Atlanta Falcons DE Zach Harrison hopes to have a ‘great offseason’ in year two

A year ago, after being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round out of Ohio State, defensive end Zach Harrison spent his OTAs constantly changing. There were presentations, meetings, new environments – in addition to his first professional practices.

Halfway through his second set of OTAs, Harrison found himself in meetings again – but on his own terms. The 2023 third-round pick was in defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake’s office upstairs in the IBM Performance Facility and held one-on-one meetings with defensive line coach Jay Rodgers.

Harrison, 22, is still learning. Lake and Rodgers were both hired this spring by new head coach Raheem Morris, who replaced Arthur Smith, who was fired Jan. 8 after three straight 7-10 seasons.

With a new coaching staff comes a new scheme, as the Falcons played a 4-3 defense last season but are moving to a 3-4 base under Lake, and new teaching methods.

This is the second time in as many offseasons that Harrison has been surrounded by new players – but last year’s experience left him equipped with a vast array of tools he’ll take into 2024 .

“If I told you everything, we’d be here all day,” Harrison said. “I learned so much about how to be a pro, on the court and off the court, everything really. I learned a lot.”

When the Falcons selected Harrison at No. 75 overall, they did so knowing he had a long acclimation process ahead. Considered a raw prospect out of Ohio State, Harrison was a long-term play by Atlanta’s decision-makers.

But part of the Falcons’ confidence in Harrison’s development came from the room he joined, which included several established veterans such as defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive tackles Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata and outside linebackers Bud Dupree and Lorenzo Carter.

The coaching came as much from his teammates as from the staff. There wasn’t necessarily a consistent message, Harrison said, but consistently reliable support and a willingness to pass on knowledge that is now ingrained in his brain.

“They tell me things like, ‘Hey, do this against this,’ or ‘This is how you should do that,’ or ‘Hey, you shouldn’t do that on Friday night before the game.’ Do it on Sunday,’” Harrison said. “Little things that I’d never really experienced. Just really, the totality of being an NFL D-lineman.”

The 18-week season coupled with training camp and preseason presented another learning curve for Harrison, whose college career high in games played was 13 in 2022.

During this long campaign, Harrison discovered the importance of taking care of his body, both mentally and physically, and he ultimately played his best football at the end of the year.

After the first 13 appearances of his professional career, Harrison had no sacks or tackles for loss and only one quarterback hit. In his last three games, he broke through, recording three sacks, four tackles for loss and four quarterback hits along with a pass deflection.

Harrison has played at least 25 snaps in each of those three games, a mark he’s only eclipsed once before. As his production increased, so did his role on defense and his confidence.

But that was then – late December, early January and a rookie season now firmly behind the rearview mirror – and it is now, with his eyes set on building from the foundation he established at the end of last season.

“I played a year, played in the NFL, against NFL players, so it’s a confidence thing,” Harrison said. “I want to go out into the field, knowing my abilities, I just have to keep sharpening my sword every day.”

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Rodgers and the rest of Atlanta’s defensive staff won’t put too much stock in what they’ve seen so far — even if the helmets are in place, the pads aren’t. Coaches are still in the early stages of learning the intricacies of each player.

But first impressions come naturally — and Harrison’s physically imposing build, 6-foot-4, 274 pounds, was easy to take away. So did the unseen conversations in the staff offices upstairs.

“Size, length, athletic ability, edginess, very smart, sees the game,” Rodgers said. “Those are things that really jumped out at me. I don’t know anything about his physical condition at the moment, because we haven’t put him through those kinds of exercises yet. But those are things that jump out at the eyes.”

Harrison, who weighed 272 pounds last season, added two pounds this spring; he planned to grow regardless of scheme changes, but in Lake’s 3-4 scheme, Harrison could spend more time playing inside than before.

A staple defensive end both as a freshman and collegiately at Ohio State, moving inside isn’t something Harrison is particularly used to doing. Still, he thinks he’s ready for it.

“Personally, I feel like I could play anywhere on the defensive line,” Harrison said. “So wherever they put me, I feel like I can go play.”

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Harrison’s ascension inside will depend on Rodgers, who spent more than a decade coaching the NFL defensive lineman with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Chargers.

