FLOWERY BRANCH -- The Falcons will take the field under new coach Arthur Smith for the first time in training camp Thursday.
“I expect to jump right in,” Falcons running back Mike Davis said. “I don’t know how you can ease into. But my expectations (are) for it to be hard.”
After starting 0-5 last season, the Falcons fired coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff. Raheem Morris took over as the interim coach and the Falcons finished 4-12.
Smith, who was Tennessee’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons, has been charged with returning the franchise back to respectability on the field.
Here’s a look at five position battles to watch throughout training camp:
1. Outside linebacker: Dante Fowler, who’s dealing with the personal hardship of his brother being arrested for a murder that occurred in 2016, was signed to help the team’s pass rush last season, but he finished with only three sacks.
Fowler tried to play on a high-ankle sprain early, but never was the same after the second game of the season.
If Fowler can’t return to form in 2021, the Falcons will have to look elsewhere for pass pressure. He accepted an incentive-laden restructure that will pay him by the sack.
Outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino has worked with some of the top pass rushers in the game and is looking forward to coaching Fowler.
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@
2. Center: New offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford said the best five offensive linemen will play.
Perhaps the most important battle will happen in the middle of the line at center, where second-year player Matt Hennessy will try to hold off rookie Drew Dalman. Hennessy struggled in pass protection as a rookie. Dalman excelled at pass protection and run blocking at Stanford.
Dalman had the third-best overall blown-block rate among drafted centers, according to Football Outsiders.
Hennessy, who was drafted in the third round out of Temple in 2020, was the old regime’s choice to replace Alex Mack.
He started off spot-playing at left guard along with James Carpenter last season, but after general manager Thomas Dimitroff and Quinn were fired, he was benched.
With the benefit of an offseason and the experience from getting on the field late last season, Hennessy should be able to hold off Dalman.
3. Left guard: Rookie Jalen Mayfield, who played mostly right tackle at Michigan, will battle veteran Josh Andrews for the left guard spot.
Smith was with the Titans when they drafted Nate Davis (6-foot-3, 316 pounds) in the third round (82nd overall) out of Charlotte in 2019. The Tennessee staff got Davis ready to play, and he started 12 of 13 games as a rookie. Mayfield (6-5, 320) was taken 68th overall and likely will get fast-tracked to the field.
“Jaylen, when you watched his film, that’s something that stuck out with me was his play style,” Ledford said. “You saw that he liked to mix it up.”
Andrews has been working since 2014 to stick with an NFL team. He’s honed his craft behind Eagles linemen Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks and the legendary nine-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters. He also played behind Colts linemen Ryan Kelly, Braden Smith and three-time All-Pro Quenton Nelson.
Andrews, 30, has played in 40 NFL games and made four starts. He played at Oregon State.
4. Right tackle: The starting right tackle spot is not stable.
The Falcons traded up to draft Kaleb McGary late in the first round of the 2019 draft. He’s been a disappointment thus far, and Matt Gono, who had offseason surgery, was seen wearing a neck brace during player check-in time Tuesday.
With Gono injured, the Falcons added former Green Bay Packers right tackle Jason Spriggs on Monday.
McGary cut his sacks allowed from 13.5 to 1.5 last season, but he still struggled overall. He had a 58.2 (F) grade overall, according to Pro Football Focus.
McGary also must cut down on missing blocks. His blown-block rate was fourth highest among right tackles, according to Football Outsiders.
The wild card is Gono, who played some left guard against the Chiefs last season. The Falcons placed a second-round tender on Gono. How healthy is he?
If Mayfield cannot make the transition to left guard, then he could be in the mix at right tackle. If he loses that battle, he could land the backup swing-tackle spot.
5. Right cornerback: Fabian Moreau, who signed over the offseason, was last a full-time starter in 2017 at left cornerback for the Washington Football Team. He has started only eight games over the past two seasons.
Isaiah Oliver entered last season as the starter at right cornerback, although Kendall Sheffield was the preferred starter. Neither Oliver nor Sheffield held up at right cornerback last season, and Darqueze Dennard had to take over.
Dennard was not re-signed, and the Falcons drafted Darren Hall in the fourth round (108th overall) out of San Diego State.
The Falcons gave up 66 pass plays of 20 yards or more, which tied the Lions for worst in the NFL. Sheffield gave up nine of those plays, according to Football Outsiders.com.
Can Moreau hold off Sheffield, Oliver and Hall?
Hall was considered one of the top cornerbacks in the Mountain West Conference. He was a first-team All-MWC as a junior and had three interceptions and six pass breakups.
Other candidates include Chris Williamson, Tyler Hall, Delrick Abrams, JR Pace and Avery Williams, who was a sixth-round pick but primarily is a returner.
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