One of many extra widespread workouts when inspecting a protection is determining how the teaching employees will decipher their defensive position packages amongst a crowded group. It’s been fairly a while for the reason that Falcons put collectively an intriguing gifted defensive position on paper. That final occurred in 2019 throughout Dan Quinn’s transient return to being a defensive coordinator. By bringing again Adrian Clayborn and Ra’Shede Hageman, together with signing Allen Bailey and Tyeler Davison, the Falcons boasted an interesting group of defensive linemen on paper.

What regarded good on the depth chart by no means materialized into on-field manufacturing in a massively disappointing season. Former first-round picks did not emerge as constant move rushers, whereas veterans exterior of Davison struggled to make precious contributions round Grady Jarrett.

The teaching modifications, free agent signings, and youthful expertise are extra interesting 4 years later. Ryan Nielsen is bringing a brand new greater plan together with his protection of wanting better measurement on the defensive position and depth throughout the secondary. Investing considerably in confirmed top-tier expertise within the trenches creates loads of optimism for a bunch that consisted of largely unproven gamers final season.

These youthful gamers obtained precious expertise and confirmed dedication towards increasing their respective video games. With an thrilling group of gamers on the defensive position, it’s time to contemplate how they may line up in base and nickel packages.

Base Alignment

RDE: Bud Dupree

Whereas Lorenzo Carter fared adequately in opposition to the run final season, it’s arduous to examine Nielsen deciding to begin an edge defender weighing round 250 kilos in base. Dupree is a bodily, violent determine who wears down tackles and creates openings for his teammates to make stops close to the road of scrimmage.

Though Dupree might be counted to ship as a move rusher, he’s the largest pure defensive finish on the roster. Arthur Smith has been vocal about how a lot of a tone-setter he’s. Following two tough injury-plagued seasons in Tennessee, the previous first-round decide feels reinvigorated in Atlanta. This has all of the makings to be a massively influential transfer to deliver much-needed energy off the sting and strengthen an undersized run protection.

NT: David Onyemata

After years of experimenting with gamers at nostril deal with, it was time to signal probably the most battle-tested nostril tackles within the league. Onyemata has been extremely sturdy his whole profession. Embracing taking up double groups and taking part in important snaps are a couple of of the numerous qualities the Falcons have lacked on their defensive position over the previous 5 seasons.

Though he’s coming off a down season by his excessive requirements, Onyemata is thrilled to proceed his profession alongside Nielsen and is aware of the infrastructure round him might cut back his workload. That ought to assist preserve him contemporary to be one of many central figures in stopping opposing working video games. Whereas New Orleans constructed a tremendously well-rounded defensive position, they by no means had somebody fairly like Atlanta’s defensive stalwart taking part in alongside him on the inside.

DT: Grady Jarrett

There may be no person on the roster extra ecstatic in the mean time than the two-time Professional Bowler. After years of being largely surrounded by undrafted gamers and underperforming veterans, the items are aligning for Jarrett to have the perfect assist system round him since 2017. He hasn’t performed beneath 800 snaps since 2018. Numerous teaching staffs have trusted him to fill in at nostril deal with and edge rusher resulting from an absence of expertise in these areas.

The variety of sacrifices Jarrett has made for the group is a testomony to his character. It’s time for him to play fewer snaps, regardless of remaining as the perfect defensive lineman on the roster. His blistering first step, snap anticipation, and extraordinary agility makes him a handful to include. Whereas it will be nice to see him primarily line up as a three-tech on passing downs, he’s too precious of a participant to not use on working downs.

LDE: Calais Campbell

Contemplating he lined up on the left for many of his time in Baltimore and plans to play off the sting, that is the best beginning spot for probably the most versatile defensive linemen in NFL historical past. Campbell’s astonishing size, highly effective hand utilization, and excessive soccer intelligence make him such a singular power. Regardless of the scenario in his profession, he performed at a excessive degree.

The teaching employees’s desire for greater defensive linemen off the sting and prioritizing overwhelming tackles with sheer power bodes nicely for maximizing Campbell’s capabilities. There must be a plan to observe his utilization at 36 years outdated, particularly since he has missed time over the previous three seasons. Nielsen will look to plan tips on how to punish groups on early downs with him, together with seeing how Campbell can combine inside on clear passing downs.

