Atlanta Falcons 2020 Season Preview: Takk McKinley
Takk Mckinley is entering the final year of his rookie deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The team declined to pick up his fifth-year option, so that leaves him in a make or break year, not only for his Falcons tenure but his NFL career as well.
The Falcons selected Mckinley in the first round back in 2017 out of UCLA hoping to pair him with Vic Beasly, and create one of the most formidable pass rush duos in the league but that didn’t come to fruition. The latter isn’t with the team anymore and the former is on his last stance.
2019 Recap
Mckinley played in 14 games last season before missing the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury that he sustained in the first quarter against the 49ers. In his 14 games, he recorded three and a half sacks, 29 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits.
While the sack numbers aren't eye-popping, Mckinley was a physical presence for the team last season and had a stronger surge toward the end of the year before the injury. His 13 quarterback hits tied Grady Jarrett for the team lead at that point.
2020 Outlook
The Falcons added some depth to their defensive line in the off season signing Dante Fowler Jr. and drafting Marlon Davidson. These two are expected to come in and make an immediate impact on the edge, and even Davidson in the middle at times, which helps Mckinley on the edge, rushing the passer.
Fowler Jr. is coming off of a career year where he registered 11.5 sacks, granted he was playing next to Aaron Donald. However, if he can channel some of that same energy it will a long way in helping his new teammate on the opposite edge.
Mckinley has had time to heal up from the shoulder injury that bothered him for parts of last season. The four-year vet registered six and seven sacks respectively in his first two seasons in the league, so the potential for more is there, but he will need to dig deep to reach his potential. One thing about Mckinley that he first showed on draft night is his passion for the game, he just needs to put it all together now.
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