Projecting the Falcons offensive starters after recent signings
For the first time since 2007, the Atlanta Falcons will enter the season with someone other than Matt Ryan at quarterback. Not only is Ryan out, wide receiver Russell Gage is in Tampa Bay, Hayden Hurst is in Cincinnati and Calvin Ridley has been suspended for a full season.
The Falcons have made a few moves, but we won’t have a complete picture of the 2022 roster until the draft is over. Here’s our projection of team’s starting offense after the first wave of free agency.
QB: Marcus Mariota
(AP Foto/John Bazemore)
Marcus Mariota signed a two-year deal shortly after the team traded Matt Ryan to the Colts. Even if the Falcons add a quarterback in the draft, which I expect them to, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Mariota isn’t under center in Week 1.
RB: Cordarrelle Patterson
(AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
The Falcons re-signed their top offensive weapon from 2021 to a two-year, $10.5 million deal. Patterson will likely be forced to carry the load for Atlanta yet again as Kyle Pitts is the only other established threat on the offense. Expect another big year from Patterson in 2022.
WR: Olamide Zaccheaus
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Olamide Zaccheaus is not a No. 1 wide receiver, but he is currently the team’s most-established option. In 2021, Zaccheaus had 31 catches for 406 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Atlanta placed a right-of-first-refusal tender on him a few weeks ago and it doesn’t seem likely that Zaccheaus will get a better deal elsewhere.
WR: Auden Tate
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Tate has the size of a No. 1 WR, but his production says otherwise. However, he was playing on a Bengals team with a deep group of wideouts and should get plenty of looks in Atlanta. For his career, Tate has 61 catches for 799 receiving yards and two touchdowns since 2018. Expect the team to add a few more receivers for both competition and depth.
TE: Kyle Pitts
(AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
Pitts is a tight end, but his skill set allows him to play all over the formation. Since the Falcons don’t have any established weapons out wide, we can expect Pitts to line up on the outside a bit more this season. The rookie led the team with 1,064 receiving yards in 2021.
TE: Parker Hesse
(AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
Hesse followed Arthur Smith from Tennessee, and while he’s not the receiving threat Hayden Hurst is, he can function as the No. 2 tight end if needed. Hesse is a blocking specialist that played defensive end and linebacker in college. I’d be surprised if Atlanta doesn’t add another tight end in the draft or free agency, though.
LT: Jake Matthews
(AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
Matthews signed a three-year extension and is one of the few proven players on this Falcons offense. Expect him to quietly do his job as he has since being drafted back in 2014.
LG: Jalen Mayfield
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Mayfield will likely have to fight to keep his job at left guard, but until the team adds a worthy replacement, the former Michigan Wolverine looks like the favorite.
Center: Matt Hennessy
(AP Photo/ John Bazemore)
Hennessy had his ups and downs replacing Alex Mack at center in 2021, but there is no clear upgrade on the roster. Atlanta could, and probably should, draft someone in the early rounds to add competition to both the left guard and center positions.
RG: Chris Lindstrom
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Former Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff had his share of draft misses over the years, but Chris Lindstrom wasn’t one of them. Lindstrom is one of bright young stars on this offense and should get some Pro Bowl buzz if he keeps up that same level of play in 2022.
RT: Elijah Wilkinson
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Unlike at the left guard and center positions, I do expect to see someone else lining up at right tackle next season. Wilkinson isn’t a major upgrade over Kaleb McGary, however, the former first-round pick doesn’t appear to be in Atlanta’s long-term plans.
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