Atlanta Falcons: Three potential training camp stars

2. Jack Crawford, DE

Atlanta’s move to get London-born defensive end Jack Crawford in free agency was an incredibly underrated move by general manager Thomas Dimitroff. While Crawford isn’t a household name, he has been an effective pass rusher over the past two seasons in a rotational role.

In limited time for the Dallas Cowboys he recorded 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons after they picked him up following a stint in Oakland. Now heading to Atlanta, he hopes to fight for a starting spot, but at the very least he will be heavy in the rotation, especially once his versatility gets people’s attention — which should start in training camp.

Crawford is listed at 6-foot-5 and 274-pounds which makes him an ideal fit for the left defensive end spot in Atlanta, which was one of the positions he played in Dallas. He also made a habit of lining up inside at tackle, especially on passing downs.

Head coach Dan Quinn spent some time in Seattle as a defensive coordinator and one of the staples of their defensive line was versatility. Defensive end Michael Bennett is known for his skill as an edge defender on early downs, but can slip inside on third-downs.

Should Atlanta begin to use Crawford in such a way he could easily become a player to get a lot of attention during the 2017 Falcons training camp.