Falcons DE Calais Campbell 'Big Fan' of New Teammates Jessie Bates, David Onyemata

Calais Campbell loves what the Atlanta Falcons have done this offseason, signing Jessie Bates and David Onyemata to fortify the defense.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 5, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell loves the direction the team is going in and the vision for how they will return to contention.

Part of that vision includes the team's stellar free agency haul, headlined by Campbell, Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III and New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata.

Perhaps signing Bates and Onyemata was part of the reason why Campbell followed suit to join the Falcons.

“I’m a big fan of Jessie Bates,” Campbell said. “We played within the same division and (were) competing. I just love the way he plays football. Onyemata, another guy that I have respect for. He’s made a lot of plays.”

Bates, Campbell and Onyemata represent veteran leadership that this defense has lacked in recent seasons. Sure, Grady Jarrett was there to anchor the defensive line, but now he has help in the form of fellow veterans and a new defensive coordinator in Ryan Nielsen, who specializes in developing defensive linemen.

Ultimately, the Falcons' 2023 season will be defined by two things ... quarterback play and defense. While Bates, Campbell and Onyemata can't control how Desmond Ridder or Taylor Heinicke performs, they have power in how much the defense improves this season. If they can make the plays necessary to take some of the pressure off whoever is under center, the Falcons can be serious about returning to the playoffs for the first time in six years.

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Published Apr 5, 2023

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.