Here’s how Falcons’ Raheem Morris plans to handle starters in preseason
Credit: AP
FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was extremely cautious last year in exhibition games.
Despite not playing his starters in those games, the Falcons got off to a strong start in the regular season.
“It will be very similar,” Morris said of the 2025 exhibition playing plan Thursday to open training camp. “You make those decisions based on how much work you get. So, we’ve got to go through training camp. Get to a certain point to see the work that we’ve (accumulated). Get to our joint practices.”
The Falcons are set to host the Tennessee Titans for the joint practices Aug. 12-13. Morris and his staff will closely monitor the workloads in training camp.
“You have to really be able to apply those things and take along those metrics on how much work you can get,” Morris said. “How much competitive edge, competitive work you can get to make those decisions.”
In the preseason, the Falcons are set to host the Lions on Aug 8, the Titans on Aug. 15 and close on the road at Dallas on Aug. 22.
“We’re a little far away from making those decisions yet,” Morris said. “But, obviously, you know the philosophy. Anything that we can do to mitigate as many injuries as we can based on the workload that we are able to get from a practice standpoint will determine what we need from the games.”
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who’s set to open his first season as the starter, is flexible.
“I would like to do whatever coach Raheem tells me,” Penix said. “I’m going to be ready Week 1 no matter what. That’s what I have to do. That’s my job, to make sure that I’m ready Week 1. Whatever I look like, that’s what I’ll look like. We’ll see.”
With so many new starters, Morris and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be tempted to get some live snaps for the first-team defenders.
But the defense should hold its own against Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, who was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft.
Linebacker Kaden Elliss said he believes the defense can come together quickly.
“I believe in what Brick is doing,” Elliss said, referring to Ulbrich. “I think we made a lot of really great strides throughout OTAs. I love the detail that he’s approached every single meeting with. I’m excited to have the first one so that we can keep growing on that.”
Safety Jessie Bates III also believes the defense can get up to speed before the regular-season opener against Tampa Bay on Sept. 7.
“Every year, things change around,” Bates said. “The urgency has to pick up. You can’t feel like it’s your first time playing with each other when it’s Week 1. We have to iron out those kinks right now.”
The Falcons must build a defensive bond. Five starters — Grady Jarrett, Eddie Goldman, Lorenzo Carter, Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons — from the defense that opened in the 2024 regular season finale against Carolina are gone. A sixth starter, nickel back Dee Alford, is in a battle to retain his position.
“How’s that connection, how can we create it?” Bates asked. “Everybody has been calling Cover-3, Cover-2, Cover-4. But I think what really separates teams is the connection and how are we talking about it on the field.”
The onus will be the players.
“It’s Brick’s scheme,” Bates said. “It’s his installs and stuff like that, but us, as players, we have to make it come to life.”
He will relay that message to rookie safeties Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman.
“I guess sometimes young guys will get a little bit overwhelmed with new schemes and stuff like that,” Bates said. “It’s still Cover-3, Cover-2. There is a certain kind of mix-up of Cover-3s and stuff like that, but the more that you can try to know the ins and out of it, that’s when you make a defense special.”
The Falcons were in the bottom half of the league in total yards allowed (345.3, 23rd), points allowed (24.9, 23rd) and passing yards allowed (224.5, 22nd). They were 15th in rushing yards allowed at 120.6 per game.
The Falcons need to make drastic improvements across the board.
“When you think about all of the great defenses,” Bates said. “You think about the connections and the passion that they play for. That’s what we are trying to build right now.
Elliss said he believes rookie Jalon Walker, who was selected 15th overall after a stellar career at Georgia, will be a key part of the unit.
“The sky is the limit for that kid,” Elliss said. “He’s got so much potential. What he wants to become I think is truly up to him. If he wants to play inside, he’s got all the tools to do it. If he wants to go get $40 million a year and just play edge rusher, I think he’s got the tools to do that.”
That’s a big projection.
“I haven’t played a game with him yet, but I see why they drafted him,” Elliss said. “I see the explosiveness.”
Jimmy Lake was the coordinator last season, and Ryan Nielsen directed the unit in 2023. Ulbrich will be Elliss’ third coordinator in three seasons.
“I love how it just starts,” Elliss said. “It really starts with your individual you, (your) why. Then it’s us collectively. Everything goes from there.”
Tracking the offense
The Falcons had to protect Kirk Cousins, who was recovering from Achilles surgery last season. They played Penix for 24 snaps against Miami in the first exhibition game and no more in the preseason.
Penix played the final three games of the regular season, and the offensive players are comfortable with how he operates.
“He’s awesome,” right guard Chris Lindstrom said. “The cool, calm, collected guy that you guys see every day is the same guy he is. I’ve never seen somebody make so many plays.”
The Falcons like Penix’s even-keeled demeanor.
“That is just what he expects from himself and from us as an offense,” Lindstrom said. “In terms of the leadership aspect, he’s great. Then, for the stuff he doesn’t know or isn’t sure about, he’s never shy to ask us our opinion. Either if it is a snap count or something operationally. He’s so good (at communicating) with us.”
The Falcons went toe-to-toe with the Commanders in the 16th game of last season with their playoff hopes on the line.
“Obviously, the game didn’t go our way in Washington, but there was a lot of big moments there and good things to learn from,” Lindstrom said. “That was about a stressful environment, a real kind of as close to a playoff atmosphere as it can be. You hit several adversary bumps along the way. We were able to give ourselves a chance in that game.”
Penix forced overtime with a 13-yard touchdown strike to tight end Kyle Pitts. After a stop, he drove the Falcons back down into field-goal range, but backup kicker Riley Patterson was short on the 56-yard attempt.
The Falcons know Penix can handle the pressure.
“I think the first game playing together,” Lindstrom said, of when he knew. “You go in there and practice is one thing. But when you go out there and you have real reps, it’s another thing. We were able to do that. He just poured confidence into us with his operation and belief.”
Penix didn’t do anything over the offseason to shake their support.
“It’s like we didn’t even skip a beat from the end of last season,” Lindstrom said. “So, I think that’s the biggest thing, and it’s only going to increase with reps. I think everything in the NFL is more repetitions you can do together, the better it’s going to be.”
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
