The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cornerbacks Trufant, Alford face challenge
Falcons want veteran starters to come up with more interceptions.
This is the third of a 10-part, position-by-position series analyzing the Falcons’ roster after their offseason program.
Falcons
FLOWERY BRANCH — coach Dan Quinn believes starting cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford will have something to prove when they report for training camp July 26.
Both have been starters since being drafted back in 2013, but only have one Pro Bowl season between them. Trufant was selected after the 2015 season.
The Falcons want them to make more plays on the ball. Alford led the team with 20 pass breakups but had just one interception. Trufant had 12 pass breakups and two interceptions.
Trufant allowed 35 receptions on 61 passes targeted to receivers he was covering last season. The 35 receptions were the eighth lowest among cornerbacks who played 75 percent of their team’s defensive snaps, according to profootballfocus.com.
Trufant has 60 pass breakups over his career but only nine inter-
ceptions over 72 regular-season games. The Falcons want to turn some of those breakups into interceptions.
Alford has had 72 pass breakups and just 10 interceptions.
Brian Poole will have to beat out Damontae Kazee at nickel back. The Falcons also drafted Isaiah Oliver in the second round in April.
Every since Quinn was hired and given final say on the 53-man roster, he’s been looking for a big cornerback.
The Falcons selected Jalen Collins (6 feet 2, 198 pounds) in the second round of the 2015 draft. The Falcons spent two years trying to convert C.J. Goodwin (6-4, 220 pounds) into a cornerback. They are also in the middle of trying to convert former Kansas State wide receiver Deante Burton (6-2, 205) into a cornerback.
Collins appears to have washed out of the league. Goodwin got his shot last season but failed. He’s now with the 49ers.
Burton, who caught 84 passes for 1,085 yards and five touchdowns at Kansas State, will get some action this exhibition season.
But the long-term answer may be Oliver, who was selected out of Colorado 58th overall.
The Falcons would like to put a big player out at right cornerback who can jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and throw of the timing of routes. Quinn used a big corner like the massive Brandon Browner (6-4, 221) when he was the defensive coordinator in Seattle.
Oliver would have to beat out Alford, who could slide inside and compete with Poole for the nickel spot.
“I’m sure I’ll be moving around throughout training camp, but through (the offseason) I was at right corner on the outside,” Oliver said. “That’s probably where I’ll be for the most part.”
Oliver has a reputation for playing the deep pass well. He recorded 32 pass breakups and tied for the 10th most in Colorado history.
He might not be ready to beat out Alford, but eventually he could play outside in a pinch like Collins had to late in 2016 and in Super Bowl XLI.
The defensive backs have welcomed him to the group.
“They are great guys and they are helping me out a lot in terms learning the defense and different techniques and things like that,” Oliver said.
Oliver, who will likely start his career as a special teamer, knows he’ll have to earn a starting spot.
“So, from a competitive standpoint, we are always going to compete,” Oliver said. “That’s one of the biggest things on the team here, is that battle aspect. So, we are going to compete against each other. Compete against the offense and compete in everything that we do.
“So, that just kind of comes with it. Then the play of the field is just the play on the field.”
Oliver enjoyed going against the Falcons receivers in the rookie minicamp, during the organized team activities and the mandatory minicamp.
“It helped a lot,” Oliver said. “In my opinion, this is the best receiving corps in the NFL. So, being able to see that every day in practice, then you go out on Sunday and you know that you kind of have an edge over other teams. That’s going to be big for me, especially in my rookie year, going against guys like Mohamed Sanu and everyone here. That’s going to help me out when I go out there on Sundays and play against those guys.”
The Falcons are in nickel at least 70 percent of the time and if they can get Oliver ready to play, that will add to their flexibility in the secondary. “You can think that we have five guys, that’s our nickel group and we’re good. You better have some depth behind them, some good quality depth so that when guys go down you’ve got guys that can come up and play,” defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson said.
The Falcons were pleased with the play of Blidi Wreh-Wilson last season.
“I think that was the Minnesota game and he had to start,” Henderson said. “He played well for us and we did not have a big drop off for us on defense . ... He went in there and played his heart out. He played hard and played well. He gave us a chance to win that game. He battled.”