Defense, not offense, should be the main focus for the Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons need to focus on the defensive side of the ball for this year’s draft, given the lack of both depth and talent currently residing on that side of the ball.

There are many holes throughout this Atlanta Falcons team, with the majority of them being on the defensive side of the ball. These holes need to be filled if the Atlanta Falcons want to have any shot of becoming Super Bowl contenders.

As it stands right now, there is little to no talent along the defensive line with the exception of Grady Jarrett. The secondary could use some more depth considering how often Desmond Trufant and Keanu Neal are hurt, and with De’Vondre Campbell currently a free agent, the Atlanta Falcons are lacking depth at the linebacker position as well.

Yes, the offense could use some work. The Atlanta Falcons need a running back for when Devonta Freeman is inevitably cut. That much is true. Sure, Ito Smith and Brian Hill have proven that they are viable options, but neither has really shown that they have what it takes to become an elite back.

The offensive line also needs adjusting given how terrible they were last season. There are needs on offense for sure, but it would be a mistake to not take advantage of the diverse amount of talent coming out of college on the defensive side of the ball.

I’m not saying use every single pick to help fix the defense, but the Atlanta Falcons need to at least consider using the majority of them, given the sheer amount of needs that the defensive side of the ball currently has.

For far too long now, the Atlanta Falcons have been weak on the defensive side of the ball. This needs to change starting now. A high motor, physical and athletic guy like A.J Epenesa from Iowa could bring life into a pass rush that has been non-existent since 2016. The defensive talent out of the SEC and Big Ten alone is truly staggering, with many high motor guys like Epenesa waiting to hear their name called. Any one of those guys would be better than what the Atlanta Falcons are currently working with on the defensive line.

An outside linebacker like Isaiah Simmons, with his speed and pass-rushing ability, would create a monster of a duo alongside Deion Jones. The emergence of Foyesade Oluokun on the outside would be an added bonus to go along with these two. When given the opportunity, Oluokun has proven that he has the skillset and wit to be a starting linebacker in this league.

This will be a pivotal draft for the front office of the Atlanta Falcons. This could very well make or break the season. Fans are long overdue for a defense that puts fear into opposing offenses and if Dimitroff isn’t capable of putting that together, then it is time that he goes.

There is no excuse for another disappointing season. If things go bad, we will more than likely be looking back at this draft as a key point in time where the questions of “what if” and “why” will be asked.