Five Moves the Falcons Should Have Made During the Offseason

Sign Clint Boling (Left Guard)

Clint Boling would have solidified the left side of the offensive line for the upcoming years. He and left tackle Jake Matthews could have wreaked havoc on opposing defenses. The Falcons did not want to pay big-time for a left guard, so they instead went with Chris Chester out of the Washington Redskins. Boling is durable and was a top 15 left guard last season. He started every game in 2014, and was a big part in the Bengals having a great offensive line. I’m not saying Chester was the wrong move, but Boling is 26 years old with a lot of upside to his game.

Sign Sergio Brown (Free Safety)

Sergio Brown signed a 3 year/$7 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Brown was rated the 24th best safety by ProFootballFocus.com, and he quietly was a key to the Indianapolis Colts defense. He did not fill up the stat sheet, but he made plays at the right time. Atlanta is in dire need of a player like that, with Dwight Lowery departing. The Falcons look to put their trust in Ricardo Allen, a man that was cut last season to then be brought back onto the practice squad. Brown would have likely have been a simple plug into the defense, as he would have made a difference in the secondary.

Sign Justin Forsett (Running Back)

 

Forsett is a seasoned veteran that has been in the league since 2007. He has seen it all, and had a breakout season for the Baltimore Ravens last season. Some believe it was a lucky one year, but that isn’t how I saw it. I saw a player who was not just a threat to find the holes, but someone who was a threat coming out of the backfield as a receiver. When everyone wrote the Ravens running game off after the Ray Rice saga, Forsett finished as the sixth best running back overall by Pro Football Focus. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, which tied second overall by running backs. Not to mention that Forsett is an absolute beast in the zone blocking scheme, which is being implemented by new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Falcons running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman are young players and have a lot of weight to carry on their shoulders, so having a proven veteran like Forsett could have made a monumental difference for the offense.

4. Mason Foster (Middle Linebacker)

“But Atlanta already has a middle linebacker!” Paul Worrilow has made many tackles in his two-year career, but that doesn’t make a middle linebacker special. I think with the addition of Foster, Worrilow and him would have battled throughout training camp and some preseason games to find who the real starter would be. That kind of competition could have brought out the best of both players abilities. Foster signed with the Chicago Bears this offseason that was 1 year/$825,000 which is a cheap deal. Atlanta has the money to spend, and signing Foster probably would have been a great move if the organization decided to go that way. With Atlanta forgoing Foster and any middle linebacker, they are 100% invested in Worrilow.

5. Draft Someone Else in the Second Round of the 2015 NFL Draft

 

Now that might come out a little harsh, but Jalen Collins is not proven like some of the other players drafted behind him. NFL scouts had him a first-round talent due to potential. Collins might turn out to be spectacular as a professional football player, but I think Atlanta chose him while forgoing very talented players. Players such as Benardrick McKinney, Eric Kendricks, Maxx Williams, Mitch Morse, and Randy Gregory come off the top of my head as players selected behind Collins. While I agree the Falcons need to add another cornerback, I think they could have waited until the third or fourth round to select one. The cornerbacks have been on their heels with the terrible pass-rush for the past two years, and I expect improvement in the secondary this season. Which is why I believe Atlanta jumped the gun too quickly on selecting Collins. Hopefully in three years, we won’t be hearing about why Atlanta should have drafted another player behind the former LSU player.

 

 

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