The Falcoholic
How do things look for the current starting lineup, beyond just grim?
Last week, I took a post-free agency shot at determining which way the arrow was pointing for Atlanta’s likely offensive starters, and it was largely a positive exercise with a clear lineup. Now we turn our attention to the defense, where the free agent signings may not be over with, the future is cloudier ahead of the draft, and the vibes are a bit less positive.
Still, let’s work our way through the potential starting lineup today to determine who looks good coming out of the first couple of waves of free agency and who could be in danger of losing a starting job or just struggling. Special teams will come later this week.
God help me, I like Ruke Orhorhoro. There’s real skill here that we barely got to see a year ago, and Ruke’s nastiness against the run is badly needed on this front. There’s absolutely no question in my mind that after being hurt and sitting in mothballs throughout 2024, Ruke is going to effectively be a starter up front.
While we’ve been burnt by expecting too much of young defensive linemen many times in the past, I have the modest goal of seeing Orhorhoro play a lot of snaps, improve his pass rush ability in year two, and be a plus contributor against the run. I think all of that is within reach, and there was really nowhere to go but up regardless.
Playing with virtually no help opposite him much of the past couple of seasons, Ebiketie has flashed real skill and has turned slow starts into blistering finishes. It’s evident that Ebiketie is the most talented pass rusher in this EDGE group—Floyd has been a better producer, but he’s played on stronger defenses—and just needs to figure out a way to get going earlier in the year to flirt with double digit sacks.
Playing with a slow-footed Matthew Judon and a rotation full of stopgap starters, and with injuries and dips in play hurting the line, Ebiketie still cashed in six sacks a year ago and was giving offensive lines fits over the back half of the season. With even modest improvement up front, something I expect like a big idiot, the arrow is definitely pointing up for a talented player entering a contract season.
Speaking of modest improvement, Elliss is now going to have the luxury of playing next to a linebacker who is not a complete liability in coverage. He’s going to be working with a younger, hopefully deeper front and an EDGE group that isn’t Ebiketie and some liabilities. None of that is going to add up to drastic improvement up front, but importantly, it should mean Elliss is asked to do less of what he’s bad at (coverage, primarily) and more of what he does well (chipping in against the run, rushing the...
