Nielsen lays out goal for Falcons D: Just get stops
New Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen says he’s not willing to commit to a 4-3 or 3-4 as the base alignment of his multiple schemesFEBRUARY 6, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA FALCONS 6-5 · 1ST IN NFC SOUTH
6-5 · 1ST IN NFC SOUTH
Next Game vs Chargers · Sun 6:00PM
ATL +1.5 TOTAL 48
Pro Bowl Confidential: 27 players pick MVP, most underrated, coaches, other questions
We got answers from 27 Pro Bowl players about the league MVP, most underrated player, their favorite and least favorite cities, coaches they...FEBRUARY 5, 2023
Duggan, Bagent among Senior Bowl QBs vying to improve stock
Max Duggan and Tyson Bagent have turned the page on terrific seasons that ended badly with national championships in sightFEBRUARY 3, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
NFL prospects safeguarded from inappropriate team questions
NFL prospects are facing the standard barrage of questions designed to probe their personality and attitudeFEBRUARY 2, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
NFL odds: A historical look at Super Bowl Over/ Unders
With the Super Bowl right around the corner, here is a historical look at the Over/Under betting history of the Big Game.FEBRUARY 1, 2023
Portal to Pros: NFL teams eyeing rising number of transfers
The prolific pace of school-switching among college players has helped some NFL prospects have breakout seasons and demonstrate they can adapt to a new systemFEBRUARY 1, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Commanders talk to 49ers' Lynn for offensive coordinator job
The Washington Commanders are interviewing Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancyFEBRUARY 1, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Super Bowl features matchup of 1st and 2nd team All-Pro QBs
It’s only fitting that the top two quarterbacks in the regular season based on All-Pro voting are the last two quarterbacks standing in the NFL this seasonFEBRUARY 1, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Falcons hire Gray from Packers as assistant head coach for D
Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith has continued to reshape his defensive staff by hiring Jerry Gray as the assistant head coach for defenseJANUARY 31, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
NFL to set record $224.8M salary cap for 2023
The NFL salary cap is markedly increasing for the second year in a row; plus, the 2023 franchise tag figures are out.JANUARY 31, 2023
Kyle Pitts - Rehab progressing on schedule Falcons tight end coach Justin Peele said Monday that Pitts (knee) is "on schedule" in his recovery, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
Impact Pitts is recovering from right knee surgery undergone late November to address a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Suffering the injury Week 11 cut Pitts' sophomore campaign short, as he logged just 10 appearances, but there haven't been any hints of concern out of Atlanta about him potentially missing time during offseason workouts. In any case, Pitts should be back to full health well before the start of the 2023 season, barring any setbacks. The athletic tight end posted 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie, and depending on the Falcons' quarterback situation next season, Pitts once again may be a popular option in the early rounds of fantasy drafts.
JANUARY 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Falcons hire defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen from Saints
The Atlanta Falcons have hired their new defensive coordinator from an NFC South rival’s coaching staffJANUARY 28, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wilks 'disappointed, not defeated' over Panthers snub
Former Carolina Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks Tweeted said that he is “disappointed, but not defeated” that he didn’t landed the team’s full-time head coaching positionJANUARY 27, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn tells teams he's staying in Dallas
Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn interviewed for head-coaching jobs but reportedly told teams he will stay in Dallas.JANUARY 26, 2023
Bucs oust offensive coordinator Leftwich, 5 other assistants
Byron Leftwich is out as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are shaking up their coaching staff after finishing with the only losing record Tom Brady has had in...JANUARY 19, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Troy Andersen - Makes most of rookie campaign Andersen tallied 69 tackles (40 solo), one forced fumble and one pass defense across 17 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
Impact Andersen quickly carved out a role in Atlanta's defense during his rookie campaign and eventually overtook Mykal Walker as a starter to end the season. The 2022 second-round pick played at least 80 percent of the Falcons' defensive snaps in five games and totaled 34 tackles during those contests, including a career-high 13 stops against San Francisco in Week 6. Given his successful rookie campaign, it's safe to presume Andersen will have a significant role in Atlanta's defense to begin 2023, especially if the Falcons are unable to retain Rashaan Evans.
