Polian: Beasley To Struggle As Role-Playing Rookie

[FentayeJones]

FLOWERY BRANCH — Former NFL executive Bill Polian drafted two of the best pass rushers of the last decade in Dwight Freeney and Atlanta native Robert Mathis.

Freeney was selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2002 draft out of Syracuse. Mathis, who played at Alabama A&M and McNair High, was selected in the fifth round of the 2003 draft. Freeney has 111.5 career sacks and Mathis has 111 career sacks.

Polian believes that Falcons rookie Vic Beasley will struggle his first year in the league.

“Vic Beasley, obviously, was brought in to be a pass rusher,” Polian said on the Late Hits show on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday. “He’ll probably struggle for the first half of the season. All rookies do. Dwight Freeney did. Robert Mathis did. Most of them do.”

Beasley remains the Falcons lone unsigned draft pick, but he attended the open session of the OTAs on Tuesday. Polian gave some insight into the contract impasse between Beasley and the Falcons.

“I’m pretty sure that it has to do with the guarantee of the fifth year,” Polian said. “That’s usually what the agents argue over.”

Polian believes it was a good move by Beasley, who he expects to be a role player, to attend OTAs.

“Missing OTAs is not a good idea for a rookie who’s going to be a role player in the first instance anyway,” Polian said. “He’s not ready to play every down in the National Football League just yet.”

A caller wanted Polian to predict the Falcons’ record for 2015. The six-time executive of the year winner, who’s set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, doesn’t really do the prediction thing.

However, he did offer some insights on some of the Falcons’ offseason moves.

On the offense: “The area that Atlanta needed to improve was on the offensive line, which was decimated last year. At tight end, they improved marginally there with Jacob Tamme, who is very good receiver. He’s a receiving tight end.”

On the running back situation: “Tevin Coleman at running back is an improvement because it gives Devonta Freeman someone who can give him a break. Terron Ward, I’m interested in seeing. That will sort itself out. As long as they stay healthy, they are pretty good (at running back).” (Ward is a undrafted rookie from Oregon State.)

On the defense: “When you go to defense, that is where the biggest jump has to come. If this team is going to improve, their new coach has to install the defensive system and they have to find people who can play it. Grady Jarrett and Joey Mbu, I think were good additions. (Paul) Soliai was a good addition (in 2014). Adrian Clayborn, on balance, a good addition.” (Mbu is a undrafted rookie from Houston.)

On the secondary: “For me the question marks would remain in the secondary where Jalen Collins, you hate to play a rookie at safety with a steady diet, but he may be the guy who has to go in there, given what they’ve got. At cornerback, (Robert) Alford and (Desmond) Trufant are pretty good starters. Somebody has to emerge as a nickel back. We’ll see what happens there.”

Key to 2015: “If they can improve the defense over what it was last year — that’s a virtual lock because it was so bad last year that it couldn’t get any worse — if they can improve it to some degree, then they have a chance because with Matt Ryan, those running backs, Julio Jones, Roddy White, etcetera, they’ve got a pretty good offense as long as they can protect Matt Ryan.”

Kind of a click-bait title to the story but a decent read.

http://atlantafalcons.blog.ajc.com/2015/05/28/polian-beasley-to-struggle-as-role-playing-rookie/

[Knight of God]

DLed hopes he fails and Gurley succeeds.

[Lornoth]

So he basically said every single rookie struggles; the first half of the year, anyway. Which is true enough.

That being said, F D-Led. He puts out so much negative stuff about us, it's ridiculous. What's worse is none of it ever makes any sense,

[AndySG]

Tru really needs to make a pro bowl so people start taking him seriously. That seems to be what sticks with people. I know this was meant as a compliment, but "pretty good starter" and essentially having him at the same level as Alf (who I like) is really underrating him.

[FentayeJones]

DLed hopes he fails and Gurley succeeds.

You're probably right. If I'm not mistaken he said taking Beasley at 8 was a reach with Gurley still on the board.

[RHEC]

Beasley could struggle or he doesn't and ends up being defense rookie of the year.

[PK Manley]

I can't decide if DLed listening to a radio show and quoting it for his entire article is an upgrade or a downgrade to his usual articles.

Upgrade, I guess, but still pretty sad.

[Drunken Minotaur Zebra]

DLed hopes he fails and Gurley succeeds.

Seriously man... DLed went from a punchline, but a sweet, soft-spoken punchline that we could laugh about, now he is just a bitter a-hole lol

[Knight of God]

Seriously man... DLed went from a punchline, but a sweet, soft-spoken punchline that we could laugh about, now he is just a bitter a-hole lol

He's not even funny anymore. Never took him as sweet and soft spoken though. I know not one member of Omega Psi Phi who is sweet and soft spoken. (Que Dog).

