What Are Falcons Expectations For Second-Year Safety Richie Grant?

After a mixed rookie campaign, Atlanta is hoping a position switch full-time will benefit Richie Grant in Year 2

Unlike first round picks, mid-round selections won't always have the second and third opportunity to prove they belong in the pros. That's the case for Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant entering the 2022 season. 

Grant, a second-round pick out of UCF in 2021, finished his rookie campaign with mixed results. On one hand, the 6-foot, 200-pounder finished with 35 tackles and a pair of pass breakups. On the other hand, Grant never started a game and only played in 25 percent of snaps. 

Falcons defensive back coach Jon Hoke said Grant's development in the offseason should have his role expand in the upcoming year. He'll also be playing more of his natural safety position rather than being a chess piece for defensive coordinator Dean Pees. 

“He’s taken a good step,” Hoke said. “The (amount) we played him last year was good because you don’t want to destroy a guy (confidence-wise). He had two good older vets (Erik Harris and Duron Harmon) to watch what a pro football player looks like, how he prepares, how he conducts himself on a day-to-day basis. That was a great thing for him. He did a great job of using those guys as a resource.”

Grant is still trying to adapt to Pees' 3-4 system in his second season. Last year, he often would play near the line of scrimmage as the team's nickel defender due to a season-ending injury suffered by starter Isaiah Oliver. 

As a three-year starter for the Knights, Grant often played the team's free safety and was asked in the heavy zone formation to cover deep over the top. The range to win against receiver is there are he tallied 10 interceptions in coverage in 34 starts. 

Last season, Pees called Grant a "take charge" type player due to his willingness to be vocal in the huddle. He also said Grant often would be in his ear asking questions about the formations and certain alignments that weren't in the playbook down in Orlando. 

Oliver is set to return to the team's nickel this fall. Grant should be able to fill in the first-team defense on the backend with Harmon now in Las Vegas as a member of the Raiders' secondary. 

It's too soon to give up on Grant in the public eye. The coaches are still navigating through rookie mistakes to better get a high upside defensive back on track to fill in for the foreseeable future during the team's rebuild. 

“I was always ready to play,” Grant said Thursday. 

The Falcons return to practice on Tuesday, June 7.