Falcons LISTEN: Should Drew Dalman Replace Matt Hennessy as New Center?

Locked On Falcons: What Caused Matt Ryan's Struggles?

Second-year center Matt Hennessy has started every game this season for the Atlanta Falcons, but that could change sometime in the next few weeks.

Hennessy has struggled on the interior line and during Sunday's 21-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, rookie Drew Dalman replaced him for the final 20 offensive snaps.

While the Falcons like the upside Dalman brings, it might be a bit premature to move on from Hennessy.

Switching the team's center in the middle of a season, especially during a playoff push, can be extremely risky. It would be one thing if the switch was made to a veteran with a decent amount of experience, but the other option is turning it to a player with minimal NFL playing time.

While Hennessy has been underwhelming in his first full season as the starter, the numbers show that he might be better than advertised. His PFF grade ranks at 67.0, 16th among NFL centers, making him an average center. While Dalman may perform above average, that isn't a sure bet.

Every roll of the dice in December has to be extremely calculated, and for a first-time head coach making these changes with first-time players, it might be best to leave it alone for now.

On this episode of "Locked On Falcons," host Aaron Freeman reviews the All-22 film from the Falcons' Week 12 win over the Jaguars.

First, he breaks down the causes of Matt Ryan's struggles and looks at whether it was the quarterback, receivers, play-calling or blocking that led to another lackluster performance. 

Then, he answers listener questions the limited role for wide receiver Marvin Hall, how his film review compares to Pro Football Focus' grades from Week 12, and whether Jalen Mayfield's improved run blocking will lead to more success in pass protection.

Finally, Aaron looks at Dalman's extended debut in comparison to Hennessy and whether the team is poised to make a more permanent switch at center. 

He also discusses the importance of continuity and cohesion along the offensive line, before looking at the team's potential options to upgrade their offensive line in the 2022 NFL Draft before looking at other areas of the roster that could be address at the top of the draft.

Aaron deals with all that and more on this episode of "Locked On Falcons." For more podcasts and information, join us here.


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Jeremy Brener
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.