With former Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn and defensive tackle Jack Crawford going to new teams Tuesday, the Falcons must replace three of their top six defensive linemen and 1,656 snaps from last season.
Clayborn and Crawford join Vic Beasley (Titans) on the departed list.
Beasley played the second most snaps (774) on the line and was the team’s sack leader with eight.
Clayborn played 446 snaps, the fifth most, and Crawford played 436 snaps, the sixth most.
In addition to agreeing to terms with defensive end Dante Fowler, the Falcons re-signed defensive tackle Tyeler Davison, defensive ends Allen Bailey and Steven Means, who spent last season on injured reserve.
The Falcons clearly are counting on defensive end Takk McKinley to recover from shoulder surgery.
In addition to McKinley, the Falcons will need more from second-year defensive end/tackle John Cominsky. They have also spent two years developing defensive tackle Deadrin Senat and defensive end Jacob Tuioti-Mariner.
Austin Larkin also showed pass-rush flashes last season.
» Here are the snap counts from last season:
Snaps played in 2019: Grady Jarrett 821, (77.7%), Beasley 774 (73.3%), Davison 568 (53.8%), Takk McKinley 557 (52.7%), Bailey 521 (49.3%), Clayborn 446 (42.2%), Jack Crawford 436 (41.3%), Jacob Tuioti-Mariner 188 (17.8%), John Cominsky 102 (9.7%), Deadrin Senat 20 (1.9%), Austin Larkin 10 (.9%).
» Here’s a look at the Falcons’ updated depth chart:
OFFENSE
WR 11 Julio Jones, 13 Christian Blake, 19 Devin Gray, 80 Laquon Treadwell
LT 70 Jake Matthews, 75 John Wetzel
LG 73 Matt Gono, 77 James Carpenter, 64 Sean Harlow
C 51 Alex Mack
RG 63 Chris Lindstrom, 68 Jamon Brown, 65 Justin McCray
RT 76 Kaleb McGary
TE 81 Hayden Hurst, 86 Khari Lee 87 Jaeden Graham, 85 Carson Meier
WR 18 Calvin Ridley, 83 Russell Gage, 17 Olamide Zaccheaus, 15 Brandon Powell
QB 2 Matt Ryan, 8 Matt Schaub, 6 Kurt Benkert, 16 Danny Etling
RB 21/23 Todd Gurley, 25 Ito Smith, 30 Qadree Ollison, 23 Brian Hill, 42 Craig Reynolds
FB 40 Keith Smith
DEFENSE
DE 56 Dante Fowler 53 Austin Larkin
DT 97 Grady Jarrett, 50 John Cominsky
DT 96 Tyeler Davison, 94 Deadrin Senat
DE 93 Allen Bailey, 55 Steven Means
DE 99 Takk McKinley 91 Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
LB 54 Foyesade Oluokun, 46 Edmond Robinson, 52 Ahmad Thomas
LB 45 Deion Jones, 55 LaRoy Reynolds
RCB 26 Isaiah Oliver, 39 C.J. Reavis
LCB 20 Kendall Sheffield, 33 Blidi Wreh-Wilson, 28 Jordan Miller
NCB 37 Ricardo Allen, 34 Chris Cooper
SS 22 Keanu Neal, 35 Jamal Carter
FS 27 Damontae Kazee, 37 Ricardo Allen
SPECIALISTS
K 7 Younghoe Koo
KO 7 Younghoe Koo
P 9 Ryan Allen, 9 Sam Irwin-Hill
LS 47 Josh Harris
H 9 Ryan Allen
KOR 17 Olamide Zaccheaus, 15 Brandon Powell
PR 17 Olamide Zaccheaus, 15 Brandon Powell
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