Atlanta Falcons Preview 2020: Dante Fowler Jr.
In a busy offseason for the Falcons, perhaps the biggest pickup in Atlanta was the signing of Dante Fowler Jr. to bolster a defensive unit that finished 23rd in the league last season in scoring defense.
Fowler comes to Atlanta after his best season as a professional in 2019 with the Rams, where the former Florida Gator collected a career-high 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in his only full season in Los Angeles after being traded from the Jaguars in 2018.
A season ago, the Falcons struggled to slow down opposing offenses, specifically in the pass-rushing category. The arrival of Fowler figures to allow Atlanta to enhance pressure on quarterbacks.
In 2019, only the Dolphins collected less than the Falcons’ 28 total team sacks, thanks in large part to the decline of former Falcon defensive end Vic Beasley, who Atlanta let walk in the offseason and replaced with Fowler.
Beasley, a former first round draft pick out of Clemson, showed substantial promise in his early years with the Falcons when he racked up 15.5 sacks in his second year in the league, but Beasley wore out his welcome after that due to a steep decline in production and questions over his motor on the field.
Fowler will look to make up for sacks lost by Beasely over the years and is sure to play a pivotal role in the Atlanta defense this season.
Outside of Fowler and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, the Falcons’ top-end pass-rushing options are slim. This duo will likely need to force quick passes from opposing quarterbacks to lighten the load off of the inexperienced and unproven Atlanta defensive backfield.
Unfortunately for Fowler and co., the slew of offenses coming at the Falcons this season is the toughest group of opponents any NFL team will be tasked with slowing down in 2020. A year ago, the notion of the Atlanta defense slowing down the likes of the Cowboys, Chiefs and Packers would have sounded far-fetched.
But now, with the addition of Fowler, keeping these teams in check may be a bit more realistic.
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