Falcons coach Arthur Smith named Drew Dalman the starting center Tuesday.
Dalman beat out Matt Hennessy, who started all 17 games last season. Hennessy was drafted in the third round (78th overall) out of Temple in 2020. Dalman was drafted in the fourth round (114th) out of Stanford in the 2021 NFL draft.
“Well, it was a tough competition,” Smith said Wednesday. “You have to be objective, and you try to be as fair as you can be.”
Over the first two exhibition games, Dalman played 43 snaps to Hennessy’s 36. In the finale, Dalman played four snaps on special teams, and Hennessy did not play.
After the last exhibition game, Smith went back and reviewed the film from training camp and the exhibition season.
“It’s tough because you’ve got two really good young players,” Smith said. “Ultimately, you get paid to make decisions, and ultimately this is a decision that I had to make.”
The Falcons gave up 40 sacks last season, and the rushing attack averaged 3.7 yards per carry and 85.4 yards per game, which ranked 31st of 32 teams in the NFL.
In Week 12 last season against Jacksonville, the Falcons tried to play Dalman. The rotation lasted for a game and a half. Hennessy finished the season as the starter.
Against the Jaguars, Hennessy played 40 of the 60 offensive snaps (67%), and Dalman played the other 20 (33%). The plan was for Hennessy to play two series and then Dalman to play two series.
Hennessy played 911 snaps, had five penalties and allowed three sacks. He finished with a 77 (C) grade from Pro Football Focus. Dalman, in a small sample size of 68 plays, had a 78.3 grade.
In the 2020 draft, the Falcons passed on LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who went to the Denver Broncos five picks after the Falcons drafted Hennessy. Cushenberry has started 32 consecutive games and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s all-rookie team last season.
However, Cushenberry had a 64 (F) grade in 2021 and allowed five sacks.
“It’s not like you’re appointing him to a lifetime job there, but we had a good competition,” Smith said. “I just felt that where we are at right now, we’ll go with Drew.”
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Atlanta Falcons 2022 NFL schedule
Sept. 11 vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m.
Sept. 18 at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m.
Sept. 25 at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Oct. 9 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Oct. 16 vs. San Francisco, 1 p.m.
Oct. 23 at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Oct. 30 vs. Carolina, 1 p.m.
Nov. 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Carolina, 8:15 p.m.
Nov. 20 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.
Nov. 27 at Washington, 1 p.m.
Dec. 4 vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.
BYE WEEK
Dec. 18 at New Orleans, TBD
Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD
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