Should the Atlanta Falcons have added another cornerback?
Should the Atlanta Falcons have added another cornerback?
In an interview with WYFF News 4’s Brice Lewis, Chief National NFL reporter for the NFL Network Steve Wyche questioned whether the Atlanta Falcons should have added another cornerback to the roster before this point.
Wyche contends that head coach Raheem Morris’ creativity in creating pressure in the front seven, will ultimately alleviate the need for more Pro Bowl-caliber talent in the defensive secondary. He uses the San Francisco 49ers, known for continually bolstering their front seven, and how, for a while, the most well-known defensive back was a 30-year-old Richard Sherman.
Last season, despite being dead last in cash spending on defense, the Los Angeles Rams were able to field the 22nd-best defense in terms of defensive DVOA and 19th-best in points allowed. On the surface, these aren’t great numbers, but given the amount of production they had to get from young guys like rookies Kobie Turner and Byron Young, Morris squeezed as much as he could out of that young roster whose defense did enough to help the Rams make the playoffs against all odds.
The Falcons have a chance to do the same with their roster, and while there will never be another like Aaron Donald, Atlanta emphasized addressing the defensive line in this year’s draft. Despite being tied to any of the top three pass rushers in this draft, the Falcons shocked the world by selecting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall, forgoing a premier edge rusher or shutdown corner. After that, Atlanta shifted to building up the front end of the defense, using their next three picks on potentially impactful, versatile pieces for the front seven. Not to mention the impactful players already on the roster, such as David Onyemata, Grady Jarrett, Arnold Ebekitie, TaQuon Graham and Zach Harrison.
If Onyemata, Jarrett and Graham stay healthy, while Ebekitie and Harrison continue to develop, the Falcons could have a deep rotation of talent in the front seven that would negate their need for premier talent on the back end.
On the other side, Atlanta’s depth at the cornerback position is thin. Outside of A.J. Terrell is sophomore Clark Phillips III, newcomers Antonio Hamilton, Sr. and Kevin King, sophomore Natrone Brooks and undrafted free agents Jayden Price and Anthony Sao. Those are the outside cornerbacks vying for the CB2 spot right now. If Terrell gets injured, the Falcons have a problem.
The argument most have for those okay with not adding another cornerback is that Phillips developed over his snaps last season and could be a serviceable, if not good, option for the Falcons moving forward. A point of view that doesn’t come without validity, Phillips did have three games where he had a quarterback rating of sub-60 when targeted, according to PFF. He took his lumps last year as he learned how to be a cornerback in the league, and Phillips could grow to be a difference-maker on the outside. Especially under the tutelage of the various coaches in the building with plenty of experience developing defensive backs like Morris and assistant head coach Jerry Gray.
But is that what you want to bank on in a win-now year? That’s where the Falcons find themselves. With the Penix pick and the Kirk contract, there is little room for error. Atlanta needs to start winning games and fast.
So, even with the arguments of the pass rush potentially improving and the trust in their ability to develop cornerbacks, it feels too risky. Terry Fontenot is on his last leg as a general manager, and this is Morris’ second chance to build up a contender like he wanted to in Tampa back in 2009. With that comes a sense of urgency to leave no stone unturned. To me, that means ensuring that any hole, including the cornerback position, is filled to the best of its ability.