TheRisen999 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 The Falcons have so many holes on the roster that the cornerback position can sometimes get lost in the shuffle, but don’t kid yourself, it is a pressing need that will need addressing this offseason. AJ Terrell can be penciled in for the next decade, and Atlanta returns Casey Hayward, who missed a majority of the 2022 campaign with a shoulder injury. Darren Hall played admirably when thrust into a prominent role, but it would be a shame if the Falcons went into the 2023 season with him as a third corner. Hayward is aging; Hall hasn’t developed at a rate that projects starting capability. In today’s NFL, teams need three starters and at least one reliable reserve player. Hall projects to be that backup, so the starting nickel role is vacant with Isaiah Oliver hitting free agency. Terry Fontenot even stated at the NFL Combine how important of a position the nickel has become. It’s true. Positionless football is taking over. Hybrid defenders that are used in the correct systems have become the most valuable players. The nickel position requires a certain amount of versatility, depending on the system. Generally, they’re tasked with more coverage than linebackers and more run defense than boundary corners. Safeties and corners can man the slot, and the Falcons have plenty of options. The only thing standing in that path is new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Dean Pees would’ve advocated for Oliver returning, but the new staff might not be so inclined. There are potential free agent options like Chauncy Gardner-Johnson, who is an elite player and has familiarity with Terry Fontenot and Atlanta’s coordinator. There is also the possibility the Falcons fill the void before free agency. Brian Branch is an enticing prospect and would slot in perfectly. On a defense with Will Anderson, Branch was the payer I noticed most on the Crimson Tide defense. He’s incredibly versatile and plays with a mean streak, though some might argue that #8 would be a bit overzealous. Regardless, the Falcons will have to address the nickel position. Personally I’d just resign Oliver, bring back Hayward, Draft Gonzalez, Witherspoon or Porter Jr. at 8 to pair with Terrell, Alford and see what we have in Jamal Peters. I’d also try to bring in Jessie Bates to go with Richie Grant .. Boom secondary fixed. For those that don’t know this is Jamal Peters he was the best CB in the CFL a year ago. He’s a guy they’ll be trying to bring along the same way they did with Dee Alford. Former Argonauts cornerback Jamal Peters signs futures contract with Falcons Canadian PressJanuary 9, 2023, 9:25 PM FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Jamal Peters, who led the CFL in interceptions this past season and helped the Toronto Argonauts win the Grey Cup, signed a futures deal Monday with the Atlanta Falcons. The American defensive back was among 18 players signed by the NFL Falcons. The six-foot-two, 220-pound Peters had a CFL-high six interceptions last season with the Grey Cup-champion Argos. Peters, 26, started 15 games with Toronto, registering 57 tackles and a sack en route to being named a league all-star. He added eight tackles and a forced fumble in Toronto’s two playoff games. Peters signed with Toronto in 2021. He appeared in eight games that year, recording 32 tackles and an interception. Peters played collegiately at Mississippi State. He was bypassed in the 2019 NFL draft and signed as free agent with the Indianapolis Colts before being released with an injury settlement. PokerSteve and Chitown2ATL_Falcon 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDaLuvMaker Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 I'd rather Falcons re-sign Oliver. He's one of the most underrated NBs in the NFL. Falcon fan 4 ever, Freddies 3rd Cuz, BtK and 7 others 7 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLSlobberKnockers Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 4 minutes ago, DonDaLuvMaker said: I'd rather Falcons re-sign Oliver. He's one of the most underrated NBs in the NFL. Which is so odd to me because looking at him he screams boundary. He shouldn't be too expensive to keep BUT if someone else.wants to pay him let them TheRisen999, ShoNuff and DonDaLuvMaker 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDaLuvMaker Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 (edited) As for Jamal Peters, he is one huge corner at 6'2 220 lbs. I think he'll serve more as a boundary CB. Edited March 2 by DonDaLuvMaker TheRisen999 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade C Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Witherspoon or Gonzales would be welcome additions but Branch is the one I covet. Eye bulging stats but the biggest: 3 MISSED TACKLES in 2022. This while playing 569 of his 768 snaps from the slot. 89.5 overall grade. He's a player that instantly upgrades your D. I believe Oliver will be resigned and that is good for us, IF we can sign Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (whom I also covet) I am good, but if we do not Branch is my wish at 8. Tim Mazetti 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDaLuvMaker Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Just now, ATLSlobberKnockers said: Which is so odd to me because looking at him he screams boundary. He shouldn't be too expensive to keep BUT if someone else.wants to pay him let them Yep, I don't think he'll be unreasonable contract wise though unless for some reason the CB market explodes rediculously like how the WR market did last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriMeTiiMe Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 1 minute ago, Wade C said: Witherspoon or Gonzales would be welcome additions but Branch is the one I covet. Eye bulging stats but the biggest: 3 MISSED TACKLES in 2022. This while playing 569 of his 768 snaps from the slot. 89.5 overall grade. He's a player that instantly upgrades your D. I believe Oliver will be resigned and that is good for us, IF we can sign Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (whom I also covet) I am good, but if we do not Branch is my wish at 8. Love Branch but he only makes sense if you plan to play him like a CGJ at both NB and S. If we sign Bates I think that makes getting branch kind of pointless and would be better off targeting a boundary CB. Can't be spending a premium pick on a guy that will be relegated to just NB. TheRisen999 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_The Iceman_Ryan Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 (edited) Depending on what happens at S...he's already on the roster...Richie Grant #1 DB (CB and S) in NFL with 20% min snaps in slot coverage QB Rating (43.5) Isaiah Oliver was #19 in NFL, #11 among CBs...also #18 among all DBs in run defense....thats a solid option New DC plays 70%+ of snaps with 5 DBs on the field, most recently with 3 S looks... Would love to poach both S from CIN, Bates and Bell and roll with Bates, Bell (#11 in slot coverage QB Rating) and Grant in those looks with Oliver being next man up in the slot. Look at Bates snap % and defensive grades...Bates in a down year was still 6th in run defense grade. He's the perfect FS (single high) for us and look at Bell, what a get if we can get him...he's done well in the box, at FS and in slot...it would make our back end very fluid with little "gaps/weaknesses" Ideal off-season on defense" Jessie Bates FS Vonn Bell SS Dalvin Tomlinson DT Marcus Davenport EDGE Offensively - resign McGary, bring in Nate Davis, vet backup QB (would love MR2 for $4-5million) and grab a solid vet #2 (maybe Corey Davis gets cut by NYJ, system knowledge and fit) Anything else is gravy... Edited March 2 by Matt_The Iceman_Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killing Floor Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Ok. Let’s see what he can do. Let me be perfectly clear, Hayward sucks, Oliver sucks, Grant sucks. AJ is the only one trying in our secondary. And it’s been hard to read all these glowing reports of 5’9 DB prospects. It’s time to sign football players. Not spectators. 220# means he’s not getting stiff armed by a 190# receiver. Time to make signings with the singular goal of winning. Let’s go. Welcome to Atlanta, Peters. Good luck. Eyes on the Rise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_The Iceman_Ryan Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 8 minutes ago, PriMeTiiMe said: Love Branch but he only makes sense if you plan to play him like a CGJ at both NB and S. If we sign Bates I think that makes getting branch kind of pointless and would be better off targeting a boundary CB. Can't be spending a premium pick on a guy that will be relegated to just NB. Branch is good...but I dont think he's the best Bama DB in the draft...I would take Battle in the 2nd or 3rd round over Branch at #8...better ROI.... This Free Agency is deep at secondary and weak at DL, so we need to take advantage of that based on our "rookie QB contract" window....spend in the secondary.... I like the DL/EDGE guys at the top of the draft better than the secondary Tim Mazetti 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aluminafalcon Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Why not both Oliver and branch? Yes we need an edge but there really isn’t one in free agency and everyone after Anderson has a lot of development to do. Secure your secondary and write contracts so we can sign a top tier passer rusher next off season with minimum restructuring. Wade C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade C Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 this ZoneOne01 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDaLuvMaker Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 5 hours ago, Killing Floor said: Ok. Let’s see what he can do. Let me be perfectly clear, Hayward sucks, Oliver sucks, Grant sucks. AJ is the only one trying in our secondary. And it’s been hard to read all these glowing reports of 5’9 DB prospects. It’s time to sign football players. Not spectators. 220# means he’s not getting stiff armed by a 190# receiver. Time to make signings with the singular goal of winning. Let’s go. Welcome to Atlanta, Peters. Good luck. Oliver is actually pretty decent. Grant's style of play fits more as a SS than a FS. Get Bates/CJGJ and move Grant to SS. Hawkins is best suited for depth. Hayward was doing well and was a significant blow to the defense when he was lost for the season. Armstrong kept getting burnt in coverage all season opposite of Terrell. Killing Floor and Lethal 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethal Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 6 minutes ago, DonDaLuvMaker said: Oliver is actually pretty decent. Grant's style of play fits more as a SS than a FS. Get Bates/CJGJ and move Grant to SS. Hawkins is best suited for depth. Hayward was doing well and was a significant blow to the defense when he was lost for the season. Armstrong kept getting burnt in coverage all season opposite of Terrell. Would you cut Hayward and spend the savings on Peterson? That's the direction I think I wanna go. Nothing against Casey but... ATLSlobberKnockers and DonDaLuvMaker 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDaLuvMaker Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 29 minutes ago, Lethal said: Would you cut Hayward and spend the savings on Peterson? That's the direction I think I wanna go. Nothing against Casey but... Yeah, I would as well. Peterson is quite a bit better at this point in their careers. Lethal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoneOne01 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 47 minutes ago, Wade C said: this Good video and yeah he’d be good at Nickel. ATLSlobberKnockers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoNuff Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 7 hours ago, ATLSlobberKnockers said: Which is so odd to me because looking at him he screams boundary. He shouldn't be too expensive to keep BUT if someone else.wants to pay him let them @ATLSlobberKnockers - I too is hoping the Falcons bring back Oliver. In fact, I do not expect another team to "pay him". I am wondering how much money it will take to bring Oliver back. Tim Mazetti 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLSlobberKnockers Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 20 hours ago, DonDaLuvMaker said: Yep, I don't think he'll be unreasonable contract wise though unless for some reason the CB market explodes rediculously like how the WR market did last year. That made no sense to me after 3 consecutive WR heavy drafts in a row. Just draft one ffs. DonDaLuvMaker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLSlobberKnockers Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 14 hours ago, Lethal said: Would you cut Hayward and spend the savings on Peterson? That's the direction I think I wanna go. Nothing against Casey but... Yes. That injury at his age concerns me Lethal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLSlobberKnockers Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 19 hours ago, Aluminafalcon said: Why not both Oliver and branch? Yes we need an edge but there really isn’t one in free agency and everyone after Anderson has a lot of development to do. Secure your secondary and write contracts so we can sign a top tier passer rusher next off season with minimum restructuring. And it would still help pass rush via coverage sacks Aluminafalcon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.