Atlanta Falcons: Top free agency, NFL draft needs for 2017

Atlanta Falcons breakdown: Free agency, draft shopping list

As they wade through free agency and prepare to evaluate draft prospects at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine (March 1-6), the Atlanta Falcons must decide which players to keep as they seek to improve upon their 11-5 record from last season.

The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com evaluated the Falcons' roster and created a shopping list to use in free agency and to reference during the Combine.

Change came quickly after the Falcons' stunning collapse in their Super Bowl LI loss to New England. As expected, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan departed to become San Francisco's head coach, and he was replaced by NFL neophyte Steve Sarkisian.

Head coach Dan Quinn made several other coaching moves, the most notable being the promotion of Marquand Manuel to defensive coordinator, replacing Richard Smith.

The Falcons don't have many glaring weaknesses, but they will look to continue upgrading their defensive personnel in the offseason.

THE BREAKDOWN

2016 finish: 1st in NFC South (11-5)

STATISTICS

TOTAL OFFENSE: 415.8 (2nd)

RUSHING: 120.5 (5th)

PASSING: 295.3 (3rd)

TOTAL DEFENSE: 371.2 (25th)

RUSHING: 104.5 (17th)

PASSING: 266.7 (28th)

NEEDS, SHOPPING LIST

&=Released

*=Vet who may be released or option not exercised

TOP THREE NEEDS

RIGHT GUARD

The Falcons run the outside zone running scheme and need an athletic right guard to improve the line.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati (G; 27 in March, $1.89M)

T.J. Lang, Green Bay (G/injury; 30 in September, $5.2M)

Ronald Leary, Dallas (G; 28 in April, $2.55M)

Chance Warmack, Tennessee (G; 26 in September, $3.04M)

Ted Larsen, Chicago (G/C; 30 in June, $1.65M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/33 Dan Feeney, Indiana, 6-4, 304, 5.09, 1-2

2/35 Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky, 6-4, 305, 5.12, 1-2

3/46 Dorian Johnson, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 300, 5.20, 2

4/49 Dion Dawkins, Temple, 6-4, 317, 5.27, 2

5/85 Nico Siragusa, San Diego State, 6-4, 326, 5.37, 3

6/96 Isaac Asiata, Utah, 6-3, 325, 5.38, 3

DEFENSIVE END

With the emergence of Vic Beasley, the Falcons need a pass rusher to put on the other side.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Jason Pierre-Paul, N.Y. Giants (28, $10M)

Calais Campbell, Arizona (DT; 31 in September, $11M)

Jabaal Sheard, New England (28 in May, $5.5M)

&Mario Williams, Miami (32, $8.5M)

Charles Johnson, Carolina (31 in July, $3M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., Proj. Rd.)

1/1 Myles Garrett, Texas AM, 6-4, 268, 1 (underclassman)

2/3 Solomon Thomas, Stanford, 6-2, 275, 1 (underclassman)

3/17 Derek Barnett, Tennessee, 6-3, 265, 1 (underclassman)

4/28 Taco Charlton, Michigan, 6-5, 272, 1

5/32 Charles Harris, Missouri, 6-3, 255, 4.74, 1-2 (underclassman)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

In order to complete their rotation and improve their depth, the Falcons must add some girth to the middle of the defense at nose tackle.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Kawann Short, Carolina (28, $1.16M)

Dontari Poe, Kansas City (27 in August, $2.83M)

Domata Peko, Cincinnati (33 in November, $4.5M)

Vince Wilfork, Houston (possibly retiring; 36 in November, $4.5M)

Nick Fairley, New Orleans (29, $3M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/2 Jonathan Allen, Alabama, 6-3, 291, 4.82, 1

2/22 Malik McDowell, Michigan State, 6-5, 276, 4.89, 1 (underclassman)

3/50 Caleb Brantley, Florida, 6-2, 297, 5.05, 2 (underclassman)

4/56 Carlos Watkins, Clemson, 6-4, 312, 5.06, 2

5/66 Chris Wormley, Michigan, 6-5, 297, 4.92, 2-3

6/71 Elijah Qualls, Washington, 6-1, 321, 5.37, 2-3 (underclassman)

UFA KEEPERS

G Chris Chester (34, $2.35M)

DE/LB Courtney Upshaw (28 in December, $1.25M)

DT Jonathan Babineaux (36 in October, $3M)

TE Jacob Tamme (32 in March, $1.6M)

TE Levine Toilolo (26 in July, $615K)

ROSTER REVIEW

MAJOR COACHING CHANGES

--Steve Sarkisian replaces Kyle Shanahan as OC.

--Marquand Manuel replaces Richard Smith as DC.

DEPTH CHART

Starters and backups are listed according to their status at the end of the season, but players who were starters before being injured are included.

* Indicates player who ended 2016 season on reserve.

& Indicates player released since the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Matt Ryan. Backup -- Matt Schaub (UFA).

RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Devonta Freeman. Backups -- Tevin Coleman, Terron Ward, FB Patrick DiMarco (UFA)

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- *Jacob Tamme (UFA). Backups -- Austin Hooper, Levine Toilolo (UFA), Joshua Perkins, D.J. Tialavea.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu. Backups -- Taylor Gabriel, Justin Hardy, Aldrick Robinson, Nick Williams, *Devin Fuller, Eric Weems.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Jake Matthews, LG Andy Levitre, C Alex Mack, RG Chris Chester (UFA), RT Ryan Schraeder. Backups -- T Tom Compton (UFA), C/G Ben Garland, G Wes Schweitzer.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- DLE Tyson Jackson, DLT Grady Jarrett, NT Jonathan Babineaux (UFA), DRE Brooks Reed. Backups -- DE Dwight Freeney (UFA), *DE Adrian Clayborn, DE Courtney Upshaw (UFA), DT Ra'Shede Hageman, *DT Derrick Shelby, *DT Chris Mayes.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- SLB Vic Beasley, MLB Deion Jones, WLB De'Vondre Campbell. Backups -- ILB LaRoy Reynolds (UFA), ILB Paul Worrilow (UFA), OLB *Sean Weatherspoon (UFA), *OLB Tyler Starr, OLB Josh Keyes, OLB Philip Wheeler (UFA).

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- *LCB Desmond Trufant, RCB Robert Alford, FS Ricardo Allen, SS Keanu Neal. Backups -- CB Jalen Collins, CB Brian Poole, CB Deji Olatoye, CB C.J. Goodwin, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (UFA), S Dashon Goldson (UFA), *S Kemal Ishmael (UFA), S Sharrod Neasman.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Matt Bryant, P Matt Bosher, KOR/PR Eric Weems (UFA), LS Josh Harris.