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NFL Draft preview: Atlanta Falcons in the market for pass rushers

By The Sports Xchange
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and head coach Dan Quinn on the field in September. The Falcons are looking for pass rushers in their draft picks. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and head coach Dan Quinn on the field in September. The Falcons are looking for pass rushers in their draft picks. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn talks about harassing the quarterback, blocking passes, getting hurries, hits and moving the quarterback off his preferred passing spot when discussing the team's anemic pass rush.

However, in Super Bowl 50, Denver used old-fashioned sacks to help them take down quarterback Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

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"Can they get their hands up and knock the ball away sometimes like a J.J. Watt who is so famous for doing that," NFL Network's Charles Davis said. "These guys are taught that because a lot of times the ball is snapped, and you might get two, three steps in towards the quarterback, and you better get your hands up because the ball's on its way out. But developing these guys and getting them is never an easy thing anyway."

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The Falcons re-signed defensive end Adrian Clayborn (16 career sacks), defensive end/tackle Derrick Shelby (five), linebackers Sean Weatherspoon (eight) and Courtney Upshaw (five). The Falcons were last in the league with 19 sacks last season and have now turned their focus to the upcoming NFL draft, which is set for April 28-30 in Chicago.

"What's been hard for a lot of people is these quarterbacks get rid of the ball pretty fast, now," Davis said. "And that's made it very difficult. So, we're trying to take numbers from guys getting the five-, seven-step drop and hanging in the pocket and getting it, and it's harder and harder to get that now. So, you have to get your numbers in different ways."

Davis believes the top edge rushers in the draft are Ohio State's Joey Bosa, Clemson's Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd.

"I think Dodd kind of equates to me like Ziggy Ansah coming out of BYU, not a ton of experience, although Dodd grew up in the United States and knew a little more about American football, he only played one year of high school and had one year of production at Clemson," Davis said. "We weren't sure what we were getting, but he's been one of the top 10 in the draft because it's such a premium on pass rushers."

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The Falcons, who hold the 17th overall pick in the draft, are looking at all of the top pass rushing defensive ends and linebackers. They were disappointed when Georgia standout Leonard Floyd couldn't finish his Pro Day workout.

"A lot of these guys are still outside linebackers in college," Davis said. "That's where your pass rushers are coming from as well. You have one in Atlanta that's playing a full-scale defensive end that they drafted in the first round last year (Vic Beasley). So, they're still trying to get that sorted out. And Dan and his crew are very, very creative in figuring out ways to get those guys on the field and turn them loose."

Beasley is a part of those plans.

He started all 16 games last season and broke the team record for most sacks by a rookie in a season (4.0) since 1982, according to NFL True Media. Beasley, who struggled at times against the run, had 27 tackles (20 solo), one interception, two forced fumbles, and two passes defensed.

In the upset of the Panthers in the 15th game of the season, Beasley recorded his second career strip sack to close out the game at the end of the fourth quarter.

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The plan is to use Beasley as more of a hybrid. He will rush the passer from defensive end in the nickel defense. The team will look at him playing more linebacker in the base 4-3 over the offseason.

"With Vic, on his pass-rush, he's played both on the left side and on the right side," Quinn said. "For us, it's the inside counters because sometimes he has great speed."

Beasley, who played last season with a torn labrum, needs something to go with his speed rushes.

"He's hauling up the field, so if a guy is waiting on that move, you can defend it," Quinn said. "So, think of a basketball player who's dribbling with his left hand. (You'd want to make his go right.)

"He has to develop some inside counters where he uses some of his strength. Although he's not a big man, he's powerful when he uses it. The more speed that you have, you better use your inside counters. That's one for sure with him in the (pass) rush game."

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