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Atlanta Falcons: Washington’s Chris Chester could be a fit at left guard

By Kevin Knight

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Nov 17, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins guard Chris Chester (66) taps center Will Montgomery (63) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Redskins 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Is Chester a fit for the Falcons?

Although Chester has spent the vast majority of his career at RG, he shouldn’t have too much trouble switching to LG. Now is the perfect time for the Falcons to bring him in, as he will have the entire offseason to adjust to the other side of the line.

One of the most promising attributes that Chester brings is durability: he’s missed few games in his career, including starting every game for the Redskins from 2011-2014. The Falcons have been wracked by injuries in the past two seasons, and having a player known for his toughness would go a long way to fixing that trend in 2015.

He’s not a world beater by any means, but Chester brings solid skills in both pass protection and run blocking. The Falcons need more experienced veterans on their young offensive line, and having a stable presence that won’t be an active liability from week-to-week would be enormously helpful. He’s also got more game experience than Gunn, Person, Smith, Stone, and Konz combined.

Although he’s already 32, the Falcons don’t need him to be here long-term. Chances are he’s a 1-2 year stop gap at best, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He also shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive and would be a low-risk way to add, at worst, starting-caliber depth to a suspect offensive line.

Chris Chester posted his best seasons in the zone blocking scheme, and his best season ever was under Kyle Shanahan. If Shanahan thinks Chester can replicate his 2012 form for the Falcons, Atlanta should sign him immediately.

Next: Atlanta Falcons schedule breakdown: Philadelphia Eagles

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