Falcons fans got their first taste of their new coordinators and a re-introductory with a familiar face.
Raheem Morris retained Marquice Williams as special teams coach from Arthur Smith’s staff. He along with new coordinators Zac Robinson and Jimmy Lake met with the Atlanta media for introductory press conferences, which covered a wide variety of topics.
Offensive and defensive schemes were discussed, along with the most important task of the offseason — the quarterback position.
With a few weeks left in the regular season, there were questions about Arthur Smith’s job security and future in Atlanta. However, there weren’t any for Desmond Ridder. It was abundantly clear the club had to upgrade the position before 2024.
Ridder wasn’t the worst signal caller in the league, but he constantly committed back breaking turnovers in some of the most critical moments of games. It was a foregone conclusion that the Falcons would be in the market for a quarterback this offseason.
Arthur Blank even went as far as to say every head coaching candidate said in one way or another the position was “something that needs work,” which apparently was putting it nicely.
However, Zac Robinson somewhat left the door open for Ridder and even Taylor Heinicke during his introductory press conference. When asked what the plans were and what they were looking for in the position, the new Falcons offense coordinator had this to say.
“Whether it’s a pocket guy, whether it’s a guy that can move around a little bit, we’re just looking for the best guy that we can do,” Robinson said on Wednesday. “Certainly know the guys that are here, we’re evaluating everybody, so Taylor [Heinicke] and Desmond [Ridder], we’re looking at those guys.
“All options are on the table.”
I do believe that was a lot of coach speak. I do not actually believe Heinicke or Ridder are viable starting options for the Falcons in 2024. Hell, the club’s owner was clear in his feelings about the current state of the quarterback position in Atlanta.
“It’s very clear to everybody — all of our fans, all of you, anybody throughout the NFL — is that this is a position that we need to figure out how we’re going to get better in 2024 and beyond that as well, whether that be trades, free agency, the draft, whatever it may be,” Blank said.
It may have been funny to fans for the new offensive coordinator to immediately state the answer isn’t in the building, but for team chemistry and moral purposes, Robinson gave the standard coach-speak PR answer. I don’t think there’s any validity to it, though.
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Photographer: Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire
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