Atlanta Falcons defense banking on 2023 rookies to make second-year leap

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons defense finds itself in a familiar position heading into training camp: facing questions.

After taking a step forward in 2023 under defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, the Falcons face uncertainty — starting with Nielsen’s replacement, first-year NFL coordinator Jimmy Lake, and a coaching staff full of new faces.

Beyond personnel, Atlanta is littered with doubts at pass rush, cornerback and safety. The Falcons’ 2023 draft class may well have the best solutions at each position.

The Falcons have often struggled rushing the passer, as they have totaled 138 sacks over the last five years, the worst total in the NFL. They took a step forward last season, with 42 sacks, which placed them 21st in the league and eclipsed their combined two-year total of 38 from 2021-22.

But this offseason, Atlanta lost its top two sack producers from last year, as Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree — who each had 6.5 sacks — signed elsewhere in free agency. There’s a new defensive line coach in Jay Rodgers and a new scheme led by Lake, as the Falcons transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense.

With a healthy dose of snaps available, several returning Falcons have the opportunity to take a step forward. Perhaps none is more capable than second-year defensive end Zach Harrison, who had three sacks, four tackles for loss and four hits on the quarterback in his final three games last season.

Harrison’s late rise as a rookie led to him playing a first-team role on Atlanta’s defense during OTAs and minicamps. The 6-foot-6, 274-pounder has added size to his body and confidence to his mind over the past year, and Lake said he likes Harrison’s position at this point in the summer.

“He’s had a great offseason,” Lake told FalconsSI during OTAs. “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, we don’t see a lot of mistakes at the moment with the new fronts that we are setting up and the new movements forward. »

But Lake added that Harrison must show continued improvement throughout the summer, and training camp — which begins when players arrive July 24 — will be the first time Atlanta’s new staff sees the former Ohio State standout in protective gear.

Once again, uncertainty reigns – but with a subtle sense of optimism that has only grown as Harrison has demonstrated thus far.

It’s a similar story at No. 2 cornerback, where another second-year pro, Clark Phillips III, is a good candidate to start. Phillips spent OTAs and minicamp battling with 2018 first-round pick Mike Hughes for the spot opposite A.J. Terrell.

Like Harrison, Phillips, 22, had a nice progression during his rookie campaign, failing to play a single defensive snap for the first 10 weeks before starting the final five games. He recorded 27 tackles, one tackle for loss and five passes defended in 2023.

Phillips allowed just 18 receptions for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 36 targets, and he made a good impression when Morris reviewed the tape from last year. Atlanta’s new coach compared Phillips to an alien because his mind never strays from football.

Heading into summer break, Morris said he’s excited about the potential that emanates from Phillips.

“He did a really good job as an elite mover,” Morris said in OTAs. “He did a really good job of mirroring and matching up. He did a great job of putting individuals to work to line up and have a great training camp.”

Harrison and Phillips are in a similar situation career-wise: They’re hoping to build on their rookie season success by securing a starting job this summer. The same goes for safety DeMarcco Hellams.

Atlanta has no doubts about the position of its safeties, where reigning All-Pro Jessie Bates III leads the group on and off the field. As for who will take over on the field, it is much less obvious.

Hellams, 24, was a seventh-round pick in 2023 and parlayed a strong preseason into a roster spot as Atlanta’s No. 4 safety, behind Bates, Richie Grant and Jaylinn Hawkins.

The Falcons waived Hawkins in mid-October and after the Week 11 bye, Hellams became a more important defensive figure as Nielsen turned to three-safety packages. In Weeks 15-17, Hellams played nearly three times as many snaps as Grant, nearly taking over as the lead option next to Bates.

Hellams, who stands 6-1 and 213 pounds, finished his rookie season with 40 tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit while starting four of his final five appearances.

This summer, Hellams has been the first-team safety alongside Bates, with Grant occasionally rotating in. Hellams has earned praise from Bates, Lake and secondary coach Justin Hood for the quality of the offseason he’s put together, and he appears well-positioned to win the starting job during training camp.

“Marcco is extremely intelligent,” Hood told FalconsSI during OTAs. “Marcco is extremely consistent in his approach and his work ethic. So that’s what we really like about him. You can see his growth, not only on the football field, but in his preparation and in the meeting room.

“You can see him starting to come out of his shell a little bit more, so that’s encouraging to see.”

The Falcons spent big in free agency to address their offense, shifting their defensive focus to the draft, with five of the eight picks coming from Lake’s side of the ball. Atlanta selected three defensive tackles — Ruke Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus and Zion Logue — and edge rusher Bralen Trice to help pressure quarterbacks, and the Falcons also added linebacker J.D. Bertrand.

Last year, as the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator, Morris saw two third-round rookies — defensive tackle Kobie Turner and edge rusher Byron Young — combine for 17 sacks. That’s an exception, not the norm, for most rookie passers, especially non-first-round picks.

Player development therefore becomes essential. A common idea in NFL circles is that players often make the biggest leap in their careers from their rookie season to their second, whether it’s the lessons learned, the confidence gained and all the stay.

The Falcons would certainly benefit from a Rams-like situation with their pass rush, but the chances are already slim up front, and there are no such possibilities on the backfield, where Atlanta n ‘managed to add that after the draft.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said the player acquisition process happens year-round and Atlanta’s roster makeup can — and almost certainly will — change between training camp and week 1.

But for now, the Falcons’ best chance to solve their biggest defensive problems comes from a trio of second-year players looking to take a step forward. Progress has already been made this summer, but the definitive answer on each of them won’t be known until the start of the season.

So the Atlanta staff is pushing for more spectacular plays and day-to-day progress — while recognizing there’s a chance the gamble won’t pay off this year.

“You have to be able to develop everybody, and at some point, it starts to come together,” Rodgers said during OTAs. “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? We don’t know.”