Atlanta Falcons: 5 Offseason moves the team needs to make
By Nick Sparrow
4. Get better at the cornerback position
Cornerback Desmond Trufant is a fantastic player but the rest of Atlanta’s secondary lacks the star power to be considered an elite defensive unit. For a defense that relies so heavily on speed and tackling to get the job done, it is vital that the corner position can be relied upon to stop big plays.
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One of the most interesting fits would be Josh Jackson out of Iowa, who is projected to go early in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Jackson is a versatile playmaker who has made a habit of forcing turnovers and making big plays, which is exactly what the Falcons need.
3. Add depth to the defensive line
With defensive tackle Dontari Poe likely departing the team in the offseason, Atlanta will need to find a replacement to stuff the run in the interior of the defensive line. Perhaps the best way to do that is to address the position in the draft. Players like Derrick Nnadi out of Florida State or Da’Ron Payne out of Alabama could fill that role perfectly for the Falcons at half the cost of what a player like Poe will be asking for on the open market.
Either way, having an anchor like that on the defensive line is huge for the team’s run defense and should be considered one of the top positions to fill in the offseason.