These 5 Atlanta Falcons players are in need of a great 2020 season
By Deen Worley
3. Keanu Neal
When Keanu Neal is on the field, he is one of the best players on the team. However, that “when” turns into “if” when you’re coming off back to back major injuries. Neal saw his season end after tearing his ACL in the 2018 season opener in Philadelphia. He once again suffered a season-ending injury early in 2019 when he tore his Achilles playing against the Colts.
Neal will go into 2020 with an injury risk of 49.2 percent (via Sports Injury Predictor). Dan Quinn recently made remarks that Neal is on the right path in rehab and that he is excited for his star player to return to the field.
2020 is a crucial year for both the Atlanta Falcons and the team success can very much rely on if Neal is healthy and playing. Neal is a bruiser at strong safety when playing in the box and also has the versatility to play in the open field and break up passes.
The Atlanta Falcons exercised Neal’s fifth-year option in April of 2019. With 2020 being the final year of his rookie deal, Neal needs a standout performance and to stay away from injuries. This Atlanta Falcons defense really seems to fall apart when Neal is absent from the lineup.