Atlanta Falcons: Roddy White must remain in decreased role

The Atlanta Falcons are 4-0 after rolling through what was supposed to be the most difficult part of their schedule, as they took care of business against an NFC East gauntlet that wasn’t exactly threatening (injuries to Tony Romo and Dez Bryant definitely helped them out). Dan Quinn and the Falcons are clearly benefiting from a schedule that includes games against AFC South bottom-feeders and two struggling franchises (New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers) within their own organization, but there’s no doubt that they have improved as a team themselves.

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Of course, the most important improvements have been made on the defensive side of the ball, and while the defense is still below the league average, it is no longer in the discussion for being the worst defense in the NFL. That said, the Falcons 4-0 record can mostly be attributed to the NFL’s third-highest scoring offense, and Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are unsurprisingly playing as well as any QB-WR tandem right now.

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One small change that has seemingly boosted the Falcons offensive efficiency is the decreased role given to veteran Roddy White, who has been dealing with nagging injuries over the past three years and is clearly a declining player. Those snaps and targets have been given to Leonard Hankerson, who has always been a favorite of Kyle Shanahan’s and is finally showing off his tools in an offense with a quarterback that can get the most out of said tools.

Jones has already swallowed up 38 receptions and 52 targets in four games, meaning that he’s on pace to put up an astounding 208 targets this year. That will undoubtedly cool, and we could see some of those targets going in White’s direction. But as it stands right now, White has just 13 targets through four games, meaning that he’s had as many targets all season as Jones’s average number of targets per game.

It also means that he’s fourth on the team in targets and fifth in receptions. Both Devonta Freeman (17) and Jacob Tamme (8) have caught more passes than White, who has managed to haul in just six receptions for 13 yards on the season, giving him a paltry catch rate of 46.2%. His 15.3 yards per reception are the highest on the team, but considering that he averaged 11.5 and 11.3 YPR in 2013 and 2014, 15.3 doesn’t look like an average he can keep up.

White isn’t happy about his role in the Falcons offense, and he expressed this quite vocally to ESPN NFL Nation’s Vaughn McClure, “For me, at the end of the day, I want to catch passes. I’m not out here just f—ing around just to sit around to just block f—ing people all day. It’s not what I want to do.”

My response: that’s too bad. Look, White was ineffective last season, and he’s been a bigger asset as a blocker this year than a pass-catcher. I know it’s weird for him to no longer be the focal point, and he must feel burned knowing that a new coaching staff is turning a franchise icon into a bit player. But it’s clearly what’s best for the team at this point, as Hankerson, who is averaging 60.3 receiving yards per game and 0.5 touchdowns per outing, is the better receiver at this point in their careers. Hankerson is younger, more explosive, healthier, and seems to be more trusted by Ryan.

Is Hankerson as good as White once was? Of course not. But while Hankerson has his own flaws as a receiver, he’s been a more dynamic receiver and has simply been more efficient. Whereas White is averaging just 7.08 yards per target, Hankerson is putting up a robust 8.31 yards per target. This means that Ryan, who is averaging a phenomenal 8.4 yards per target, is worse off targeting White, and the 33-year-old (he’ll be 34 early next month) is the only player on the Atlanta Falcons with a catch rate below 50%. For reference, Ryan has a 67.1% completion percentage.

The Falcons improved defense and suddenly worthwhile rushing attack, spearheaded by back-to-back big games from second-year Florida State product Freeman, are big reasons why they have been undefeated to this point. Their schedule is a big reason why they could go 9-0, and their improved coaching staff is a big reason why they can have sustainable success.

Oct 4, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White (84) is tackled by Houston Texans cornerback Kevin Johnson (30) after a catch during the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

A somewhat overlooked improvement in Atlanta lies in the passing game, because in 2014, this offense was essentially being carried by the greatness of two players- Ryan and Jones. Both of these guys have obviously been the biggest bright spots on this 4-0 team, but Ryan’s overall group of pass-catching options have been upgraded.

Freeman and Tamme have become key safety valves, but, most importantly, the upgrade from Roddy White to Hankerson as the No. 2 target in the offense has helped this team put up the fourth-most net yards per pass attempt so far this year.

Reducing White’s role in favor of giving Hankerson more targets is something that shouldn’t change at all. Although White can complain all he wants, Hankerson gives the team a better chance at winning in a bigger role, and the numbers (and win-loss column) show it.

Now, White has to embrace the role of being the veteran backup, because he’s been usurped. It’s the beginning of the end for White, but he can still play a key niche role in the offense.

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