The Falcons have managed to win just one of their first eight games and now have more questions than answers about where this team is headed.
Atlanta stayed quiet at Tuesday’s trade deadline, despite reportedly having talked with the Detroit Lions about trading running back Devonta Freeman. The team is currently resting on its bye week before playing the first of two remaining matchups with the Saints in Week 10.
With eight games remaining, we’ve selected eight players to watch as the Falcons begin to look towards the future.
K Younghoe Koo
In a surprising move earlier this week, the Falcons replaced veteran kicker Matt Bryant with Younghoe Koo. Bryant was not having his best season, but this was more about the team finding a long-term replacement for the 44-year-old than it was about trying to get better this season. Koo hasn’t caught on with an NFL team since he played in four games with the Chargers back in 2017. He did kick for the Atlanta Legends earlier this year — a former AAF franchise. It’ll be interesting to see how Koo does in a game situation with a little more experience than he had during his last NFL stint.
WR Calvin Ridley
Calvin Ridley has for the most part lived up to the hype since coming into the league as a first-round pick back in 2018. Through eight games this season, Ridley has 33 catches for 443 yards and four touchdowns. Julio Jones has been his usual dominant self, while tight end Austin Hooper is having a breakout year. Now that Sanu is out of the picture though, Ridley should get a chance to show he’s a legit No. 2 receiver. The Falcons won’t be playing for much other than to see what they have in young guys like Ridley going forward.
CB Kendall Sheffield
Rookie Kendall Sheffield was thrown right into the fire as Atlanta’s secondary was riddled with injuries for a second-straight season. The team has been without its starting strong safety since Week 3, and its top corner for the past three games. This has left Sheffield and Isaiah Oliver as the Falcons’ starting corners. Sheffield has been decent in coverage, just lacking consistency. He looks the part and is getting valuable experience, even if he has a few rookie moments along the way. It’ll be interesting to see if Sheffield can prove he’s capable of handling a starting role by the end of the season.
WR Russell Gage
Wide receiver Russell Gage had a career-best seven catches for 58 yards against the Seahawks — his first game since the team traded WR Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots. In Gage’s second season, he may finally have found a role in this Falcons offense. Sanu was too good to keep off the field, and his presence was always going to take away opportunities from young guys like Gage and Ridley. Matt Schaub clearly felt confident throwing Gage the ball in Week 8. Let’s see how the young receiver plays when Matt Ryan is back out there starting in Week 10.
RT Kaleb McGary
Right tackle Kaleb McGary has done some good things as a rookie in 2019, despite some expected bumps in the road. The Falcons’ first-round pick has shown impressive toughness, while he looks to be improving as a pass blocker. McGary still has a long way to go, but he’s already shown he can handle some adversity — playing through a preseason heart condition and a revolving door next to him at right guard. He still must prove he can be the team’s right tackle of the future, yet the early returns are mostly positive.
RG Chris Lindstom
Lindstrom could still be out for a few more weeks recovering from a broken foot he suffered in Week 1, but the rookie guard’s progress will be something to keep an eye on when he does return. He and McGary were both taken in the first round to solidify the right side of the Falcons offensive line for the next five to ten years. Watch to see if he can develop some chemistry with his fellow linemen over the second half of the year. The more time Lindstrom can get playing next to McGary this season, the better it will be for both rookies going into 2020.
RB Ito Smith
Ito Smith has played well when he’s been out there this season. Despite a concussion that kept him sidelined for Week 8, he’s been a more effective running back than Devonta Freeman over Atlanta’s first eight games. However, the team was reportedly engaged in serious trade talks with the Lions about moving Freeman. — who’s averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. Smith is averaging 4.8 yards per carry, so look for more of a 50-50 split between these two over the second half.
DE Takk McKinley
McKinley is frustrated and in a bit of a slump, but still has the upside to be a threat off the edge. Whether it’s a lack of motivation due to the team’s record, or that he’s just having a bad season, something has been off over the past few weeks. The pressure is there, but the sacks just haven’t come. His struggles played a part in the Falcons’ month-long sack drought, but there’s plenty of other things going wrong defensively that have hurt this team in 2019. Maybe a sack or two in Week 10 can spark something in McKinley over Atlanta’s final eight games, as he tries to prove to the front office that he can be a core piece of this football team long-term.
