Flick's Forum: Will Falcons Draft Pass Rush or Secondary in First Round?

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot knows his team has plenty of room for improvement at both pass rusher and secondary - but which will he address first?

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Atlanta Falcons have a wealth of resources to spend this offseason, including the second-most cap space at some $65 million and the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

But according to Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, this isn't necessarily a luxury.

"When you have a lot of cap space, there's a reason you have a lot of cap space - that means you have a lot of work to do," Fontenot said. "We have to add to every position, every phase."

And so, the question becomes - which position becomes the priority?

Much of this will be determined in free agency, but word gets around at the NFL Scouting Combine, and some of it involves the Falcons.

All of the talk in Indianapolis has centered around how many talented pass rushers are in this class - there are players of all shapes and sizes, whatever flavor may be preferred for a certain team.

This is particularly relevant to Atlanta, of which Fontenot said Tuesday that "it doesn't matter how you get to the quarterback," whether it be with power or quickness.

Further, Atlanta's third-year general manager has stressed time and again that pass rush can be generated from both the inside and outside, adding to the idea of versatility and flexibility in solutions up front.

"When we talk about pass rush, it's not just about the defensive line or the defensive tackles or the defensive ends, you want to add everywhere," Fontenot told Falcon Report.

And in this case, "everywhere" is quite literal - because as opposed to previous comments made at the East-West Shrine Bowl, Fontenot pivoted to the value of coverage in helping the pass rush.

"No matter how quick you're getting to the quarterback, if your coverage isn't good, it doesn't matter, they can get rid of the ball quick," Fontenot said. "So, you want versatile players, but you have to make sure you're approving your whole defense and you're not just focusing on one area, because it's a total picture."

Is it possible that further evaluation of the depth at pass rusher and high-end talent at cornerback has led Fontenot down a different path?

According to Pro Football Focus, the Falcons have been doing an "overwhelming amount of work" on the defensive backs, largely corners and nickels.

Of the nickel/safety hybrid role Fontenot called it "critical" ... which becomes particularly intriguing when considering that Alabama's Brian Branch is the class's best "star" defensive back.

Branch, an Atlanta native and projected top-20 pick, met with the Falcons on Thursday night and said that it would be "huge" and "very comfortable" to play for his local team.

But to some, Branch is extreme at pick No. 8 overall, where the Falcons currently sit - but that's where the talent-heavy corner class once again becomes a key part of the conversation.

Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon are viewed as the two best corners and plausible top-10 selections; Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. isn't far behind.

Gonzalez shared that Falcons corner A.J. Terrell is one of his favorite players to watch, and Atlanta receiver Drake London was his toughest matchup in college; neither fact enhances nor lessens the odds he winds up with the Falcons but remain interesting, nonetheless.

But back to the relevance - the Falcons have a considerable question mark opposite Terrell entering next season. Veteran corner Casey Hayward was supposed to fill the void, but he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 6 and his status is now in flux, though he is under contract for 2023.

Gonzalez and Witherspoon are both athletic, physical and instinctual players who should be Day 1 starters and impact players - pairing either with Terrell creates a young tandem that can grow together and help take Atlanta's defense to a new level.

Still, the Falcons have done their due diligence on the top pass rushers at the combine, as Clemson's Myles Murphy, Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson and Iowa's Lukas Van Ness have all met with the team in seemingly formal fashion.

Conversely, Gonzalez said he hadn't met with Atlanta, and neither Witherspoon nor Porter Jr. commented on the fact, only adding to the intrigue of the situation.

But for Fontenot, who's stressed having the "right discipline" throughout the offseason process, the idea of attacking a high-end corner at No. 8 before dipping into the defensive end market in the second-round certainly has to be under consideration.

After all, the Falcons drafted outside linebackers Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone in the second and third round, respectively, a year ago and were pleased with their progress - could they do so again with a counterpart up front?

That part remains to be officially seen, but the word around Indianapolis seems to be that Atlanta's heavily intrigued by the corner class at this stage in the process - though a final determination likely won't be made until Pro Days are in the books and visits have been made.

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