The Falcons open the season this Sunday against the Steelers, and it’s expected to be one of the more enjoyable seasons for fans in quite some time.
Raheem Morris and Kirk Cousins have a lot to do with that, as each is expected to be a force multiplier. We’ve already seen Morris work his magic. Atlanta’s new head coach was able to bring the hottest offensive coordinator candidate — Zac Robinson — of the hiring cycle with him and was also able to convince Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons to also come to the Falcons.
We haven’t exactly seen the same impact of Cousins, but the overwhelming expectation is that he’s going to make everyone on the offense better. In particular, the Falcons might finally see a return on their top 10 draft picks.
Kyle Pitts is back and healthy, with many estimating 2021 numbers when he earned a Pro Bowl bid. Drake London has never played with a quarterback like Cousins, and the expectation is that he’ll turn into a premier wideout in this league. Bijan Robinson might have the highest ceiling considering the amount of touches he could garner.
Some within Flowery Branch have already likened Robinson’s potential role to Christian McCaffrey’s in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. So, it’s no surprise that Bijan Robinson is receiving recognition for the Offensive Player of the Year award, via ESPN’s piece of NFL execs predicting award winners for 2024.
Robinson rushed 214 times for 976 yards with four touchdowns as a rookie. He also had 58 receptions for 487 yards and another four touchdowns in the passing game. Last year, McCaffrey led the NFL with 1,459 yards. He also caught 67 passes for 584 yards while scoring 21 touchdowns.
If Bijan Robinson is given the opportunity, there’s no reason to believe he can’t make some noise in the OPOY race. However, Tyler Allgeier will surely cut into some of those touches. Just how much is the question.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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