Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel believes that cornerback Desmond Trufant grew as a leader while recovering from his torn pectoral injury.
Trufant returned during the team’s mandatory minicamp and appears set to open training camp healthy in late July.
With Trufant, Robert Alford, Brian Poole and Jalen Collins all seasoned now, the Falcons have some options to mix and match their coverages better.
Manuel said all four can play the slot if necessary in the nickel defense. All can play outside, too.
“That’s been the most exciting thing,” Manuel said. “I was explaining that to them. We know what we are going to get. By Tru going out, we’ve taken our game to another level.”
Trufant, who signed a $68.75 million contract extension in April, stayed with the team and helped in the meeting room last season.
“Not only for Trufant in a leadership role, but that was the first time that he was in a leadership role,” Manuel said. “That helped him while being with the team and not being able to play. Tru is a competitor. The ultimate competitor.
“Now, he has to take the leadership role verbally, which now helps him in the room. Now, he can pull up the young guys and say hey, ‘come over here and do this.’”
Manuel has seen the process before when younger defensive backs start to get their footing in the NFL.
“I watched (Richard) Sherman do that,” Manuel said. “I watched Earl (Thomas) do that. I watched Kam (Chancellor) do that. So we are in a nice and blessed spot right now with all of them.”
