The Atlanta Falcons are shaking things up this offseason. After two years of underachievement, the team has moved on from five of last season’s starters.
General manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Dan Quinn were given one more chance to right the ship, and the team’s moves through the first wave of free agency reflect that.
In order for Atlanta to finish atop the NFC South in 2020, though, it will take more than a few roster transactions. Here are four keys for the Falcons to win what should be a competitive division next season.
Offensive line takes a big step forward
Atlanta made aggressive changes to its offensive line last offseason by bringing in three new starters — two of them rookies — and the early results were bad. The Falcons rushed for 85.1 yards per game in 2019, the third-lowest average in the league. On top of that, the team allowed 50 sacks as the offense was often stagnant and one-dimensional.
Injuries played a factor, though, and when rookie guard Chris Lindstrom returned late in the year, it seemed to spark the entire unit. Kaleb McGary had ups and downs, but played well down the stretch at right tackle. Entering year two, the rookie linemen must solidify the right side of the line for the team to take that next step. Running back Todd Gurley can only be as effective as this group allows him to be.