PFF’s Bradley Locker recently listed seven teams that are under the most pressure to succeed in the upcoming 2024 season.
Amongst teams such as the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears, the Atlanta Falcons were mentioned.
It’s only the first year of Morris’ second stint as a head coach in Atlanta, but it feels like the franchise needs to turn a corner in 2024. With studs in Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts, a good offensive line and a defense that should still be solid, Atlanta has laid the groundwork to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years and has little reason not to compete for the NFC South crown
Atlanta has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons, not seeing the postseason since the 2017-2018 season, where they finished with a 10-6 record. The team has not won more than seven games since their last postseason appearance. Since their aforementioned 2017 season, the team has seen multiple woes. Suffering through a quarterback carousel after former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan was traded, as well as going through two head coaching changes.
In 2021, the Falcons hired former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, hoping for a change of pace. The team finished 7-10 for three straight seasons, during Smith’s tenure with Atlanta. When Week 18 of the 2023 season concluded, the team wasted little time relieving Smith of his coaching duties. Owner Arthur Blank and his staff would then set out to find a new head coach. In late January of this year, they would land a familiar face to the team, Raheem Morris. Morris would quickly assemble his staff, including Zac Robinson and Jimmy Lake, both colleagues of Morris during their time with the Los Angeles Rams.
In free agency in early March, the team would strike big early on. Signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four year, $180,000,000 contract. In the following days of free agency, they would add wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner amongst others. Atlanta would also dabble in the trade market when they acquired wide receiver Rondale Moore from the Arizona Cardinals, sending quarterback Desmond Ridder in return.
In the NFL Draft this past April, the team used their eighth overall pick on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Throughout the rest of the draft, general manager Terry Fontenot would round out the majority of the team’s remaining picks by selecting defensive players, such as Ruke Orhorhoro, Bralen Trice and Brandon Dorlus.
Atlanta’s defense last season, under former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, was graded as the 12th best overall. Now, Jimmy Lake comes over from the Rams and brings his base 3-4 defense to this side of the ball. The team did not add a premier pass rusher this offseason, further showing that they have a lot of faith in their current pass rush unit that includes third-year veteran Arnold Ebiketie, Lorenzo Carter, and rookie Bralen Trice. With All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III still in the secondary and Grady Jarrett set to return from injury, Atlanta’s defense looks to remain solid and surprise some people.
All signs point to Atlanta’s offense flying high, with new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson expected to use his 11 personnel package. Kirk Cousins has a plethora of weapons surrounding him, including Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. On top of that, Atlanta boasts the sixth-best offensive line in the NFL. With stud right guard Chris Lindstrom being the best offensive guard in the league, this offensive line should undoubtedly remain at the top of their game. Many expect wide receiver Drake London to see a breakout year catching passes from Cousins, as London has failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards since entering the league.
After dealing with multiple ups and downs, churning the barrel with quarterbacks like Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, this 2024 Falcons team looks poised to turn their franchise around. Whether it’s simply a division winning season or a deep playoff run, this new version of the Atlanta Falcons needs to succeed. With Raheem Morris and Kirk Cousins, there may be a new sense of hope for a fanbase desperate for some sort of success.
