Falcons Center Competition: Who Starts For Atlanta?

Drew Dalman and Matt Hennessy competed for the starting job throughout camp.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 6, 2022

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are putting their finishing touches on the offseason with their season opener against the New Orleans Saints just days away.

One of those touches involves naming a starting center between 2020 third-round pick Matt Hennessy and 2021 fourth-round pick Drew Dalman. Head coach Arthur Smith has kept his cards close to the vest when it comes to who has an edge in the competition, but a clue may have dropped during Monday's practice.

Dalman was taking initial first-team reps over Hennessy, a sign that he may start Sunday's opener against the Saints, but there isn't a guarantee. As of the time of publication, a depth chart hasn't been released, but Dalman's strong camp and first-team reps in Monday's practice lead us to believe he could be the winner.

Dalman, 23, appeared in every game on special teams during his rookie season but didn't earn any starts. He saw the majority of his work with the offense in Weeks 12 and 13, when the Falcons rotated him and Hennessy throughout the contests.

Given the pair's similarities in age and development, whoever ends up as the team's starter could have a quick hook if he underperforms.

So Dalman may have the edge at the beginning of the season, but as it has been all offseason long, the depth chart at the center position is fluid.

All answers will be official come Sunday when the Falcons take on the Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Published Sep 6, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.