out Ward while the Falcons also attempt to replace fullback Patrick DiMarco.
Freeman and Coleman combined for 1,599 rushing yards, 85 receptions, 883 receiving yards and 24 total touchdowns last season.
Tight ends
Austin Hooper, Levine Toilolo, Joshua Perkins, D.J. Tialavea, Eric Saubert and Darion Griswold.
The Falcons are passing the baton from Jacob Tamme to Hooper, a second-year player. The Falcons elected not to re-sign Tamme in part because of Hooper’s promise.
Toilolo will remain vital to the run game with his power blocking. The tight ends caught 10 touchdowns passes last season: Tamme (three), Hooper (three), Toilolo (two), Perkins (one) and Tialavea (one).
In the playoffs, Hooper caught six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. Toilolo caught three passes for 31 yards. Saubert is an interesting prospect who caught a lot of passes at Drake.
Wide receivers
Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Taylor Gabriel, Justin Hardy, Andre Roberts, Reggie Davis, Marvin Hall, Devin Fuller, Nick Williams, Anthony Dable, Deante Burton and Josh Magee.
Jones was held out of offseason workouts after toe surgery but is expected to be ready for the start of camp. He turned in another spectacular season in 2016, with 83 catches for 1,409 yards and six touchdowns. In the playoffs, Jones caught 19 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns.
Sanu had a career-high 59 catches for 653 yards and four touchdowns last season. Gabriel, who was claimed off waivers from Cleveland before the season started, was a solid pickup. He finished with 35 catches for 579 yards and six touchdowns, playing as the No. 3 receiver behind Jones and Sanu. Hardy and Roberts provide quality depth. Burton had a strong offseason.
Offensive linemen
Tackles: Jake Matthews, Ryan Schraeder, Kevin Graf, Wil Freeman, Daniel Brunskill and Andreas Knappe. Guards: Andy Levitre, Wes Schweitzer, Ben Garland, Marquis Lucas, Sean Harlow and Cornelius Edison. Centers: Alex Mack, Travis Averill and Cam Keizur.
The Falcons started the same offensive line in all 19 games during their run to the Super Bowl. With the retirement of right guard Chris Chester, they will have a new starter in 2017. Coach Dan Quinn named Schweitzer and Garland as the top contenders. Harlow, a tackle in college, is converting to guard.
Mack, a second-team All-Pro, helped the Falcons become Pro Football Focus’ sixth-ranked overall offensive line in the NFL last season, grading out as the team’s best run blocker and overall offensive lineman.
Schraeder was rewarded with a five-year, $32 million extension last season. Matthews, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 draft, needs to step up to Pro Bowl level. Several candidates are vying for the backup swing tackle spot to replace Tom Compton, who signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency.
Defensive linemen
Ends: Vic Beasley, Adrian Clayborn, Takkarist McKinley, Martin Ifedi, Jack Crawford, Derrick Shelby and Chris Odom. Tackles: Grady Jarrett, Dontari Poe, Courtney Upshaw, Taniela Tupou, Ra’Shede Hageman and Joe Vellano.
With a stouter interior of Poe and Jarrett, the Falcons hope Beasley can build on his breakthrough to 15.5 sacks last season. Clayborn, who is coming off biceps surgery, can be a factor in the pass rush.
Improving the defensive line was a priority. The Falcons spent $28.5 million on it, signing Poe (one year, $8 million) and Crawford (three years, $10.3 million) in free agency and drafting McKinley (four years, $10.2 million).
The team elected not to re-sign 12-year veteran Jonathan Babineaux and released veteran Tyson Jackson. Former NFL great Bryant Young was hired to replace Bryan Cox as line coach.
Linebackers
Kemal Ishmael (also a safety), Deion Jones, De’Vondre Campbell, Brooks Reed, Jack Lynn, LaRoy Reynolds, Josh Keyes, Duke Riley, Jermaine Grace and J’Terius Jones.
Deion Jones had a dynamic rookie season and is trying to get more vocal as the team’s signal caller. He also wants to add some weight and play at between 230 and 235 pounds.
Jones led the rookie class with 108 tackles and three interceptions last season. He also had 14 passes defended, which was third-most among rookies.
Campbell played 11 games, starting 10. He made 48 tackles, had seven pass breakups and an interception playing the weak side, but he worked at strongside linebacker in the offseason.
Ishmael is moving from safety and must hold off a challenge from Riley for the weakside spot.
Reynolds is a quality backup. Grace is another speedy linebacker with a chance to make the team.
Defensive backs
Cornerbacks: Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford, C.J. Goodwin, Akeem King, Jarnor Jones, Taylor Reynolds, Brian Poole, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Damontae Kazee, Jalen Collins, Deji Olatoye, Quincy Mauger. Safeties: Ricardo Allen, Keanu Neal, Sharrod Neasman, Marcelis Branch, Kemal Ishmael (also a linebacker), Jordan Moore, Deron Washington.
With Trufant’s return from pectoral surgery, the Falcons have some quality depth. Collins started for Trufant down the stretch, the final six games of the regular season and three playoff games. He played 428 defensive snaps (38.3 percent) and compiled 48 tackles, including 10 in the Super Bowl, 12 pass breakups and two interceptions.
With Trufant, Alford, Poole and Collins all seasoned now, the Falcons have options to mix and match coverages.
Neal played roughly 83 percent of the team’s snaps, third-most on the defense. He played his highest snap percentage (40) while down low at linebacker level, according to Pro Football Focus. After the Falcons picked Neal 17th overall in the 2016 draft, he led the team with five forced fumbles, made 105 tackles and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s all-rookie first-team.
Allen has successfully made the transition from cornerback to free safety. He played 1,101 defensive snaps (99.1 percent), most on the team last season, in just his second year at free safety. Drafted as a cornerback in the fifth round out of Purdue in 2014, Allen was cut and then made his way back up to the roster through the practice squad.
Special teams
Kicker: Matt Bryant, Mike Meyer. Punter: Matt Bosher. Long snapper: Josh Harris. Holder: Bosher. Kickoff returner: Andre Roberts. Punt returner: Roberts.
Roberts was signed in free agency and will get the first shot at kickoff and punt returner jobs as the Falcons moved on from Eric Weems. Roberts averaged 22.2 yards on kickoff returns and 11.7 on punt returns with two touchdowns last season for Detroit. Meyer is a player to watch just because Bryant turned 42. Bosher is back as a weapon on kickoffs and with his dazzling directional punting skills.