On the NFL Network, one of their analysts and former Pro-Bowl running back, Maurice Jones-Drew, came up with his top ten rosters heading into the 2020 season, and he’s extremely fond of the Falcons.Â
Via the Atlanta Falcons team website, Jones-Drew said:
“The amount of talent on the Falcons’ roster is not in question — it’s clear they have a lot,” Jones-Drew said. “It’s just a matter of everything coming together to produce the best results.”
He’s not lying; however, I even have to say his ranking is a bit overzealous. Jones-Drew put the Falcons at #2, right behind their division rival, the New Orleans Saints.
Offensively, Jones-Drew might be right. The Falcons could have eleven former first-rounders starting after acquiring Hayden Hurst and Laquon Treadwell. Matt Ryan is one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and there aren’t many receiving combos better than Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Todd Gurley should also boost the Falcons running game significantly. As long as the offensive line holds up, this group can compete with any offensive unit in the league, including last year’s Super Bowl Champions — the Kansas City Chiefs.
The other side of the ball is a different story. The secondary is as thin as paper. Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal both have injury concerns, and the projected starting cornerbacks have a combined three years of experience between them. Deion Jones and Foyesade Oluokun are a more than respectable linebacking duo, but there’s no depth at the position if one of them misses time. And the defensive line… Dante Fowler and Marlon Davidson are quality additions, but expecting them to completely turn things around for this unit is a lot to ask.
The Falcons roster features a lot of star power, and if everything goes right, they should be a Super Bowl contender. The flip side is that they are just an injury or two away from being a 7-9 team like they’ve been the last two years. Depth is a problem, especially on defense. There’s no way they have the second-best roster in the NFL right now.
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