Atlanta Falcons: Three players to watch during training camp
Lots of eyes are on the Atlanta Falcons with all the personnel changes they made this offseason.
Most of the Atlanta Falcons starters are set as we move closer to the start of the 2020 NFL season. However, that doesn’t mean that aren’t players to watch over the next month as the coaching staff makes personnel decisions in order to create competition and depth without preseason games.
As we look at this roster, there are three players to watch as camp battles heat up in the August sun.
Matt Gono
Matt Gono has spent his first couple seasons working at tackle for the Atlanta Falcons – primarily inactive on the team’s active roster.
However, given the need for a good left guard, Gono will get a chance to at some serious playing time if he can show the footwork and skills needed to play left guard. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan loves what he sees from Gono and believes that he has a future in this league.
The Falcons are going to give him a chance to earn the spot between Jake Matthews and Alex Mack in 2020 and having a three-man race between James Carpenter, Matt Gono, and Matt Hennessy will assure much better play from that position this season.
Kurt Benkert
Kurt Benkert really looked like he was on pace to move past backup quarterback Matt Schaub in 2019, instead, a foot injury ended his season before it ever really got started. In his lone preseason game last season, he was 19/34 and one touchdown but he looked like he was more comfortable commanding the offense.
Yes, it was the preseason but no one is asking him to take over for Matt Ryan nor is he the Atlanta Falcons quarterback of the future.
In all honesty, there is nothing wrong with Matt Schaub, he is just old. Fans want younger and more athletic and when compared to Schaub, Benkert is both of those things. We can all agree, if Matt Ryan misses significant time, this team is doomed anyway.
Benkert will have to show he is the better backup without any game film which can be quite the feat. If healthy, Benkert will make this team in 2020.
A.J. Terrell
The rookie first-round corner out of Clemson has a lot of pressure on him in his first NFL season.
Not only did he sign a first-round contract, but he has to prove fans wrong who believe that he was the wrong pick. The good news for him is he can lean on safety Keanu Neal who had that same pressure in 2016.
With all the talent in the NFC South and on the Atlanta Falcons 2020 schedule in general, Terrell has to use this camp to truly get himself ready for the challenge. He will have to use his reps against Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley to prove he is better than second-year corners Jordan Miller and Kendall Sheffield who themselves have a lot to prove as they battle for playing time.
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These three positions will be the most worthwhile battles in camp as the Atlanta Falcons work toward their Week 1 matchup against the Seahawks.