INDIANAPOLIS – The Falcons freely admit they must improve their pass rush. That’s no secret, considering how much they’ve struggled generating sacks and overall pressure on the quarterback.
It’s also not something the Falcons are simply complaining about. They’re actively working to improve in that area.
That was clear last year, when they took two edge rushers in the first three rounds. That was clear again last month, when longtime defensive line coach and reported pass-rush developer Ryan Nielsen was hired as Falcons defensive coordinator. It will be clear again this offseason, when the Falcons add more talent to their defensive front.
That should come in free agency. It could also be addressed with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL draft. The Falcons will have some solid options in the first round and beyond in what analysts consider a deep class of pass rushers.
The Falcons have met with several of them here at the NFL Scouting Combine as they consider their options at No. 8 and beyond, working hard to bolster their pass rush.
While general manager Terry Fontenot was right to say in his Tuesday press conference that the pass rush only improves when the entire defense improves – you can’t get to the quarterback if you can’t cover – there’s little argument the Falcon need more pressure players up front.
Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson, Clemson’s Myles Murphy and Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness are all options analysts have attached to the Falcons in mock drafts. All three are versatile players who have the size to work outside and inside, to create trouble from wherever they line up.
That aforementioned trio is pretty big across the board, seemingly fitting the size required to play end for Nielsen. That’s an assumption made based off personnel employed by a Saints defense Nielsen helped run, but Fontenot cautioned against the thinking the Falcons will mimic every last detail of what their DC did before.
“We always talk about wanting to be multiple,” Fontenot said on Tuesday in a meeting with local reporters. “We’re never going to be stuck in one specific scheme. We’re not trying to do things that were done in New Orleans with Ryan. We want to bring in good football players. We always want bigger, faster, stronger players. Ryan likes big guys. We like big guys, too. We’re not changing to fit a specific scheme. We’re going to be multiple.”
There was word that kept coming up in press conferences with top edge rushers that the Falcons will like: versatility.
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