Predicting the Atlanta Falcons offensive starters for 2022
Who the Atlanta Falcons will start across their offensive line
- LT: Jake Matthews
- LG: Elijah Wilkinson
- C: Drew Dalman
- RG: Chris Lindstrom
- RT: Kaleb McGary
The Atlanta Falcons need to change something up on the offensive line this year, they cannot roll out the same five guys that they did last season. Sure, guys can grow year to year but counting on that shouldn’t be the move.
Obviously, you have two guys who are locked in at their positions with Jake Matthews at left tackle and Chris Lindstrom at right guard. They were easily your two best blockers last year, no way you are going to change that.
Then the team continues to stick with Kaleb McGary who has shown little to no improvement over his NFL career in pass protection. Worth mentioning that he is a solid run blocker, which might be why Germain Ifedi has not received any attention in training camp.
The two new starters are Drew Dalman and Elijah Wilkinson. Starting with Wilkinson, he opened up training camp as the starter and continues to hold his place. Throw in the fact that Jalen Mayfield has been having back problems and it is clear that Wilkinson is the favorite to start.
I think it's time to officially list Elijah Wilkinson as the starter at left guard. Today marked six straight starts for the veteran over incumbent Jalen Mayfield.
— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) August 3, 2022
There's still little clarity at center, with Drew Dalman and Matt Hennessy continuing to switch every day. #Falcons
Then you have the battle of Matt Hennessy and Drew Dalman, something that really started to emerge late last season when the Falcons would occasionally throw Dalman out on the field over Hennessy.
This is probably the most tightly contested battle as they have been trading off as the starter during training camp.
Just comes down to the fact that the coaching staff is giving a player who was a backup much of last season as many opportunities as the guy who started each game last year, it seems like they might be leaning toward Dalman.
The preseason will have a lot to do with who ends up starting in week one.