John Abraham has always been a force for the Atlanta Falcons getting to the Quarterback with little help for many years. We must however look at his age and realize that this might not be as bad as it looks.

There are many factors in play but the biggest impact at defensive end is the ability to get to the Quarterback. Last year Atlanta didn’t get more then 3 sacks in any game they played in the regular season. Sure John had the majority of our sacks but we didn’t rely on sacks to win games. He did however put a ton of pressure on the QB and that will be missed. It makes it easier on the secondary when the Quarterback is hurried.

John Abraham does have a replacement in the name of Osi Umenyioura. He has let it be known he is very motivated this year, he has proven himself in the past and as long as he keeps this mentality he shoould fill Abe’s shoes quite nicely. Of course having both guys on the line would be better then one but the guys we do have should be more then capable of making an impact. Kroy seemed like a different player in 2012, Massaquoi should step it up and the draft has given us more guys to sub in.

I mentioned earlier how John Abraham is great at pressuring QB’s and because he’s not there it could become a negative for our Secondary. This is probably the biggest downside of not having John back. We have two rookie corners who are going to get a lot of playing time this year and if Osi and the rest of the crew can’t pressure the Quarterback it could cost us a few games. Trufant and Alford are young and they are going to make mistakes with the long time for QB’s to hold the ball and wide receivers to get down field. Our bend but don’t break defense might break a few times with him missing.

All hope is not lost though with Abraham letting us know he isn’t coming back. We have got to put some faith in the guys we do have. Don’t get me wrong Abraham is a great player who will be missed. I wanted him back just as much as the next guy. I am not going to hate him for not wanting to come back either, he has done to many good things. I don’t see any reason though that the Falcons won’t be just fine without him.

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith talks to defensive end John Abraham (55) during the second quarter of the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Fans who were hoping  for a John Abraham-Atlanta Falcons reunion of sorts shouldn’t prolong their torment any longer. Sources have said that John will be taking his talents to Tennessee for 2013-14 season. Many fans may be disappointed, but shouldn’t be surprised with his decision. John Abraham was cut before he was due a 5.75 million payday for the upcoming season, and that may have left a bitter taste in his mouth and played a part in him not returning. He put out a tweet as a response to those dismayed by his choice

https://twitter.com/johnabraham55/status/331489815512092673

John Abraham may not have liked the way things ended in Atlanta, but I appreciate him for everything he’s done. It was fun to watch him terrorize QB’s in his prime, and I wish him much success in Tennessee.

Matt Ryan is set to get an extension sometime during this off season and it will most likely be the most exciting news Atlanta Falcons fans will hear in the next couple months. We don’t know numbers yet but this contract will surely be a very high and lengthy deal for the young quarterback. This deal should happen sooner rather than later so we shouldn’t have to wait long to get our Falcons fix.

Free Agency is also still happening and although Atlanta has used most of their salary cap thus far you never know when Thomas Dimitroff will make another move. The draft is over and there are improvements that still can be made to the roster.One guy who is highly unlikely to rejoin the team is John Abraham but the longer he remains available the more confidence I have he can return. If the price is right the Falcons should be more then willing to add depth to an already dangerous Atlanta Falcons roster.

Even when the Atlanta Falcons aren’t making first page stories Blogging Dirty is always there to give us Falcons Fanatics different perspectives and new content to read up on so we can keep in touch with the team we love.Atlanta should make more headlines before the first snap of the regular season but until then we can only look forward to the force we will be when that time finally comes.