The Atlanta Falcons cannot get to the quarterback. Their unbelievably bad pass rush has pushed the defense into being a liability.
Last year, while they didn't have an elite pass rush, they were much better averaging about 1.2 sacks more per game. Bud Dupree, who tied for the team lead in sacks, was a big part of that yet the Falcons let him walk in free agency.
Today, they have to defend against their former friend who has twice as many sacks this season as any single player on this Falcons defense despite playing only 57% of LA's snaps.
Falcons never should've let Bud Dupree walk in free agency
Bud Dupree would be the best pass rusher on the Atlanta Falcons this year, much like he was last year. While that isn't saying much, it is a fact that proves they never should've let him leave the city.
Dupree, who has five sacks this season and had six and a half as a Falcon, signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in the offseason—six million the Falcons wish they had dished out.
We can't sit here and act like Dupree is Myles Garrett but considering he was this team's leader in sacks last season, they shouldn't have let him leave. Six million is a small price for your team leader in sacks—at least in the NFL world.
He has half of the sacks the entire defense has, what else can you say? He has also only played 57% of the Chargers' defensive snaps.
Along with Calais Campbell, these are the two players Terry Fontenot should've re-signed. While the team has gone through a scheme shift under Raheem Morris and Jimmy Lake, they would undoubtedly be leading this struggling unit.
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Again, getting heated over not bringing back Bud Dupree is a bit petty. He is a rotational player who is past his peak as an NFL player and wouldn't be the difference in Lake's defense being top ten—not sure that is possible.