When the Falcons get to the practice portion of training camp, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and new secondary/passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. will start sorting through their options.
The Falcons’ pass defense last season was lacking in tight coverage early, which contributed mightily to their 1-7 start. It was common to see wide receivers streaking wide open through the back end of the defense.
Over the offseason, the Falcons made improving their coverage a priority.
The Falcons released long-time starter Desmond Trufant, drafted former Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first-round (16th overall), re-signed veteran Blidi Wreh-Wilson and signed veteran cornerback Darqueze Dennard to a one-year deal Monday. With Terrell and Dennard on board, they’ll compete with last season’s nickel back Kendall Sheffield and right cornerback Isaiah Oliver.
At safety the Falcons welcome back strong safety Keanu Neal from Achilles surgery. With Neal, free safety Damontae Kazee and free safety Ricardo Allen, the Falcons have options. With Neal out, the Falcons ended last season with Allen playing strong safety.
“Man, it feels really good because there is a real big sense of urgency in the room because everyone can play,” Allen said Thursday. “Everyone can play really well.”
The Falcons, who are set to re-sign safety J.J. Wilcox pending COVID-19 testing, have competition throughout the secondary. Morris said the coaches will figure out how to get the best players on the field.
“So, when you have so much competition from every angle in the room, everybody’s level of play naturally has to come up,” Allen said. “I’ve enjoyed being around just even the youth and these young guys because they have picked up on this playbook faster than a lot of people have.”
The Falcons gave up 244.9 yards passing per game, which ranked 22nd of 32 teams in the NFL. Teams averaged 7.31 yards per pass attempt, which ranked 26th.
Allen has started 64 of 65 regular-season games since 2015. Kazee has started 30 of 48 games, including 14 of 16 last season. Neal, who’s coming back off a season-ending injury for a second consecutive campaign, was a Pro Bowl player in 2017.
“With me, Kazee and Keanu, all three of us having gained a lot of reps in this defense, I think that can us well,” Allen said. “We are all similar, but very different (in styles of play). I think they can use us all in different ways to actually make each other better.”
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
Last season, before Wilcox was injured, the Falcons tried to implement some big nickel defenses with three safeties added over the offseason. The plan was scrapped when Wilcox was hurt on the first day of training camp.
They’ll likely have to take it slowly with Neal, who was trying to come back from an knee injury last season when he ruptured the Achilles in the third game of the season.
“Gives each other chances to do other things,” Allen said. “Gives each other chances to get different disguises and all kinds of stuff. I think it’s going to be a good year.”
Terrell has made a strong early impression.
“He’s bigger than I thought,” Allen said. “He was taller and longer than what I thought. I thought he was going to be my size. I’m like the smallest dude in the room.”
The Falcons had to pass the coronavirus testing protocols before starting their strength-and-conditioning program. Terrell is taking his first steps with the team.
“Just him being so long and watching him do our little drills and stuff like that after we run, he moves real fluidly,” Allen said. “He’s one of them dudes … he actually works at his craft. You can tell that does drills. He’s one of them dudes who actually works out by himself. You can tell how he back pedals and how he breaks. You can tell it’s not his first time doing it.”
Terrell hasn’t been shy about stepping up during the strength-and-conditioning program, which entered Day 6.
“He knows how to run the drills,” Allen said. “If I’m not back to even run the drill, he’ll jump in front of the line and start running the drills. For a young dude who hasn’t been around us very long, to have the confidence to be able to jump in with us, that just naturally shows us that he’s not afraid to be here, and he thinks that he belongs here.”
---
The Bow Tie Chronicles Podcasts:
Can be found on Google, iTunes and TuneIn
For more content about the Atlanta Falcons:
Follow me on Twitter @DorlandoAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta Falcons News Now
Atlanta Falcons coverage on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have a question? Email me at dledbetter@ajc.com
