Atlanta Falcons: Ra’Shede Hageman’s move to DE is perfect
Everything that the Atlanta Falcons have done in the past few weeks are starting to make perfect sense.
It seems like they have known all along as to what they wanted to do on defense and the fan base is the last to learn of it. And while it’s never fun to be in the dark on things, it makes the upcoming season that much more intriguing.
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Reports were made known yesterday that Falcons’ defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman will get looks at defensive end in 2016. And if everything goes to plan, he will be the Falcons’ second or third-best option at that position.
Heading into the 2016 offseason, Atlanta was stuck with three solid options at tackle with really only one to work with on the base defense. So how do you solve that problem? You shift some things around. Atlanta moved Grady Jarrett over to nose tackle and are moving Hageman to defensive end.
This now puts Hageman, Jarrett and Jonathan Babineaux in a position to all be out on the field at the same time. And in a perfect world, that’s exactly what you want to see. And if you thought things couldn’t get any better, this also means someone who we all want to see get the axe just might happen after all.
Tyson Jackson’s time in Atlanta has run its course. He has been an absolute waste of space and money, and with Hageman now set to take reps at defensive end, Jackson’s days may be numbered. Hageman would basically be playing in the same role as Jackson, and it would be an utter shock if Dan Quinn likes Jackson over Hageman in that role.
If Hageman plays well at training camp, Jackson could get cut at some point. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense to keep Jackson around unless the Falcons feel as if Hageman is more valuable at the tackle spot.
Either way, seeing the Falcons move Hageman over to end is terrific. Nobody really saw this coming, just like nobody saw Jarrett moving to nose tackle. Quinn has a very clear vision. Us fans just aren’t seeing it right away.