Since the Atlanta Falcons released Desmond Trufant last month, many are assuming the team will add a cornerback in this week’s virtual draft.
The Falcons have Isaiah Oliver and Kendall Sheffield in place, but neither has proven they can be relied upon as starters next season. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff spoke with local media Monday morning, giving some insight into how they view Atlanta’s 2020 roster.
One note to come from the video conference was Quinn’s preference for defensive back Damontae Kazee to play exclusively at safety next season, as tweeted by Falcons reporter Kelsey Conway below:
Damontae Kazee, after starting the 2019 season at nickel, will be solely at safety moving forward. #Falcons
— Kelsey Conway (@FalconsKelsey) April 20, 2020
Kazee played some nickel corner in 2019, but was far more effective when playing the safety position. With Trufant out of the picture, some wondered if the team would make the versatile Kazee a full-time corner next season.
Obviously, Quinn and Dimitroff saw what everybody else did and will let the third-year defensive back play where he is most effective. Kazee will likely serve as a backup to both Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen.
Atlanta has no shortage of options at corner in the 2020 draft, with players such as CJ Henderson, Kristian Fulton, A.J. Terrell and Jeff Gladney as possible early-round targets.
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