Atlanta Falcons: Robert Alford’s move to nickelback makes sense
Robert Alford is moving inside to become the Atlanta Falcons’ nickelback, and it’s a smart move by head coach Dan Quinn.
Alford has spent most of his time outside opposite Desmond Trufant in recent years, and while this will continue in the Falcons’ base defense, he will be shifting inside in nickel packages.
This makes a ton of sense, and it’s a move that feels like it’s been a long time coming. Although Jalen Collins has yet to become the outside corner the Falcons hoped he would when he was drafted in the second round of last year’s draft, Alford is suited to a move inside.
"“I feel like it’s going good,” said Alford, who added that he played nickel occasionally at Southeastern Louisiana. “Like I said once before, I’ll do whatever it takes for this team to win. One thing about it, though, is I’m versatile. I can play outside, I can play inside. In this game that we play in the NFL, it’s about, ‘What can you do for your team? How much can you do for your team?’ So the transition for me is good.”"
This certainly isn’t a downgrade for Alford. Teams spend around 60 percent of the time in sub-packages, and this is only going to increase as defenses continue to counter the pass-happy offenses we are seeing more of.
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Alford has quick feet and the agility to work well inside. He will be tasked with coming up against shifty, quick slot receivers who can change direction in a flash and pile on yards after the catch. Alford has the skill set to not only keep up, but excel in this position.
Alford hits free agency at the end of the season, and he will be looking for a strong campaign to earn a big pay day. Casey Hayward, who spent the majority of his snaps as the Packers’ slot corner last season, landed a three-year, $15.3 million deal with the Chargers this offseason. This should be the minimum Alford can look to receive.
Hayward proved himself as one of the league’s top slot corners, but he had very little experience on the outside. Alford on the other hand has proven himself as a starter outside in the base defense, and will continue to do this in 2016. This could drive Alford’s price up.
Next: Falcons lack of depth a major concern
Coach Quinn has been proactive in moving players around on defense, and he’s searching for versatility from his players. Alford is just another example of Quinn aiming to put his players in the best position to maximize their skills.