Atlanta Falcons: Four players who were misused in 2022

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Nov 10, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. (88) with the ball as Atlanta Falcons cornerback Rashad Fenton (21) and safety Richie Grant (27) defend in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Richie Grant, S, Atlanta Falcons

Wow, a common theme isn’t it? The Falcons, or more specifically Dean Pees, did not use their safeties in the most ideal way during the season.

If you couldn’t guess, Jaylinn Hawkins and Richie Grant’s roles should have been reversed. While neither of them are extremely athletic, there is no doubt that Grant is more apt to play deep zones. However, that isn’t the picture that his snaps by position would paint.

Total snaps: 1116
DLine/Box: 340
CB: 310
FS: 466

Richie Grant is a versatile defender, so seeing him play so many snaps at all of those positions is great, if, there is an uber-athletic safety behind him—that wasn’t the case in 2022. Jaylinn Hawkins played more than 100 more snaps at free safety—and played one less game—than Richie Grant.

You would think that the defensive coaching staff would rather see Grant back there making plays on the ball than Hawkins. Richie’s snaps close to the line of scrimmage shouldn’t have been so high with the circumstances of the roster.

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