The Atlanta Falcons head coach has a tough task ahead

Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has been given an unenviable task.

Smith is tasked with making the Atlanta Falcons relevant again. Sure, who doesn’t want to lead their team but he should be given a long rope.

Let’s face it, this is now Tampa Bay’s division. The Buccaneers geared up to run it back and actually had the money to do so. Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons are probably starting to feel like every other AFC East team when Brady was running the show there. So, theoretically, that should help temper Arthur Blank’s expectations, right?

Doubt it. Blank has made it clear he wants to compete, win games and bring a championship to Atlanta. He also knows he won’t be the owner forever but sometimes his loyalty to players leads him to shell out gross contracts, which hamstrings the Falcons’ ability to do both those things (ahem, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.)

Now, Smith has to win with those guys aging, and little flexibility to fill in gaping holes.

Yes, you can get creative with cap numbers and contract restructurings, and the whole nine. But all that does is continuously push the ball down the line and eventually, you have to pay the piper. You can only convert so much into bonuses and make so many post-June 1 cuts.

The Falcons have watched what was an embarrassment of riches at the safety position, dissolved into nothing. They cut Ricardo Allen (rightfully so) and will let Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee hit the market.

The Atlanta Falcons have no shot at competing there. Even though both have had serious injuries in the past few years, someone will give them a shot for more than the Falcons can afford. Smith brought in a defensive coordinator who is going to have to play with a simple scheme, young guys, and no pass rush. It’s safe to say defensively, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. How much more Atlanta can you get?

Arthur Smith has probably one year with the Ryan to Jones connection. Then they have to worry about paying Ridley, finding a legitimate running back, building the back end of the defense, and trying to compete in a rather stacked NFC.

The future doesn’t look great for the Atlanta Falcons but Smith at least deserves some patience for inheriting a mess he didn’t create.