Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins, who was forced to start down the stretch last season, quietly went about his offseason.
With the return of starting left cornerback Desmond Trufant, the Falcons now have some quality depth at the position.
“That’s the cool part,” Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel said. “Now you have a guy who can play dime. He can play outside. He has more value to the team.”
Collins slid down the depth chart after he was suspended for the first four games of last season. The former second-round pick from LSU stayed ready until Trufant suffered a torn pectoral injury and was placed on injured reserve.
Collins started the final six games of the regular season and three playoff games. He played 428 defensive snaps (38.3 percent) during the regular season. He compiled 48 tackles, including 10 in the Super Bowl, 12 pass breakups and two interceptions.
