The Falcons need a lot of help, in some areas more than others. In Week 2, Atlanta will take on one of the NFL’s most talented rosters in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are coming off an exciting win over the Cowboys that kicked off the 2021 season.
The Buccaneers’ pass rush was the biggest reason they were able to halt the Kansas City offense and win last year’s Super Bowl. The Falcons already have issues on the interior of their offensive line, which could make Sunday a long day for quarterback Matt Ryan.
If we were to ignore the salary cap and NFC South rivalry, which two players would Atlanta most likely poach from Tampa Bay?
DT – Vita Vea
In the words of former Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, Vita Vea is a game wrecker. Vea is one of the league’s premier young talents and his inclusion along Atlanta’s defensive line would finally give the team some pass rush. During his first three years in the league, Vea has produced over 100 total quarterback pressures.
The Falcons already have a premier defensive tackle in Grady Jarrett, but by bringing in Vea, the offensive line will be forced to gravitate towards these two interior tackles. This of course will open doors off the edge for Dante Fowler and whoever is playing opposite to him. The biggest reason for Fowlers 11.5 sacks season in 2019 was because of the attention offenses put on slowing Aaron Donald. In order to get Fowler back to form, the Falcons need to open up the edge and create lanes for Fowler to run through.
| Dante Fowler pressure percentage | |||
| Season (Team) | Pressures | Pass Rush Snaps | Pressure % |
| 2016 (JAX) | 39 | 397 | 9.8 % |
| 2017 (JAX) | 46 | 452 | 10.2 % |
| 2018 (JAX) | 16 | 117 | 13.7 % |
| 2018 (LAR) | 30 | 363 | 8.2 % |
| 2019 (LAR) | 67 | 509 | 12.9 % |
| 2020 (ATL) | 30 | 384 | 7.8 % |
RG – Alex Cappa
First things first, the Falcons aren’t in any need of help at right guard, as Chris Lindstrom is pretty solid in this area. However, bringing in Cappa gives the team an option to move either Cappa or Lindstrom to the left side to provide an immediate upgrade. Of the 50 pass-blocking plays, Cappa allowed just one pressure all game during Week 1.
Atlanta tried to upgrade its offensive line a few years ago, drafting both Lindstrom and right tackle Kaleb McGary, but the results haven’t been pretty.
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