Team Needs?

[Ghostnote]

Can you list your top 5 team needs?

[scar988]

Starting Needs

Wide Receiver: Julio Jones is nearing 30 years old. So is Mohamed Sanu. Both players are good, but someone who can eventually replace one of them would be nice to have. On top of that, it wouldn't hurt to get a guy who could play slot or outside so that Sanu can thrive in the slot in 3 WR sets. Taylor Gabriel could get re-signed and make this not a starting need but rather a rotational need instead.

Nose Tackle: Dontari Poe is very good. He also signed just a one year deal. The Falcons need to draft someone to replace him should he not re-sign.

Pass-rushing DE/DT hybrid: See what Michael Bennett does. Atlanta needs someone like that to play SDE/nickel DT for them. Adrian Clayborn currently is in that role, but it would help the Falcons to draft someone for it.

Kicker: Matt Bryant is in his final season with Atlanta unless something drastic changes for the 43-year old. Atlanta could take one as early as the 5th round.

Rotational Needs

Fullback: Derrick Coleman only signed a one-year deal. Don't give the Falcons a fullback in the draft. They won't take one.

Tight End: An all-around tight end to complement Austin Hooper in the Falcons offense is definitely needed. Levine Toilolo is mediocre as a receiver and Eric Saubert is just a guy. This could be a good position to find someone BPA for Atlanta in the second or third rounds.

Cornerback: Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford and Brian Poole look like a good group moving forward. But there could always be some additional depth added in the later rounds. Falcons prefer larger, rangier corners. The cut of Jalen Collins suggests that the Falcons would look at a potential nickel type in the offseason as well.

Spots that could use more depth or competition

Quarterback: Competition for Schaub is always nice.

Running Back: There's no one under contract outside of Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman. Taking someone in the mid-late rounds for depth would be smart.

Wide Receiver: Atlanta has just Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu and Justin Hardy under contract as noted before. They should get someone who can play slot or outside and continue to develop guys like Marvin Hall on their practice squad. However, don't be shocked if they take two receivers. One high and one late round.

Offensive Tackle: Jake Matthews and Ryan Schraeder both look good as starters and will be here a long time. Question comes in at backup. Ty Sambrailo did well in relief of Schraeder, but the Falcons could use someone to push him.

Offensive Guard: Sean Harlow is a solid backup, but he could use some competition. The Falcons are returning both starters in Levitre and Schweitzer and both are looking like solid players. Levitre could be cut or restructured due to an $8 million hit. Unless he is cut, expect the Falcons to get a guard with potential to compete as a starter in the future. Could be combined with a center need below.

Center: It's about that time for the Falcons to draft Alex Mack's long-term replacement if they can find it. Otherwise, taking someone who can fit in during the late rounds for depth at center/OG is a good idea.

Linebacker: Deion Jones, Duke Riley and De'Vondre Campbell are the future at the position. However, depth will continually be a need behind them with all of these 1 year rentals. They could also turn to a guy like Roquan Smith in the first to upgrade the starting MLB role and have trickle down to the other spots.

Safety: Ricardo Allen is a restricted free agent, but should get a long-term deal. He's a good FS. Keanu Neal is a good SS. The Falcons have Damontae Kazee for depth at FS. Depth at SS is a need.

Not Needs

Punter: Matt Bosher is one of the best punters in the league and is signed long-term.

Long Snapper: Josh Harris is one of the better long-snappers in the league and is signed long-term.

 

If I was to organize this into a top 5:

1) NT

2) DE/DT

3) WR

4) OG

5) TE

[FalconFan13]

Starting Needs
DT/NT - Poe is fine but he might leave and we can always use another big boy in the middle even if we resign him.

OG - Im not a fan of Wes so far and i think we can do better.  Plus Levitre might get cut for cap reasons.

FB - Think coleman can be upgraded - I wish we had paid Dimarco But i really wouldn't take a FB they are to easy to come by in FA or if we do maybe a 6th or 7th round guy.

WR - If we let Gabriel go and Roberts go.  That leaves us 2 WR's who are aging and 1 young guy coming up in contract.  Im ok taking a young high upside guy.

 

Positions i think we can upgrade that will add depth or a trickle down effect.

FS - I like Rico and think he has done a very good job for us.  The only thing i might be ok with is getting a elite quality FS prospect and moving Rico to be a elite nickleback and poole a elite #4.  This upgrades 2 positions with 1 pick possibly and Rico looked a heck of alot better than i thought he would at CB when i watched him play that really impressed me.

MLB - This is not a knock on Jones at all but if a player like Roquan Smith falls to us then by god you take him allowing jones to use his elite Lb cover skills and speed at WLB putting Campbell back at SLB and Beasley back at Edge Rusher.  This is a upgrade across the board at every positions and allowing players to play to their strengths. 

DE -  Not sure how long we keep Shelby, Upshaw, Crawford etc...  Their all solid players but can we upgrade them it's very possible if a good prospect falls to us and just adds more DL depth.

RB - Freeman and Coleman are awesome and Ward is quite a solid #3.  What worries me is Freeman has been getting concussions left and right lately.  Colemans a FA soon and will want some nice bank.  Ward is a FA coming up i think as well.   If Coleman leaves for the money and freeman has to retire after another concussion we are screwed at RB and we could always use a bigger power guy to help out on short yardage at times with some upside.      So maybe a 2nd to 4th round guy who falls that might be 1st round quality in most drafts.  This draft is deep and loaded with RB talent im not against taking 1 here.

