Watch out, Saints fans. The Falcons might have a Taysom Hill of their own. Feleipe Franks was practicing with the tight ends at last Friday’s open practice in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Arthur Smith mentioned prior that we’d see some players in new spots.
We already saw Atlanta convert Avery Williams to running back, probably due to the crowded cornerback room. And we might be seeing a more solidified place for Franks at tight end. During a press conference before Thursday’s practice, Smith told reporters that Franks would get some reps at quarterback but would assume a more hybrid role between the two positions.
#Falcons coach said Feleipe Franks will get some reps at QB. But put him in the hybrid position group as he’s received some reps at TEs. pic.twitter.com/QKlT5ykmxv
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) June 9, 2022
Smith tinkered with Franks at quarterback and tight end throughout the season in 2021. Although I wasn’t a fan of the timing of these packages with Franks at wildcat quarterback or tight end, the value of having a versatile chess piece like this is undeniable. Even as a tight end, Franks is an elite athlete. Just check out his Relative Athletic Score courtesy of the Falcoholic’s Kevin Knight:
Not weighing in on the merits of Feleipe Franks at TE, but here's his RAS at that position. He'd also be a very good athlete there, though his weight is very low. https://t.co/psCBNCWGC6 pic.twitter.com/AC8SJahQCU
— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) September 27, 2021
Roster spots are thin at quarterback, given the Falcons’ selection of Desmond Ridder and the signing of Marcus Mariota. This means more than likely that Franks’ only path to the final 53-man roster is through an injury to one of the aforementioned signal callers or a position change, which is precisely what is transpiring. The Falcons are clearly committed to positional versatility in their players.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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