3 surprising Atlanta Falcons titles that will emerge this summer

There was reason to believe Calais Campbell would retire early this offseason. Even though he’s still playing at a high level, there’s a reason many people at his position retire early. Campbell plays with impressive speed and physicality for someone not only his size but also his age. This offered Campbell a choice of landing points if he chose to return.

The Miami Dolphins make sense considering their contender status and the veteran’s ability to crack the rotation. Miami is not an AFC favorite, but they are universally considered a wild card or division contender.

For Atlanta, this is a huge loss considering the team’s current options. You count on Bralen Trice, Arnold Ebiketie and Lorenzo Carter to be your pass rushers. Carter has continually proven himself to be an unreliable passer, while Trice can’t be expected to contribute at a high level as a rookie.

This leaves the team relying on Ebiketie as the primary passer. This relies on maintaining impressive sack numbers with a lot more snaps and an improved ability to defend the run. Losing Calais Campbell is a big blow to the weakest position on the roster.