As we enter the 2020 offseason, it looks increasingly likely that the team will move on from Devonta Freeman, which would leave a big hole at running back.
There’s no correct way to win in the NFL, and while every team has its own vision, philosophy and scheme, the results are ultimately what make each year a success or failure.
The Atlanta Falcons finished 7-9 in 2019, missing the playoffs for the second season in a row. As we enter the 2020 offseason, it looks increasingly likely that the team will move on from Devonta Freeman, which would leave a big hole at running back.
The Falcons have some interesting pieces in Ito Smith and Qadree Ollison, but neither should be thrust into a starting role if the team has serious championship aspirations next season.
Atlanta will have several chances to find a new running back in the upcoming draft where the team holds three picks in the first two rounds. The consensus among most fans and analysts is that the Falcons should wait to draft a RB until the second or third round due to needs at defensive end and potentially tight end.
But there is one running back that may be too good for the team to pass up in round one. Georgia running back D’Andre Swift is one of two potential feature backs in this draft class, and could be just what the doctor ordered for Atlanta:
Swift averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 1,218 rush yards and 216 receiving yards for Georgia last season. During his three years in college, he totaled 3,551 all-purpose yards and 25 total touchdowns.
The other potential first-round running back is Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, but we’ll have a better idea of where the rest stack up after the scouting combine. Both backs are currently projected to go somewhere between the middle of the first to the early-second round.
During a conference call previewing the scouting combine, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah gave his two cents on Swift, saying the Georgia runner is in a different tier than the other backs in the draft:
“He reminds me a lot of DeAngelo Williams when he was coming out,” said Jeremiah. “He’s compact but he’s got great patience, vision and quickness. He can really drop his shoulder and power through tackles. He’s the first-round back, to me, in this draft.”
It’s almost frowned upon to draft a RB in the first round these days, but there are plenty of examples of teams that got it right. Josh Jacobs of the Raiders, Ezekiel Elliott of the Cowboys, Christian McCaffrey of the Panthers, Saquon Barkley of the Giants and Todd Gurley of the Rams have each had success with their teams as first-round picks.
The Falcons had the 30th-ranked rushing attack in 2019, averaging just 85.1 yards per contest. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan led the fifth-ranked passing offense, putting up 379.7 yards per game through the air.
A lack offensive balance caused Atlanta to frequently fall behind early in games, oftentimes abandoning the run. While there’s no law that says a team needs to run the ball effectively to win in the NFL, having a one-dimensional offense gives defenses a huge advantage.
When pass rushers don’t have to respect the run, it allows them to tee off on the quarterback and puts extra pressure on the offensive line. The Falcons used two first-round picks and most of their cap space last offseason to rebuild the line.
Drafting a back like Swift at pick No. 16 — or potentially late in the first if the team can trade down — would maximize the line’s effectiveness and help keep opposing defenses off balance.
A better ground attack also helps control the time of possession and as a result, would take pressure off of the defense by keeping the players fresh.
Regardless if the team uses a first-round pick on one or not, finding that next feature back could ultimately be what gets Atlanta back to the playoffs, which should be the primary goal in 2020.
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