To say that the Atlanta Falcons defense wasn't very good last season would be an understatement. The Falcons allowed a league high 398.2 yards per game and the sixth most points at 26.1. They recorded just the third fewest sacks in the NFL at 22. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston had as many sacks by himself!
Falcons fans are hoping the recent hire of former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as the team's new head coach will help plug the leaking ship that is this defense. Quinn tapped Richard Smith to be his defensive coordinator and, unsurprisingly, getting after opposing quarterbacks is high on the to-do list this season.
"Smith said that sacks matter," D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote.
"First of all, it's more than just third down defense," Smith said. "To be successful on third down, I really believe that you have to play well on first down. You have to make those third downs where you're not playing a lot of third and shorts."
If the Falcons want to generate more pressure and more third-and-longs, they'll have to get an improved pass-rush next season.
"For two years running, the Falcons have been among the worst pass-rushing teams in the league," ESPN's Matt Williamson wrote. "Osi Umenyiora is a free agent and should be shown the door. Kroy Biermann is also a free agent. While Biermann is a very good all-around football player and the Falcons' best pass-rusher, he isn't a finisher and accumulates pressures rather than sacks. They should bring him back as a secondary edge presence but should also actively try to find a No. 1 pass-rusher in free agency and/or possibly in the first round of the draft. Dome teams need great edge pass-rushers, and this is Atlanta's top need by a wide margin."
The top edge-rushing option on the free agent market is arguably New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. While Atlanta's last pursuit of a Giants DE did not fare well (Umenyiora), JPP is just 26 years old and is coming off a 12.5 sack season. He also plays stout run defense to boot.
If the Falcons opt to address this need in the draft, they could go with Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead.
"The Falcons are in desperate need of disruptive players on the defensive line, particularly at defensive end, and Armstead is a potential star if he lives up to his physical potential," ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr. wrote.
