Atlanta Falcons: Who needs to step up in 2019

This off-season has been similar to the Falcons 2012 off-season, which was Dirk Koetter’s first season as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. They have not made many moves or any splashes are trusting their guys to step up when they needed to.

The Atlanta Falcons paid off that trust by going 13-3 and clinching home field advantage in the playoffs for the NFC. The only three losses in 2012 were to the Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers. They beat every team on their schedule and were 10 yards away from going to the Super Bowl after losing the NFC Championship to the 49ers.

The Falcons biggest off-season move was trading a seventh round pick for long time Eagles CB Asante Samuel. Other than that, the Falcons made small moves like signing former guard Vince Manuwai from the Jaguars, linebacker Lofa Tatupu, and Andrew Jackson. Most fans would have no clue whose those players are other than Tatupu as he was apart of the Seahawks team that went to the Super Bowl in 2006.

This off-season the Falcons have not made any splash moves. The Falcons signed two guards James Carpenter and Jamon Brown and brought back defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn. None of them are going to be stars but can be solid pieces on the offensive and defensive line and can get the job done.

Additionally, during the 2012 off-season, there was a lot of talk about how the Falcons should invest in an offensive tackle and defensive tackles because there were a lot of questions about LT Sam Baker and DT Peria Jerry. Jerry continued to disappoint in 2012 but Sam Baker stepped up and played well during the 2012 season along with Julio Jones, William Moore, and Thomas Decoud, and Jonathan Babineaux.