2019 Atlanta Falcons Roster Review: Linebackers

The Falcons need help on defense. If they hope to get back to the postseason in the next few years behind the arm Matt Ryan and the hands of Julio Jones,

The Falcons need help on defense. If they hope to get back to the postseason in the next few years behind the arm Matt Ryan and the hands of Julio Jones, improvements must be made for a unit that finished 20th in the NFL in total defense in 2019.

Whether it be from a schematic, personnel or coaching perspective, something has to change. But maybe not at the linebacker position.

Of Atlanta’s defensive groups, the linebackers have the most potential for stability going into 2020, if they choose to bring back De’Vondre Campbell. Campbell led the team in tackles last season while playing 94.7 percent of the Falcons snaps, but is a free agent. If he is re-signed, he will be back in the starting lineup next to Deion Jones, who saw the field on 97.6 percent of Falcon defensive snaps.

Depending on what happens to Campbell, this unit could look very similar next season, but that’s not to eliminate the possibility of a new face lining up next to Jones.

Here’s a look at the Falcons linebacking corps.

Deion Jones

Jones is here to stay, and that is a good thing for the Falcons. With four years left on his contract, he is a prototypical new age linebacker--quick, versatile and explosive.

But it’s also fair to say Atlanta fans can expect more out of the LSU product.

Coming off an injury-hampered 2018, Jones posted a Pro Football Focus rating of 77 in 2019, a slight up-tick from 2018, but a far-cry from the rating of 87.3 he put up in 2017. Still, Pro Football Focus graded him out as the 10th best linebacker in the NFL just behind Bobby Okereke and Darius Leonard of the Colts while sliding in ahead of the Seahawks’ Bobby Wagner.

Though dependable, Jones was not as disruptive this season as he was in 2017, his last full year where he was selected to represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl in which he made 10 tackles for a loss and had three picks. In 2019, Jones had eight tackles for loss, one interception and no sacks.

Jones is hardly the problem with this Atlanta defense--it’s hard to criticize a top 10 player at his position, yet if the Falcons are going to make it back into top half of the league’s defenses, they’re going to need him return to his disruptive ways.

De’Vondre Campbell (Free Agent)

The team’s leading tackler from 2019, Campbell is set to hit the market as the league’s 70th best linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus.

At best, Campbell qualifies as a solid linebacker, but nothing more. Pro Football Focus evaluated him as a middle of the road pass rusher, an above average run stopper but a sub-par pass defender in 2019.

What the Falcons choose to do with Campbell remains to be seen. Given the recent news that Vic Beasley will not be returning to Atlanta in 2020, bringing Campbell back becomes more realistic from a financial situation, but Austin Hooper remains a free agent. Many believe Hooper is the main priority this offseason for the Falcons, so if Arthur Blank chooses to spend big on the tight end, Campbell may be looking for a different team.

Whether the Falcons should bring Campbell back is a completely different story. On one hand, if Atlanta can keep their young leading tackler for a reasonable price, why wouldn’t they? Yet retaining Campbell could also be viewed as complacent. The fact that the 70th best player at his position is so valuable on this team helps explain why Atlanta finished 20th in total defense last year.

Do the Falcons get better on defense if Campbell re-signs? That is the question the Falcons front office will look to answer as they turn the page to 2020.

Foyesade Oluokon

When Jones broke his foot in 2018, Oluokon filled in admirably, coming just seven tackles shy of the team lead despite only starting in only seven contests. In 2019, the second-year ‘backer out of Yale saw a decrease in statistical output, but remained a valuable asset both on defense and special teams as he racked up 55 tackles and a pair of tackles for loss on the season.

In his first of three starting appearances, he led the team in tackles as the Falcons knocked off the Saints while holding the eventual division-champions to just nine points. Beyond defense, Oluokon has proved his worth to the Falcons on special teams, recovering onside kicks in key junctions late in games.

By no means is Oluokon a solution to the Falcons defensive issues, but he is also not part of the problem. For playing just 30 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, he proved in 2019 that he can provide depth in the linebacker room, something that may prove vital if Campbell does not return.

The best part is Oluokon doesn’t contribute to the Falcons cap space headache. He is under contract for two more seasons with an annual salary not exceeding $1 million.

Ahmad Thomas

Thomas has made just one tackle during his two year NFL career that began in Indianapolis. After landing on the injury reserve early this season with the Colts, he was let go and landed on the Falcons roster. After finally getting healthy, Thomas was promoted to the active roster in mid-December.

Coming out of Oklahoma as a safety, Thomas has bounced around the league, starting out as an undrafted free agent with the Raiders in 2017, a practice squad player with the Packers before landing with the Colts and eventually the Falcons.

As the fourth linebacker on the roster, if Campbell were to walk, Thomas would suddenly be one play away from being a starter. For that reason, Atlanta must pursue more depth at the position this offseason.