Falcons 2020 Draft & Free Agency: Pass Rush and Safety in the mix

[atlantabbq99]

Falcons are worst in the league in sacks and QB pressure. Birds desperately need a DE/OLB, Chase Young could be a possibility, but I think the Falcons should try to do a John Abraham type of trade if one presents itself on daft day.

Keanu is a bust. Not based on talent, but based on injury, and I think he career is over. Coincidentally, the 2020 draft is loaded at safety and corner. Falcons could go for a safety in the first round. Their are about 5 safeties in the draft who are first round talents. Isaiah Simmons stands out among most of them because he is a safety in a DE's body.

[Jamaaliver]

Years ago, Falcons passed over Todd Gurley and drafted Vic Beasley because they had a need at pass rusher.

It was a mistake then. It would be a mistake now.

Pursue the best player available. If we aren't in love with any of those options...trade back. We need depth and talent at so many positions.

[atlantabbq99]

^ I'm a huge UGA fan and Gurley fan, but even I know that drafting a RB high is a huge mistake. Just look at the Super Bowl champs over the last two decades.

Falcons need to do what the Pats do and trade for vets. That is why I'm open to doing a John Abraham type of trade if it is available on draft day.

[atlantabbq99]

Another ZERO sack game for the Falcons!

ZERO pressure on Watson all game long.

2020 has officially become the Chase Young draft. Derrick Brown and A.J. Epenesa are distant seconds. I'm really not excited about any of the three guys like I was for Quinnen Williams last year but oh well...

I think Chase Young could end up having a 100 sack career.

I'm luke warm about Derrick Brown and A.J. Epenesa. I think both guys can be occasional pro-bowlers but not on the same level as first team guy like Suh or Jared Allen

[atlantabbq99]

After the Rams games, the Falcons are now 288 snaps without a sack. Chase Young seems like the only guy that should be a target for the Falcons in the draft. Hopefully Chase Young can be as good as the Bosa brothers. All three learn or are being coached by Larry Johnson of Ohio State. Maybe Johnson has the secret formula to teaching pro bowl DEs.

Just like last year, I wouldn't mind if the Falcons go DL in both the 1st and 2nd round.

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

A Too-Early Ranking of the Top QB Prospects in the 2020 Draft

Is Tua Tagovailoa still the crown jewel of this class? With stiff competition from Joe Burrow, Jake Fromm, and a handful of others, this season’s crop of quarterbacks is one of the most interesting in years.

Spoiler:

1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

2. Joe Burrow, LSU

3. Jake Fromm, Georgia

4a. Justin Herbert, Oregon

4b. Jordan Love, Utah State

4c. Jacob Eason, Washington

5. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Hurts is another fascinating prospect. The former Crimson Tide signal-caller hadn’t generated much NFL draft buzz prior to this season, but he’s posting video game numbers in Lincoln Riley’s unstoppable spread offense at Oklahoma. Hurts is a Heisman candidate: He’s averaging an absurd 13.7 yards per attempt with 21 touchdowns and three picks to go with his 801 yards and 13 scores on the ground.

The 6-foot-2, 219-pound playmaker should serve as an NFL draft Rorschach test of sorts during the next few months. Some people will watch his tape and see a guy who’s the product of a wide-open offense that schemes receivers open downfield. Others will see a dynamic, playmaking passer with the versatility to factor in to his team’s run game.

In any case, it’s tough to deny that Hurts has showcased excellent touch throwing the ball this year, launching well-placed dimes to his receivers downfield or hitting the back-shoulder throw near the sideline.

The versatile signal-caller has a well-built frame and plenty of athleticism, and is capable of extending plays in the face of pressure, escaping, and finding the open guy.

And Hurts also changes the math for the Sooner run game, as he’s capable of picking up chunk yardage as a scrambler or keeping the ball on option plays.

Hurts doesn’t have the pinpoint accuracy or explosive maneuverability of his predecessor, Kyler Murray, and he’s made a handful of bad decisions with the ball this season, but when it comes down to brass tacks, he’s a strong leader and tough competitor who is speedy and capable of making big-time throws from the pocket. It’s easy to imagine a few teams falling in love with his skill set and makeup.

The Ringer

[HMFFL]

Best player available for me with the first pick. I don't trust Thomas making the right decision with an arsenal of draft picks anyways.

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[atlantabbq99]

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[atlantabbq99]

Saints 9 - 26 Falcons...



If the Falcons just tanked today, they would have been the current #2 in the draft!

Chase Young looks like he is going top 2, Falcons won't have a chance at CY if they end up with a 3-13 record!

[Jamaaliver]

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[HMFFL]

Navy senior QB Malcolm Perry rushed for 304 yards and two touchdowns on 29 attempts in Saturday's 31-7 win over Army.

