Predicting defensive stat leaders for the Atlanta Falcons
Much like the offense, the Atlanta Falcons defense should be much improved in 2023. The Falcons invested so much in the defense this offseason and it is almost impossible to envision them not improving a lot this season.
Ryan Nielsen should be able to get the most out of his players right away because he has plenty of veteran players to work with and, for the most part, doesn't need to rely on rookies to guide his unit.
Here is the prediction for who will lead the Falcons in each major statistic on defense.
Tackles for loss: Grady Jarrett
Unsurprisingly, Grady Jarrett led the Atlanta Falcons in tackles for loss last year. He had to do everything by himself, especially after Ta'Quon Graham went down with a season-ending injury.
We all know what Grady is capable of when he has no help around him but we do not know what he can do with help around him. We will finally see him get better matchups with the additions of David Onyemata and Calais Campbell.
With his quickness from the inside, he should be able to routinely force negative plays throughout the season.
Sacks: Arnold Ebiketie
Big things are coming from the former second-round pick out of Penn State, Arnold Ebiketie.
Ebiketie started off the year on a great note as he recorded his first NFL sack in week one against the Saints. He flashed over the next few weeks—especially against the 49ers as he smoked Mike McGlinchey—and then ended up fading as the year went on.
With a full year under his belt and more help around him (which seems like a common theme), I see him having a year to remember. Perhaps we see him become the first double-digit sack artist since Vic Beasley seven years ago.
Tackles: Troy Andersen
Troy Andersen has a lot on his plate in his second season as an NFL linebacker. The talent is obvious but he still struggled for much of his rookie year and is the biggest question mark on this defense.
Andersen's athleticism is incredible and now that he has some big guys in front of him, he should be able to rack up the tackles similar to how Foye Oluokun and Rashaan Evans did over the past couple of years.
There just aren't many players who will be able to run away from Troy Andersen. He just needs to improve his tackling strength and cut down on the missed tackles overall.
Passes defended: A.J. Terrell
For all three seasons that A.J. Terrell has been in the NFL, he has led the Atlanta Falcons in passes defended and there is no reason to think that will change.
Terrell has been one of the best cornerbacks over the past couple of years. He has practically been doing everything himself and has still managed to bat passes away. When Jeff Okudah returns, teams might have to start challenging Terrell more often which plays into the Falcons' hands.
Expect to see A.J. Terrell lead the Atlanta Falcons in PBUs for a fourth-straight season.
Interceptions: Jessie Bates III
The Atlanta Falcons are hoping to see an uptick in interceptions in 2023 after having just ten in 2022. Part of their formula to force more interceptions was signing Jessie Bates who has 14 career interceptions since he entered the league in 2018.
Even though the Bengals have been a Super Bowl-contending team over the past two seasons, this Falcons secondary might be the best one he has been a part of in his career. What that should do is allow him to roam the field and take advantage of tipped passes.
Bates is the most logical choice for leading the Atlanta Falcons in interceptions. He is one of the most intelligent players in the NFL which will help him force those turnovers.