With The First Pick
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Atlanta Falcons rearranging the defensive front-7

By Carl Cockerham

Nov 29, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) escapes a sack by Atlanta Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley Jr. (44) during the first half at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) escapes a sack by Atlanta Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley Jr. (44) during the first half at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Leaving 2015 1st-round pick Vic Beasley at the Leo position isn’t the best way to go for 2016. Beasley is the freak athlete you want coming off the edge for you but he’s a little light in the booty. On first and second down, opposing teams could simply run the ball his way and have success.

Plus he’s been worn down at times in 2015, running into a 330 pound left tackle all game long. That’s why Leos are in the 270-pound range as they are just as much a DE as they are an OLB. And for reasons more than Beasley at Leo, the Atlanta Falcons stop the run and rush the passer better in 2016.

So the Falcons started the 2016 free agency loading up in both departments by re-signing DE Adrian Clayborn, bringing back ILB Sean Weatherspoon Back and signing DE Derrick Shelby. Then on Friday, the Falcons may have given us a clue what they’re doing when they acquried Courtney Upshaw on Friday.

Upshaw excelled as an edge-setter in Baltimore with Elvis Dumerville going in on pass-rushing situations. At 6’2″, 272 pounds, Upshaw lacks the athleticism to cover or rush the passer. So he’s probably being brought in to play the Leo on run downs with Clayborn at the base end.

That way Beasley can move to strongside OLB then line up at DE in the Falcons passing sub-packages. Shelby, a situational pass rusher himself, can go to the opposite end on this sub-packages while Clayborn kicks inside to tackle. Weatherspoon of course, remains at ILB and the front-7 looks much better.

We’ll see what the Falcons actually do with the draft still coming up but that’s what it looks like.

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