Nickel Alignment

RDE: Lorenzo Carter – Bud Dupree

A diminished function ought to do wonders for Carter after he was counted on far too closely final season. For Carter to play 909 snaps final season signifies how poorly structured the defensive position was. He flashed as a move rusher throughout his four-year tenure in New York. Along with his athleticism, there’s a reasonable chance of him being a more practical edge rusher.

His protection skill shouldn’t be discounted, as his skill to identify drop and canopy area might be massively precious for Nielsen’s inventive fronts to generate strain. That can assist unlock Kaden Elliss’ dynamic ability set in these moments. Dupree ought to obtain a good quantity of snaps to offer a strong mix of energy and velocity with Carter.

RDT: Ta’Quon Graham – David Onyemata

Earlier than struggling a season-ending MCL harm in November, Graham was placing collectively one other promising season after a good rookie yr. There may be sufficient proof from his performances to recommend he might be given alternatives to be utilized as one of many fundamental inside move rushers. His spectacular get-off and motor make him an intriguing weapon in a all of the sudden crowded rotation.

There might be situations the place he’ll be counted on as a run defender, which he made his mark final season with 15 stops in 193 run-defending snaps, per Professional Soccer Focus. For all of the defensive overhaul within the low season, Graham deserves to show he belongs in a key contributing function. Onyemata can actually play his fair proportion of snaps within the nickel package deal, given his expertise and talent to occupy blockers to create area on twists for his teammates to break down the pocket.

LDT: Grady Jarrett – Calais Campbell

Jarrett and Campbell might be trusted as essentially the most constant move rushers on the roster. Whereas they may line up alongside one another on passing downs to create chaos, it appears extra seemingly that Campbell will take a extra diminished function on the within. There isn’t any manner a 36-year-old participant will be utilized as an every-down lineman.

His exceptional athleticism continues to be extremely precious, significantly with batting down passes, which might occur usually with the state of quarterback play within the NFC South. That stated, Jarrett will play extra snaps together with his spectacular sturdiness and knack for accelerating previous guards. He’s coming off one in all his higher seasons as a move rusher final yr.

LDE: Arnold Ebiketie

Expectations might be heightened for the second-year edge rusher following a forgettable rookie season. A late-season wrist harm hindered his improvement to an extent, as his snaps declined over the ultimate 4 video games of the season. He didn’t supply practically sufficient as a move rusher when wholesome for a unit in dire want of a spark.

When issues clicked for Ebiketie, it got here predominantly in opposition to second-string tackles in video games in opposition to San Francisco and Chicago. What was encouraging was how he held his personal in opposition to the run and confirmed a need to make use of totally different pass-rushing methods in opposition to opposing tackles. There ought to nonetheless be loads of optimism for his future, particularly with him working beneath the tutelage of Nielsen. The purpose ought to be for him to solidify his spot as essentially the most constant edge rusher on the roster together with his array of expertise.

Potential contributors to spherical out the group

There may be all the time the potential of expertise rising into reliable rotational gamers or breakout starters. Zach Harrison, DeAngelo Malone, and Eddie Goldman are able to breaking into this group. Harrison’s measurables match the prototypical commonplace of what Nielsen needs from his edge defenders. He might be introduced alongside slowly, hopefully absorbing all of the knowledge from Campbell and different veterans in the course of the yr.

Malone will want a productive preseason to play his manner into the rotation. Though he’s undersized and appears to be on the surface of the rotation wanting in, there isn’t an edge rusher on the roster with extra explosiveness than him. That skill to burst across the edge might elevate him, contemplating the dearth of agility on the edge rusher place.

Goldman has solely performed one full season since 2019, which makes him a wildcard. Nostril tackles are extraordinarily precious, with extra groups trying to run the ball extra usually. If he can recapture his outdated type as an area eater, the previous second-round decide will carve out a spot within the rotation.

The thought of the Falcons having this many succesful gamers throughout the defensive position should be refreshing for everybody related to the franchise. They’ve been counting on hope for too lengthy in looking for largely late-round gems and one-year signings to bolster an anemic move rush and cease the run. Hope can’t be thought-about a technique for fulfillment.

Including above-average starters and battle-tested veterans will deliver much-needed ferocity to the whole protection. It should fall on the teaching employees to make the required changes to place them in the perfect place to flourish whereas serving to the youthful expertise elevate their video games to push the Falcons to the playoffs for the primary time since 2017.