Damontae Kazee made an impression on Falcons coaches quickly in training camp and the rookie may get the chance to make a nearly sudden impact Sunday against the Bills as starting free safety. The opportunity is likely with Ricardo Allen in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Head coach Dan Quinn has not ruled out Allen, but it is rare for NFL players to go emerge from the protocol and be cleared to play one week later.
Kazee stands to be the next man up, and after changing his profile picture Monday on Twitter, he suggested on Wednesday that he hasn’t been told that he won’t have to make as many calls as Allen typically would. Although that stands to reason.
The fifth-round draft choice from San Diego State said he’s simply getting ready to play.
“I don’t know how that works,” Kazee said. “Whenever [Allen] gets back they can put him at the starting spot. I’m for whatever. That’s my teammate. I’m not trying to out-better him. I’m just here to replace him.”
Kazee played quite a bit of cornerback for the Aztecs, for whom he had 15 interceptions in his two final seasons, and the Falcons relish his ball-hawking skills. Allen was a cornerback in college, too, at Purdue, before transitioning into NFL defensive quarterback.
Allen’s built a keen reputation for recognizing the formations and tendencies of opponents and making many calls to line up the Atlanta defense before the ball is snapped.
Defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel said Wednesday that Kazee will face expectations if he plays even though he’s played just 25 of 223 defensive snaps – mostly in nickel and dime situations. Yet there will be asterisks.
“The standard is the standard, man, and I’m not just saying that to say that,” Marquand said. “[Strong safety] Keanu [Neal] is going to do his job, but we’re not counting on Kazee to do every job that Rico did. I think from the standpoint that we’ve prepared him to go out and play, and that 10 other guys are going to help him do his job.”
Neal started last season as a rookie and he has an idea of what may lie ahead for Kazee.
“If Reek’s not able to play this week that’s definitely a guy that it’s going to be tough losing, especially from a vocal standpoint,” Neal said. “But there’s a lot of guys who can talk. I mean, shoot, the whole team talks: the D-line, the linebackers, myself and Rico, we all communicate from that standpoint.”
In the event Allen is not available Sunday against the Bills, Kemal Ishmael could play safety if needed and safety Sherrod Neaseman is likely to be activated for the second game in a row. He saw action on special teams last week in Detroit.
Kazee’s said he’s ready to go, whether he has to say much or not, and he’s already been through the process of soothing his nerves.
“Every week I’ve got to go through the process because you don’t know what could happen,” he said after playing 18 defensive snaps last week after Allen was injured.
“Just like last week, I got in the last minute. You’ve got to stay ready,” Kazee continued. “I feel much more comfortable than my first preseason game. That’s where all the jitters were.”
