The Atlanta Falcons opened training camp on July 26 at the team's practice facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The Falcons finished the 2020 season 4-12, last in the NFC South. They fired head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff in the middle of last season and hired first-time head coach Arthur Smith and first-time general manager Terry Fontenot. Atlanta returns 15 starters on offense and defense from last year's team. Here's a pre-camp 53-man roster projection.
QUARTERBACK (2): Matt Ryan, AJ McCarron
This is pretty simple. Ryan is the clear starter -- although we'll see what happens after the 2021 season. The Falcons signed McCarron to be the backup and unless Feleipe Franks surprises in training camp, he's likely ticketed for the practice squad.
RUNNING BACK (4): Mike Davis, Cordarrelle Patterson, Qadree Ollison, Caleb Huntley
This is a group with a lot of questions. Davis is the likely No. 1 here, but he never has had more than 165 carries in a season. Patterson can be used anywhere, and Ollison has talent. Considering the roster and the rotation, Huntley ends up as a surprise in training camp and makes the team, but this is a spot where a veteran addition could make sense.
FULLBACK (1): Keith Smith
Arthur Smith likes to run the ball. We saw that in Tennessee. With the Titans, Smith used Khari Blasingame as his guy. Keith Smith should fill that role, unless they decide to use a tight end in a hybrid situation.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage, Olamide Zaccheaus, Tajae Sharpe, Chris Rowland, Frank Darby
Beyond Ridley and Gage this is a mystery position and will be sorted in training camp. It might be heavy on receivers -- the Falcons could easily go with five -- but it's also a space for growth. Like running back, if a veteran is brought in it could shake up the room, but Zaccheaus is an intriguing talent who had a role in 2020. Sharpe is a veteran who is familiar with Smith and his system. Darby is a draft pick with explosive downfield ability. Keeping Rowland over Christian Blake is a versatility play but that'll be sorted in training camp. A bottom-of-the-roster name to watch could be rookie Austin Trammell, perhaps on the practice squad.
TIGHT END (3): Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst, Lee Smith
This feels pretty set. Pitts and Hurst are the team's top two tight ends, and Arthur Smith has talked about a specific role for Lee Smith a lot. That usually bodes well for a player, plus the Falcons traded for him in March. Atlanta could go with four tight ends here if it chooses to move away from a fullback or lighter at wide receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINE (8): Jake Matthews, Chris Lindstrom, Matt Hennessy, Josh Andrews, Kaleb McGary, Jalen Mayfield, Drew Dalman, Matt Gono
This feels like on the offensive line, but the versatility of Mayfield, Dalman and Gono give Atlanta some flexibility here. Easy to see a way a veteran interior lineman such as Willie Beavers, Willie Wright, William Sweet or Sam Jones works his way onto the team or becomes a priority practice squad player. Who would win a potential ninth job would be determined in training camp.
DEFENSIVE LINE (7): Grady Jarrett, John Cominsky, Marlon Davidson, Deadrin Senat, Tyeler Davison, Ta'Quon Graham, Jonathan Bullard
This feels pretty locked in as a unit. Jarrett is one of the NFL's best interior defensive linemen; Davison was a starter last year. Davidson has a bunch of potential, and Cominsky and Senat provide depth. Graham is a versatile rookie who can play across the line. Bullard could push for a spot here. John Atkins, signed after the last OTA, has some playing experience as well.
LINEBACKER (8): Deion Jones, Foyesade Oluokun, Mykal Walker, Brandon Copeland, Steven Means, Dante Fowler Jr., Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, Adetokunbo Ogundeji
The edge rushers are included in here instead of with the defensive line, which is why it is so deep in numbers. Between the line and linebackers, things could flip -- both in numbers kept and who is there. Unless an undrafted rookie surprisingly wins a job, the inside linebacker group of Jones, Oloukun, Walker and Copeland feels fairly solid, and there's depth from the outside linebackers. The question is how the production will be. Like running back and receiver, this feels like a spot Atlanta could add.
CORNERBACK (6): A.J. Terrell, Fabian Moreau, Isaiah Oliver, Darren Hall, Kendall Sheffield, Avery Williams
Terrell and Moreau seem like they are certainties as Moreau worked as a starter through a lot of the open-to-the-media practices in the spring. Oliver can play inside or outside and started 12 games last year. Hall and Williams are draft picks with versatility, and Williams could end up as a returner as well. Sheffield started nine games in 2020.
SAFETY (5): Erik Harris, Duron Harmon, Richie Grant, Jaylinn Hawkins, T.J. Green
This is a surprisingly deep group. Harris and Harmon are veterans from other teams. Grant, the team's second-round pick, is the future at the position. Hawkins was the team's fourth-round pick last year. At age 23, Grant and Hawkins could be the future.
SPECIALISTS (3): Younghoe Koo, Sterling Hofrichter, Josh Harris
Koo and Harris should be on the team. Koo might be as much of a lock as Matt Ryan. Hofrichter could see some competition in camp from Dom Maggio, but for now we go with the incumbent.