TE - Hooper and Toiolo are very solid TE's and guys i like on the team but if we can upgrade the position better than those 2 im possibly ok with it while keeping both of them as a #2 and 3.

OT / Center - we are fine at for starters but depth i could def see adding here and wouldn't be mad at it in the later rounds or in FA.

[RamRod]

When it’s your first time in the playoffs since 2004 and can’t talk smack to the other team’s fans because there are none on the forum. 

[devils1854]

Offensive Coordinator

[GSUeagles14]

we should draft a corner pretty high. poole sucks in coverage. i believev he allows the best catch rate in football or close to it. after that address the oline and pass rush.

[DutchFalcon]

7 hours ago, GSUeagles14 said:

we should draft a corner pretty high. poole sucks in coverage. i believev he allows the best catch rate in football or close to it. after that address the oline and pass rush.

I'm surprised by how much Poole has regressed this season. I'm not quite ready to replace him though. If he was a high round pick everybody would be talking about how he's just having a sophomore slump. I mean the dude did ball hard last year. 

Drafting another corner is still good idea though. You can never have enough depth at corner.

 

When it’s your first time in the playoffs since 2004 and can’t talk smack to the other team’s fans because there are none on the forum. 

We're just that next level with our forum tactics. It happens if you have a game like we had last year...

[scar988]

On 1/7/2018 at 10:49 AM, GSUeagles14 said:

we should draft a corner pretty high. poole sucks in coverage. i believev he allows the best catch rate in football or close to it. after that address the oline and pass rush.

2nd or third round, sure. But higher than that? I don't see the benefit of taking a first round corner.

[gopherwrestler]

30 minutes ago, scar988 said:

2nd or third round, sure. But higher than that? I don't see the benefit of taking a first round corner.

Do the Falcons run nickle much?

I know the Vikings run nickle close to 90% now, so for us a 3rd corner is pretty big.

We have invested a 1st, 1st, and a second tho.

 

 

[GSUeagles14]

56 minutes ago, gopherwrestler said:

Do the Falcons run nickle much?

I know the Vikings run nickle close to 90% now, so for us a 3rd corner is pretty big.

We have invested a 1st, 1st, and a second tho.

 

 

yes, we do. im sure almost everyt teams runs it a majority of teh time these days.

 

1 hour ago, scar988 said:

2nd or third round, sure. But higher than that? I don't see the benefit of taking a first round corner.

whats a first round need if not corner? Guard probably, pass rusher maybe... then what? WR is purely a luxury for the next couple of years, qb, rb are locked up. i mean, corner may actually be the biggest hole we have, that and guard.

[scar988]

14 hours ago, GSUeagles14 said:

yes, we do. im sure almost everyt teams runs it a majority of teh time these days.

 

whats a first round need if not corner? Guard probably, pass rusher maybe... then what? WR is purely a luxury for the next couple of years, qb, rb are locked up. i mean, corner may actually be the biggest hole we have, that and guard.

Nose tackle. There's not a single one under contract for 2018. At DT, we see just Grady Jarrett under contract. Not to mention, it's the strongest spot in the draft. De'Ron Payne, Vita Vea, Christian Wilkins. You need to get someone to pair wiht Grady that doesn't cost $8 million a year.

[GSUeagles14]

1 hour ago, scar988 said:

Nose tackle. There's not a single one under contract for 2018. At DT, we see just Grady Jarrett under contract. Not to mention, it's the strongest spot in the draft. De'Ron Payne, Vita Vea, Christian Wilkins. You need to get someone to pair wiht Grady that doesn't cost $8 million a year.

could very easily see rubin or poe coming back, and not really concerned about salary as we hsve a decent amount of cap room.

[scar988]

14 minutes ago, GSUeagles14 said:

could very easily see rubin or poe coming back, and not really concerned about salary as we hsve a decent amount of cap room.

I don't see both coming back. That's the thing. They need someone for the defensive line rotation. A DT or even a SDE/nickel DT type makes more sense than a corner. Especially since they love Brian Poole for god knows why.

[scar988]

25 minutes ago, GSUeagles14 said:

could very easily see rubin or poe coming back, and not really concerned about salary as we hsve a decent amount of cap room.

Also, bringing in someone like Payne or Vea even if they do re-sign Poe wouldn't hurt anything here. They need the true DT rotation just like they need the true outside pass rusher rotation.

[GSUeagles14]

52 minutes ago, scar988 said:

I don't see both coming back. That's the thing. They need someone for the defensive line rotation. A DT or even a SDE/nickel DT type makes more sense than a corner. Especially since they love Brian Poole for god knows why.

I doubt both come back and we dont need them to, one would be fine. you dont need two big nose tackles in todays nfl, just a healthy rotation and a good mix for sub packages. clayborn, poe, rubin and upshaw are all fa's next year. i could see upshaw coming back for sure and if we could grab one more guy that would be good. wed need to draft a guy as well but then its just bpa, corner/guard/dl on whose available vs forcing a need.

I havent seen anyone say we love poole. he starts cause we dont have a better option. we're really shallow at corner anyway and that needs to be addressed and viewed as a priority.