2020 Atlanta Falcons Season Preview: Deone Bucannon

The Falcons have a solid versatile player in their back pocket for the 2020 season.

It’s two things that the Falcons showed a huge interest in this offseason.

Former first round picks, and versatile players.

That’s right down Deone Bucannon’s alley, as the Falcons signed the former 2014 first round pick earlier in the offseason.

With the defense being a vocal point for the team, adding a player like Bucannon makes perfect sense for depth at the linebacker position.

2019 Recap

Bucannon has been on three different teams since being drafted in 2014, and two of them in 2019.

After signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, Bucannon’s role was strictly on special teams. That didn’t last for long, as he was cut early in the season.

Just a few weeks later, the Giants signed him for the rest of the year.

Bucannon was able to play a role in their defense and showcase his defensive versatility. With him having the versatility to play linebacker and safety, he could be anywhere on the field.

2020 Preview

The Falcons linebacker core has been bolstered this offseason with the departure of De’Vondre Campbell.

There will be multiple players competing for his spot next to Deion Jones, such as Foye Oluokun, Mykal Walker, and LaRoy Reynolds.

Bucannon will be in that mix as well, but he’ll also be able to compete at the safety position if the Falcons feel as if they need extra bodies at that position.

At 6’1 and 211 pounds, he doesn’t offer the same size as most linebackers in the league, but he’s fast and physical enough to play in big nickel packages.

Jones has been the same type of linebacker for the Falcons and has managed to be one of the best in the league at what he does.

You may be losing a lot of beef on your defense if Bucannon and Jones are playing next to each other, but you’ll get two players that both have great sideline to sideline speed.

One of the most underrated things about Bucannon is that he’s only 27, so he still has a lot left in the tank. He may also have a lot to prove after being on multiple teams in such a short time.

If Bucannon is able to perform at high level, this will be a solid low risk, high reward for the Falcons.

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