Although still early in their relationship, Harrison likes Rodgers, citing his intensity and frequent coaching during practice. Rodgers is detailed and always pushing and correcting, which Harrison said he appreciates as a player who wants to improve.

During his long coaching career, Rodgers has seen his share of players resemble Harrison’s build and skill set. He’s seen how they can be used and thinks Harrison can follow the same path – with a little pinch of veteran coaching.

“I’ve coached guys with his body type in the past and guys who have played on the edge before and have some size that might be mismatched inside,” Rodgers said. “And so right now we’re just building the skills.”

Rodgers said there are some things Harrison is doing exactly the same as he was a year ago, but also some new responsibilities, which makes the summer especially important in determining where he fits in the mix. edge rushers.

So far, Harrison, who has played hands-in-the-dirt in first- and second-team defense during OTAs, has passed the test.

“He had a great offseason,” Lake said. “He’s really excelled – his fundamentals, his footwork, his hand placement have improved a lot. You see how hard he’s worked with our strength and conditioning guys. And then you don’t see a lot of ‘errors right now with the new fronts we are setting up and the new movements upstream.

“It’s really like where Zach is right now, but obviously there’s got to be continued improvement as we finish out this offseason.”

Harrison’s transition to the new defense and coaching staff has been smooth, sparked in part by his own personal appreciation of how Lake runs the show.

The message Lake has emphasized to his players centers on playing fast, free and physical. And even though defenders aren’t able to kick or make tackles at this point in the offseason program, Harrison already senses an element of freedom in the program.

“I like the way he encourages us to play,” Harrison said. “Yes, we have a defense, yes, you have to play in that defense, but if you see a shot, go for it. And I appreciate his ability to instill that confidence in us to be ball players, because That’s what brought us here.”

Harrison is familiar with the concept of a Year 2 breakout, which happens often around the league for a variety of reasons. For some, it’s the year of experience and comfort. For others, it’s a chance for a normal offseason after a spring filled with training and travel during the pre-draft process.

But Rodgers was quick to point out that it’s not always the second year. Some players can take four or five years before the light bulb finally turns on at the highest level of the sport.

Everyone is different, Rodgers said, and the rate of progression is greatly affected by experiencing what you’re asked to do and doing it enough to know precisely where you should place your body and how use your frame.

A high dose of repetition is essential to promote this understanding. Harrison started getting a taste of it towards the end of 2023 and looks set to get a lot more this fall.

The Falcons entered the offseason looking for help in the pass rush, as their sack leaders from last year — Campbell and Dupree with six each — each entered free agency. Morris said that as long as he is the head coach, Atlanta will prioritize the pass rush.

No considerable investment was made in free agency, but the Falcons used four of their eight draft picks on the defensive front – second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, third-round edge rusher Bralen Trice, defensive tackle fourth rounder Brandon Dorlus and the sixth. rotund defensive tackle Zion Logue.

As it stands, Harrison is a central figure whose season will have a direct impact on the success of Atlanta’s pass rush. If he continues his momentum from last season, the unit looks much better for 2024 and beyond. Otherwise, the pressure increases on the interior defensive line to shoulder the burden of the pass rush.

The Falcons are still waiting for Harrison’s ultimate “a-ha” moment, and it’s an inexact science to predict when exactly that might happen — but there’s considerable internal optimism about where he is and toward where he is heading.

“You have to be able to develop everyone, and at some point it starts to work,” Rodgers said. “And guys like Zach, only time will tell. Will it be this year? Will it be the first week of training camp? Will it be the last week of training camp? ‘training ?

“You just don’t know it, but in the meantime we can continue to practice and promote these dominant plays.”

As for Harrison, individual success is important, but it’s not his ultimate goal in 2024. In his four seasons at Ohio State, the Buckeyes went 42-6 and didn’t lose more than two matches in a single campaign.

In Harrison’s first professional season, the Falcons went 7-10 and lost four of their last five games. They were outscored 85-34 over the last two weeks, leading to the ouster of Smith and the arrival of a new group of faces on the defensive coaching staff.

So, an escape in year 2? That seems fine, even likely, for Harrison — but he’s focused on much more than himself as the season draws closer.

“Win games,” Harrison said. “As simple as that.”

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