The Falcons hired a new head coach and general manager during the offseason, but the fate of the team will ultimately be decided by the players on the field each week.
It’s no secret that Atlanta is in some financial trouble, even after trading away Julio Jones for a second-round pick and $15 million in cap relief. A big chunk of the team’s 2021 salary is going to veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, plus the team is paying $22 million in dead cap to former players. Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith have their work cut out for them, however, the team isn’t totally bereft of talent.
So which players should the new regime attempt to build around? Pro Football Focus identified three building blocks for each NFL team. For the Falcons, PFF named wide receiver Calvin Ridley, tight end Kyle Pitts and defensive lineman Grady Jarrett.
“Even after the Falcons traded Julio Jones, two of the three players on this list reside in the team’s receiving corps,” wrote PFF’s Ben Linsey. “Ridley is coming off a career-high 84.9 PFF grade last season, and Pitts has a chance to push into the upper tier of Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Darren Waller at tight end early in his career.
There isn’t much to get excited about defensively for the Falcons, but Jarrett has been one of the lone positive presences up front in recent years. He is coming off four straight seasons with 80.0-plus PFF grades and is more than capable of winning his matchups both in the run game and as a pass rusher.”
Ridley and Jarrett were obviously no-brainers for PFF, but Pitts’ inclusion on the list shows the kind of pressure being placed on the rookie to be a difference maker this season. The Falcons have a big need for a red-zone target and Pitts has the physical makeup and experience (12 touchdowns in 2020) to actually make an impact.
Atlanta should be looking to lock up Ridley with an extension in the near future. As for Jarrett, he’s currently the team’s second-highest-paid player.
