In recent Falcons history there was “The Process.”
Then came “Rebounding with a vengeance.”
Now, as the players have reported for training camp for the franchise’s 50th season in the NFL, it’s time for a “Resurgence.”
That’s the title of the team’s promo film, “Resurgence. A preview of the Atlanta Falcons’ 50th season.”
Here’s a look at five key position battles that will determine if the Falcons will have a resurgence in 2015, under first-year coach Dan Quinn.
Running back: Devonta Freeman vs. rookie Tevin Coleman. The Falcons appear set to pick between Freeman, a fourth-round pick in 2014 and Coleman, a third-round pick in 2015. Freeman appears to be the front-runner, but Coleman is a strong contender. Perhaps, Coleman can take the run downs, and Freeman, who caught 30 passes in 2014, could be used as the third-down back.
“We’re expecting big things out of him this year,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said of Freeman.
Terron Ward, an undrafted rookie out of Oregon State, is a strong dark-horse candidate who could land a roster spot.
Free safety: Ricardo Allen vs. Kemal Ishmael. Allen was moved to free safety this offseason after being drafted as a cornerback. He was a ball-hawking corner at Purdue and was the Falcons' fifth-round pick in 2014.
He didn’t make the 53-man roster out of camp last year, but was promoted off the practice squad in December.
Allen finished the offseason with the first-team defense.
Ishmael broke into the lineup in his second season after playing sparingly as a rookie. He played in all 16 games and started 10. He played 823 snaps, made 77 tackles and had four interceptions.
Ishmael was the 41st-rated safety in the league of the group who played more than 50 percent of their team’s snaps by profootballfocus.com. The opposition had a 108.9 quarterback rating when passing into his coverage area last season and he gave up some deep passes.
Left guard: Mike Person and Chris Chester. Chester, 32, who has played in 137 games and made 111 starts for the Ravens and the Redskins, is the most experienced offensive lineman on the roster.
Person, who played in 16 games last season for the St. Louis Rams, has no NFL starts. He played 60 snaps at left guard and gave up two quarterback hurries. He ended the offseason working with the first-team at left guard.
Tight end: Jacob Tamme and Levine Toilolo. Tamme signed a two-year $4 million contract in free agency and is trying to revive his career after two disappointing seasons with the Denver Broncos.
Tamme, 30, is a pass-catching tight end, but caught 14 and 20 passes over the past two seasons.
Toilolo started last season, but has not developed into the red-zone threat that the Falcons envisioned. Former tight end coach Chris Scelfo lauded Toilolo’s development as a blocker after he struggled with drops last season.
Right tackle: Ryan Schraeder and Tyler Polumbus. Schraeder started 10 of 13 games played last season.
Over the past two seasons, the former undrafted player from Valdosta State has played in 26 games with 14 starts. Schrader, who worked mostly with the first-team at right tackle over the offseason, is a good fit in the new blocking scheme.
Polumbus has played in 98 NFL games and made 57 starts. He started at right tackle for Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan 2011-13 while with Washington. Last season with Washington, he played 491 snaps and gave up eight sacks and 13 quarterback hurries.
Keep an eye on: Ward and defensive tackle Joey Mbu.
Ward, the brother of standout Broncos safety T.J. Ward, was a productive and versatile back at Oregon State. He was the only undrafted running back signed by the Falcons this offseason.
He rushed for a career-high 696 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Beavers in 2014. He suffered a season-ending knee injury (torn meniscus) in Oregon State’s upset of Arizona State in November.
Mbu, who played at Houston, drew praise from defensive line coach Bryan Cox over the offseason.
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