The Atlanta Falcons 2020 roster is loaded with talent.
As the Atlanta Falcons get ready to report to training camp over the next week now that it seems like most of the issues between the NFL and NFLPA have been agreed to.
Over the last two years, the Atlanta Falcons roster has changed dramatically and very few players remain from the team that made it to Super Bowl LI in 2016. While we have a pretty good idea who the starters will be, undoubtedly a few of them will be outplayed this preseason and replaced in the starting lineup.
Falcons’ general manager Thomas Dimitroff has had his best off-season since being hired more than 12 years ago. There will be a lot of position battles to watch during training camp and several of those battles will be won by very young players on this roster.
Veterans like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Alex Mack, Grady Jarrett, and Deion Jones have nothing to worry about. They are solid where they are will lead this roster back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
When looking over this roster it’s hard to see where a former first-round pick such as Laquan Treadwell fits in with the emergence of Russell Gage or how Deadrin Senate makes this team with the newfound depth on the defensive line.
However, there will be a couple veteran players that will lose their battle to younger players in 2020.
James Carpenter (predicted starter) vs Matt Hennessy
Let’s start at left guard, the weak point of the offensive line in 2020. Former first-round pick James Carpenter is the assumed starter heading into 2020, but he will have some competition from rookie Matt Hennessy as well as Matt Gono, who has primarily worked at tackle the last couple years on the Falcons practice squad.
When the Atlanta Falcons drafted Hennessy in the third round, he was being projected as the future replacement for Alex Mack at center. While that is still more than likely the case, the Flacons will want to get him on the field now.
Carpenter was not great in 2019 and will not be able to hold off either Hennessy or Gono. Don’t be surprised to not only see him get beat out but also be cut by the end of camp.
The Atlanta Falcons offensive line should go from a perennial weakness to a strength in 2020 if everyone can stay healthy. Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary will be among the best young linemen in the game while veterans Alex Mack and Jake Matthews continue to contribute strong play and leadership upfront.
Tyeler Davison (starter) vs Marlon Davidson
Tyeler Davison is the incumbent starter next to Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and by all accounts, he had a decent 2019 season; his first in Atlanta after coming over from the New Orleans Saints.
However, decent isn’t going to cut it with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. They need dominant and spectacular and those are two ways of describing rookie Marlon Davidson out of Auburn.
The Atlanta Falcons defensive line has to be dominant for the first time since 2004 – that was the last year that the birds had two defensive linemen with double-digit sacks and was the last time that they recorded 40 as a defense.
Davidson can play inside and out and will provide a lot of versatility along the Falcons defensive line in 2020. This draft pick, along with the re-signing of Davison, provides a lot of really good depth for the Falcons upfront and will help this defense take the giant leap forward that they have to take in 2020.
Davidson will impress during training camp and will be the starter next to Grady in 2020.