Atlanta Falcons have achieved balance on offense

With a number of offseason additions, the Atlanta Falcons offense is set entering the 2016 season.

It was tough to know exactly why the Atlanta Falcons struggled to get out of its own way in 2016. On paper, the Falcons had a talented quarterback was paired with an elite receiver, an emerging running back and a new-and-improved offensive line.

Yet for numerous reasons, the offenses was stuck in first gear for much of the season and consistently beat itself. Sloppy turnovers, missed opportunities and persistent errors at the center position helped derail an impressive 5-0 start to the season.

Entering the offseason, the Falcons had many areas in need of attention. First up was the future of Roddy White. White has been a loyal servant in Atlanta and is a true professional on and off the field, but his production hit a wall in 2014 and the coaching staff needed to take emotion out of it and do what was best for the football team.

His release drew mixed opinions from fans, but the Falcons moved forward and signed Mohamed Sanu in free agency. The aim is to alleviate some of the pressure from Julio Jones, who ran into double and triple teams last season due to the lack of a legitimate No. 2 wideout.

With Sanu on board, seventh-rounder Devin Fuller competing for a spot on the roster and the continued development of Justin Hardy, the wide receiver group is looking much healthier.

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The Falcons weren’t set, however. They gave Matt Ryan another pass-catcher in the third round of the draft with tight end Austin Hooper. Since Tony Gonzalez walked away from the game, Atlanta has lacked a tight end capable of attacking the middle of the field and creating mismatches. Jacob Tamme was a useful weapon last term but was inconsistent. Tamme is best suited as a complementary piece, and the plan will be for Hooper to eventually take the reigns as the starter.

Devonta Freeman will look to build on his breakout campaign in the backfield. Last season, he piled up 1,061 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns from 264 attempts, and added 73 catches for 578 yards and three scores.

Second-year Tevin Coleman flashed potential as a rookie but was constantly held back by his inability to protect the football. His speed and big-play ability can make him a useful change-of-pace back behind Freeman if he can keep hold of the ball better this season. Freeman is the clear No. 1, but the pair of them can form a dangerous 1-2 punch if all goes to plan.

Up in the trenches, a strong offensive line was further improved with free agency signing Alex Mack. While the center was completely overpaid, there’s no doubting the upgrade he offers at the position. And for now, that’s all the Falcons care about.

Ryan is surrounded by talent at the skill positions and his offensive line will offer the protection he desperately needs. There will be no excuses this year, and he will be expected to bounce back from an unusually sloppy campaign.

Next: Atlanta Falcons: Five first-year players who will make impact

The Falcons got upgrades on defense to continue the slow rebuild of 2014’s worst unit, but it’s on offense this team can truly shine. With the offseason moves made to this point, there’s plenty of reason for optimism in 2016.

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