It's as if the Falcons have turned the clock back to 2020 bringing back Jeff Ulbrich as the new/old defensive coordinator. Raheem Morris rebuilding a staff that went 4-12 after his miss with Jimmy Lake is not the best start to an offseason. After going 2-6 to finish out the season there was hope that Morris would be forced to look in the mirror and think outside the box. Look at every possible fit and bring in an established leader who knows how to rebuild a defense.
Instead, the head coach opted to revisit the worst season in recent Atlanta history and believe that was the team's answer. It is easy to look around the league at potential hires and wonder why this was the best fit. There were far better potential coordinators that would have signaled the Falcons had learned from their mistakes and were moving in a different direction.
1. Steve Wilks
The Falcons interviewed the veteran coach and failed to land what was the best fit for the organization. Wilks is a veteran coach who has experience in the NFC South as head coach of the Carolina Panthers. After pushing a terrible Panthers roster to a hot finish the coach was still pushed out of Carolina and forced to find a new landing spot.
Wilks would lead a great San Francisco defense that would go on a deep playoff run losing to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. An experienced coach who has proven the moment won't get too big is exactly the addition Raheem Morris needed.
2. Wink Martindale
Another experienced coach that was an enticing fit for an entirely different reason. What has plagued Atlanta under Ulbrich or any of their recent coordinator hires was a lack of aggression. The team is happy to sit back in zone in the game's biggest moments and simply let you pick them apart until the game is won.
If Martindale is your DC, you know that isn't happening with regularity. The aggression and blitzes the veteran coach would bring would be an exciting fit. Now there is reason to wonder where the veteran coach could land.
3. Lou Anarumo
This was a debated choice when the Falcons opted to interview the former Bengals DC. It is easy to see why some would take fault with hiring a coordinator just fired from one of the worst defenses in the league. However, what it ignores is Anarumo's resume and what the coach helped the Bengals accomplish when given enough talent.
Anarumo wasn't given the tools needed to keep the Cincy defense competitive and the results were telling. What many forget about the Bengals run to the Super Bowl is the role the defense played and how often it was Anarumo's unit and not Joe Burrow that made a big play.
4. Robert Saleh
This was always a long shot with the Falcons being one of the least interesting landing spots for a top coordinator. Still, there was reason to believe the Falcons could at least garner a bit of interest from the former Jets head coach. At least under Saleh the Jets were close to competing at an above average level.
When Jeff Ulbrich stepped in at the New York head coach everything went in the wrong direction. Saleh is a proven coordinator and a respected leader that would have greatly helped the Falcons.
5. Dennis Allen
Stealing from the Saints an awful head coach but a great coordinator is objectively funny. Allen was a proven defensive play caller and should have stayed in that role. Coaching Atlanta's defense would keep Allen in a division he is familiar with and again offered another veteran coach to help Atlanta's lack of composure in big spots.
It isn't the best or most exciting fit but there is more potential upside than Ulbrich. A predictable hire that does little to move the needle for a struggling Atlanta franchise.