[Culain_04]

D-Loser is a joke, nothing he says can be taken seriously.

[JDaveG]

D-Led is going to be so humiliated. It's almost sad to see a guy self-destruct like this. Smith left, he pouted. Quinn came in and treats D-Led like a village idiot (with significant good cause to do so). D-Led starts thinking we're going to make a colossally stupid pick of Gurley at 8 passing up several good pass rushers in the process. Doesn't happen. D-Led starts talking about Beasley as a situational rusher and slots him to play WLB. Everyone laughs and laughs and laughs. D-Led doubles down on the stupidity by quoting Polian, who is a brilliant GM, but has no idea what Quinn's plans for Beasley are.

Mark this -- if Beasley gets to the passer, he will be utilized by this coaching staff. If he struggles, he'll be situational until he stops struggling, but he's far and away the most talented rusher on this line. There is no way -- no way -- he is not in the plans to work in as a significant part of our pass rush, and eventually (like, before the end of the season) be our primary pass rushing threat. D-Led ought to know this, but he keeps digging the hole deeper, which is going to make him look a lot more stupid when Beasley turns into a nightmare for opposing QBs.

[JayOzOne]

I can't decide if DLed listening to a radio show and quoting it for his entire article is an upgrade or a downgrade to his usual articles.

Upgrade, I guess, but still pretty sad.

The man got paid to summarize a radio interview. Don't hate him because he's a pimp. Hate the tricks who are paying him.

[capologist]

DLed hopes he fails and Gurley succeeds.

[atljbo]

DLed hopes he fails and Gurley succeeds.

i really believe that

[atljbo]

Joey Mbu is a big NT ive heard good things about ... The guy is mainly a run stopping NT that takes up 2 blockers be if he can develop..

[A Dog Named Brian]

I wish I could get paid to point out the obvious

[Mid-Nite-Toker]

Polian said that they usually struggle, but he said the 1st half...not the entire season.

Beasley could still make a huge contribution.

[falcon82111]

So he basically said every single rookie struggles; the first half of the year, anyway. Which is true enough.

That being said, F D-Led. He puts out so much negative stuff about us, it's ridiculous. What's worse is none of it ever makes any sense,

I expect Beasley to struggle the first 5 or 6 games of the season, every rookie does for the most part. As far as D-Led is concerned, just look at how he talks and dresses. Enough said!!!!! If AJC had any logic, they would hire someone else. Dude always messes up his reports on ajc.com

[DonDaLuvMaker]

D-Led has always struggled as a beat-writer.

The guy is an embarassment. He thought that Beasley's role was WLB. How can you get paid just to cover a team, but yet still end up knowing absolutely nothing about them?

[MR Falcon]

I hope Coleman gets more yards while sharing reps with Freman than Gurley gets as the main guy.

[hjerry]

This reminds me, what happened to Mono making that Dled meme?

Bitter about being wrong

Tries to find people that agree with him

lol

[blizzard_falcon]

Joey Mbu is a big NT ive heard good things about ... The guy is mainly a run stopping NT that takes up 2 blockers be if he can develop..

Yeah, I'm hoping we can stash him on the practice squad and groom him to be Soliai's eventual replacement in 1-2 seasons. Definitely a risk to keep a "priority" UDFA on the PS, though.

Also interested to see if any of the other running backs on the roster, like Ward, can make a push for the Final 53. Kyle Shanahan has historically only used 3 running backs and 1 fullback, but you never know.

[MayorWest13]

Yeah, I'm hoping we can stash him on the practice squad and groom him to be Soliai's eventual replacement in 1-2 seasons. Definitely a risk to keep a "priority" UDFA on the PS, though.

Also interested to see if any of the other running backs on the roster, like Ward, can make a push for the Final 53. Kyle Shanahan has historically only used 3 running backs and 1 fullback, but you never know.

He needs to go on the final roster I bet he would be scooped up if on the practice squad

[Knight of God]

Yeah, I'm hoping we can stash him on the practice squad and groom him to be Soliai's eventual replacement in 1-2 seasons. Definitely a risk to keep a "priority" UDFA on the PS, though.

Also interested to see if any of the other running backs on the roster, like Ward, can make a push for the Final 53. Kyle Shanahan has historically only used 3 running backs and 1 fullback, but you never know.

Nah, he needs to just bump someone and bumping needs to become a common theme.