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Should we be concerned about the Atlanta Falcons? No, but…

By Erik Sandelin

Jun 13, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons center Ben Garland (63) goes through a running drill during Minicamp at the Falcons Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons center Ben Garland (63) goes through a running drill during Minicamp at the Falcons Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive end Takkarist McKinney poses with photo of his late grandmother Myrtle Collins and commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 26 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive end Takkarist McKinney poses with photo of his late grandmother Myrtle Collins and commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number 26 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Are they really banking on every single young player on defense to improve in order to make the defense better?

We heard all about how young this defense was during the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Three rookie starters in strong safety Keanu Neal, middle linebacker Deion Jones, and weakside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (four if you count undrafted nickel back Brian Poole).

Two second-year starters in defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and cornerback Jalen Collins and a third-year starter in edge rusher Vic Beasley. Free safety Ricardo Allen was in his third year as an NFL player and only his second year as a starter. Now they’ve added rookies Takkarist McKinley (edge rusher), Duke Riley (linebacker) and Damonta Kazee (defensive back).

In the long run I do believe this will only bode well for the defense, assuming head coach Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff’s draft acumen continues to run as well as it has for their first two drafts together. That said, the law of averages almost guarantees at least one of these youngsters is going to regress, not improve.

Next: Jamal Anderson vs Michael Turner: You Decide

If and when that happens, are the additions of veteran defensive linemen Dontari Poe and Jack Crawford via free agency enough to compensate? Only time will tell on these questions.

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