Ranking the Top 10 Atlanta Falcons Players

The Atlanta Falcons still have a long way to go before becoming a championship-caliber team. As we saw with the Cincinnati Bengals last season, it doesn’t take long to turn things around in the NFL.

After two offseasons under general manager Terry Fontenot, the Falcons have a whole new identity. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Alex Mack are gone and a younger core is taking over in Atlanta.

Here are our rankings of the Falcons’ top 10 players as training camp begins.

10. ILB Rashaan Evans

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Evans was somewhat of an under-the-radar signing, but he will reunite with former Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees and is expected to fill the position vacated by Foye Oluokun. Evans, 26, has started 50 games during his four-year career. He was drafted in the first round of the 2018 draft out of Alabama. Last season, Evans started 11 games and finished with 57 tackles (35 solo), two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

9. ILB Deion Jones

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Jones’ stock may appear to be at an all-time low, but he is still a competent linebacker in the right system. A former player known for his coverage ability, Jones was absolutely roasted by almost every player he lined up against in 2021. Perhaps Jones, the highest-paid player on the team, will bounce back this season. Whether it happens in Atlanta or elsewhere, Jones is still a starter-caliber player with Pro-Bowl potential in a 4-3 defense.

8. CB Casey Hayward

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Hayward isn’t exactly Deion Sanders in his prime, but the 32-year-old made two Pro Bowls over 10 NFL seasons, while throwing 24 career interceptions. Hayward is a major upgrade over Fabian Moreau and should be a formidable presence at cornerback opposite Terrell on the outside.

7. Lt. Jake Matthews

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Jake Matthews has been a consistent force and one of the team’s best players since he was drafted in 2014. Matt Ryan is gone, but Matthews will have a new QB to protect this season. He is likely to finish his career as a Falcon after signing a three-year extension this offseason.

6. K Younghoe Koo

(AP Photo/Danny Karnik)

Koo signed a five-year deal to stay in Atlanta and the new No. 7 is worth every penny. Because of the importance of his position, I wasn’t sure how to rank Koo, but he’s been one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL over the past two seasons and the Falcons don’t win seven games without him in 2021. Koo’s future looks very bright. with in Atlanta.

5. RB Cordarrelle Patterson

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Patterson did the unthinkable last year: He had a breakout season as a 30-year-old converted running back. Before signing with Atlanta, Patterson was considered a below-average receiver and elite kick returner. That changed in 2021, when he essentially represented the entire Falcons offense. Patterson rushed for over 1,100 yards from scrimmage with 11 total touchdowns. Expect another big year for the CP84 in 2022.

4. RG Chris Lindstrom

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In 2019, the Falcons did everything they could to strengthen their offensive line. Atlanta overspent on free agents James Carpenter and Jamon Brown, while drafting Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary in the first round of the 2019 draft. Unfortunately, Lindstrom was the only one to live up to expectations. The Falcons recently picked up Lindstrom’s fifth-year option, and the team should look to keep him in Atlanta well beyond the 2023 season.

3. DL Grady Jarrett

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Jarrett is easy to overlook since he’s not an edge rusher, nor does he put up Aaron Donald-like numbers as an interior lineman. Still, there’s a reason the Falcons gave Jarrett a three-year extension worth $49.5 million this offseason. Atlanta may be undergoing some rebuilding, but moving Jarrett would have been far too devastating for this defense as it enters its second year in Dean Pees’ system. The former fifth-round pick out of Clemson hasn’t missed a game in three years. If the Falcons can put some talent around Jarrett, he could finally get the recognition he deserves.

2. TE Kyle Pitts

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Even after just one season, it’s hard to find a more exciting talent on this Falcons team than Kyle Pitts. In year one, he fell just short of Mike Ditka’s receiving yards record, but Pitts has barely scratched the surface of his incredible potential. As the only real receiving threat on a bad Atlanta team last season, Pitts easily topped 1,000 yards.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield ranked Pitts as the 74th best player in the NFL:

1. CB AJ Terrell

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Just two years ago, the Falcons were mocked for drafting the Clemson cornerback in the first round. However, opposing players have not fared well when facing Terrell in 2021 and he has quickly become one of the elite corners in the NFL. Heading into 2022, he looks like Atlanta’s most dominant player.

Terrell was ranked as Touchdown Wire’s 30th player (best among all Falcons players) in a recent article by Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield:

Honorable mentions: