2. Atlanta Falcons
Key Additions: Dante Fowler Jr., Todd Gurley, Hayden Hurst, A.J. Terrell, Marlon Davidson
Key Losses: Austin Hooper, De’Vondre Campbell, Desmond Trufant, Vic Beasley, Devonta Freeman
Is Matt Ryan poised to cement himself as a top-five quarterback in 2020? After saying he thought he was the best QB in the NFC South, it’s fair to say Ryan’s probably correct. Cam Newton is gone. Drew Brees and Tom Brady will be a combined 84 years old when the season begins, and Teddy Bridewater is a solid but unspectacular starter.
The problem over the past two seasons for Atlanta has been everything else. Poor offensive line play, injuries, defensive breakdowns and an underachieving offense each played a role in the team’s back-to-back 7-9 finishes. The bright side is that the Falcons have a cohesive group that finished the 2019 season on a 6-2 run after a 1-7 start.
Raheem Morris did an outstanding job on defense after taking over at midseason. Making him the full-time defensive coordinator in 2020 was the logical move for Dan Quinn’s staff. Some key players left in free agency, including De’Vondre Campbell, Desmond Trufant, Vic Beasley and Devonta Freeman. But perhaps the Falcons’ biggest problem since their Super Bowl run in 2016 has been overpaid, under-performing talent.
Thomas Dimitroff did his best to trim the fat from the roster and repair the team’s pass rush. If the young secondary can hold up, and Todd Gurley is 90% of what he was, things may finally go Atlanta’s way this season.