It's the most rushing yards ever in a Navy-Army battle. Perry (5'9/190) coming in with a beautiful game, here, to close out his final regular season with the Midshipmen. He had multiple highlight-reel runs in Saturday's contest, including a 55-yard touchdown run in the second quarter on which he utterly schooled a would-be tackler via a vicious cut toward the right sideline before turning on the jets on his way to pay dirt. He put the exclamation point on this transcendent performance via a 16-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run. Perry ends the pre-bowl portion of his campaign having rushed for 1,804 yards and 21 touchdowns while throwing for 1,027 yards with a 6/3 TD/INT ratio across 12 games played. Up next on the docket, a Liberty Bowl showdown with Kansas State on New Year's Eve. Perry won't be playing quarterback in the pros, but his ability as a rusher makes him a low-key intriguing prospect to watch during the draft process.

Dec 14, 2019, 6:18 PM ET



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[HMFFL]

A closer look at who the Falcons have under contract heading into 2020


Atlanta doesn’t have too many glaring holes on first glance, but their cap situation will likely demand they open some up ahead of free agency and the draft.

Offense

QB Matt Ryan
QB Matt Schaub (team option)
QB Kurt Benkert
RB Devonta Freeman
RB Ito Smith
RB Qadree Ollison
WR Julio Jones
WR Calvin Ridley
WR Russell Gage
WR Christian Blake
WR Olamide Zaccheaus
WR Brandon Powell
TE Luke Stocker
TE Jaeden Graham
TE Alex Gray
LT Jake Matthews
RT Kaleb McGary
T/G Matt Gono
T Ty Sambrailo
G Chris Lindstrom
G James Carpenter
G Jamon Brown

C Alex Mack

Top Needs

Tight End

Guard

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Center

https://www.thefalcoholic.com/platform/amp/2019/12/18/21026864/a-closer-look-at-who-the-falcons-have-under-contract-heading-into-2020

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[HMFFL]

Top Needs

Tight End

Guard

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Center

https://www.thefalcoholic.com/platform/amp/2019/12/18/21026864/a-closer-look-at-who-the-falcons-have-under-contract-heading-into-2020

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[Jamaaliver]

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Trade back for multiple picks...we have depth issues and very little cap space

[HMFFL]

Atlanta Falcons need to replace Devonta Freeman in the second round


With the Atlanta Falcons having two draft picks in the second round, they need to aim their first second-rounder toward a Devonta Freeman replacement. https://bloggingdirty.com/2019/12/24/atlanta-falcons-replace-devonta-freeman/amp/

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[HMFFL]

Appalachian State redshirt junior RB Darrynton Evans declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Evans (5'11/200) burst onto the scene with 1,187 yards (6.6 YPC) and seven touchdowns in 2018, with the bulk of that production coming after Jalin Moore went down with a season-ending injury midway through the campaign. He followed that campaign up with a 1,484-yard (5.8 YPC), 18-touchdown showing in 2019, chipping in with a 21-198-5 receiving line to boot. In a deep running backs class, Evans could land as a Day 3 selection in the spring depending on how his evaluating phase plays out.

SOURCE: Darrynton Evans on Twitter

Dec 25, 2019, 5:54 PM ET



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[atlantabbq99]

Another frustrating, disappointing and stuipd season for Falcons' fans, and even extra frustrating and stupid with the selfish performance from the players for not tanking for Chase Young

Matt Ryan has Julio but what he really needs is a JJ Watt level player on the defensive side, and that easily could have been Chase!

But with that said, I'm starting to really like Curtis Weaver at #13. Weaver is projected to be a late first round pick but I think the closer we get to the draft and more GMs watch film on him and see his combine number, he will probably shoot up to a mid first round pick.

Weaver reminds me of Neil Smith or Patrick Kerney. Average athleticism and speed, but high motor and good technique. Unless Epenesa falls to 13, I have Weaver as #1 on my board with Isaiah Simmons as a close second.

[Jamaaliver]

I hope we trade back for more draft picks on Day 2. We need depth more than we need stars.

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[Jamaaliver]

First mock after the end of regular season:

2020 NFL Mock Draft

16. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa



Owner Arthur Blank made the decision to bring back general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn despite the team’s slow start to the season: a testament to their work down the stretch. Now they must evaluate the roster to fix what has kept the Falcons out of contention since their Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots.

From the outside looking in, a major issue in Atlanta is the lack of a pass rush. Given Quinn’s background as a defensive coordinator, more was expected. Vic Beasley Jr. is set to hit free agency and hasn’t lived up to his draft stock as 2015’s No. 8 overall selection, so it makes sense to attack the board with A.J. Epenesa available.

Epenesa enjoyed two amazing seasons at Iowa, where his 6’6”, 280-pound frame was almost impossible for Big Ten offensive tackles to stop. He doesn’t have the speed of Beasley or Takkarist McKinley, but he brings a power game that will pair nicely next to Grady Jarrett as the Falcons re-tool their defensive line.

Bleacher Report