JANUARY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Jaylinn Hawkins - Solid as first-year starter Hawkins produced 84 tackles (45 solo), six pass defenses, two interceptions, one forced fumble and a defensive touchdown across 16 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
Impact After being a rotational piece in 2021, Hawkins earned a starting gig to begin 2022 and made the most of his opportunity by submitting a productive campaign. He missed just one game due to injury and recorded a career-high 84 tackles and six pass defenses. He also notched multiple interceptions for a second straight season and recorded his first career defensive touchdown. Barring an unforeseen change, Hawkins figures to start alongside Richie Grant to open the 2023 campaign, which will be the final year of Hawkins' rookie contract.
JANUARY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Mykal Walker - Posts first 100-plus tackle season Walker registered 107 tackles (56 solo), six pass defenses, two interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble across 16 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
Impact Walker opened the season as a starter, posting 101 tackles, two interceptions and one sack across the first 12 games of the campaign. However, following Atlanta's Week 14 bye, he was replaced by rookie second-round pick Troy Andersen and saw just 39 defensive snaps over the final four games of the season. Overall, Walker's season totals look promising, but it appears he'll have an uphill battle for playing time during the final year of his rookie contract.
JANUARY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Richie Grant - Productive season as starter Grant posted 123 tackles (70 solo), seven pass defenses, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 17 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
Impact After a modest rookie season, Grant, a 2021 second-round pick, won the starting free-safety job during training camp and went on to submit his first 100-tackle campaign in 2022. He posted at least five stops in all but one game (Week 7 against Cincinnati) and notched the first two interceptions of his career. Grant has two years remaining on his rookie deal and figures to be a core piece of Atlanta's secondary in 2023.
JANUARY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Rashaan Evans - Career-high 160 tackles in 2022 Evans recorded 160 tackles (86 solo), four pass defenses, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble across 17 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
Impact Evans appeared in all 17 games and posted a career-high 160 tackles during his first season with Atlanta. He had a stretch from Weeks 3 through 15 during which he recorded at least 10 tackles in 10 of 12 games, including a 15-stop performance against Pittsburgh in Week 13. Evans' contract was for only one season, so he'll likely test free agency after his stellar campaign, though a return to Atlanta could be in the cards if the Falcons are willing to offer the 2018 first-round pick a multi-year deal.
JANUARY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Keith Smith - Serves as blocker in '22 Smith finished the regular season with two yards on one carry and an eight-yard reception on two targets while playing in all 17 of the Falcons' games during the 2022 season.
Impact In his fourth season with Atlanta, Smith once again saw a near-even split between offense and special-teams work. The fullback played 246 offensive snaps on the campaign, compared to 261 on special teams, where he served as a key member of Atlanta's coverage and return units. Smith is headed for unrestricted free agency this offseason, but the Falcons will presumably be interested in retaining him if head coach Arthur Smith continues to include a fullback as part of his offensive scheme in 2023.
JANUARY 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
Tyler Vrabel - Signs futures deal Atlanta signed Vrabel (undisclosed) to a reserve/future contract Monday, John Deighton of the Falcons' official site reports.
Impact Vrabel missed nearly the entire 2022 season on the practice squad injured list due to an undisclosed injury. However it appears he's moved past the issue and will have a chance to compete for a roster spot during training camp.
JANUARY 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
NFL odds: Season betting recap; Best, worst teams against the spread
Here's a betting recap breaking down the NFL season, including the best (and worst) teams against the spread during the regular season.JANUARY 11, 2023
Frank Darby - Limited to five games in Year 2 Darby caught his lone target for 15 yards across five appearances during the 2022 campaign.
Impact Darby, a 2021 sixth-round pick, joined the Falcons' practice squad after failing to make the initial 53-man roster, but he earned a spot on the active roster by the end of November. He appeared in four of the team's final seven games -- drawing DNP-CDs three times -- and secured his lone catch of the campaign in Week 18 when he played a season-high 27 offensive snaps against Tampa Bay. Darby will be a free agent this offseason, and given the drop in playing time from his rookie campaign, it seems unlikely that either party has any interest in a reunion.
JANUARY 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
