The Miami Dolphins had some semblance of a pass rush in 2023, with an increased number of sacks even if the pressure numbers and pressure rate were not exactly impressive. With a major change on the way in the form of a new coaching staff and new defensive coordinator in particular, the Falcons allowed Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree to walk, which means 13 of the team’s 42 sacks are headed elsewhere.
That left uncertainty at EDGE/outside linebacker for the Falcons, and high-profile names linked to the team did not land here, either through free agency or the draft. Ultimately, the team made a couple of modest signings, sank a second day draft pick into an intriguing player, and are signaling a bit of a shift for an existing player to try to replace the production they’ve lost.
There’s inherent risk in that, especially given that this team hasn’t ginned up a killer pass rush in years, but the Falcons have assembled a group that should be good against the run and are banking on the upside of young players to help them get after the quarterback. Let’s walk through how the position has changed.
Changes: A rookie, veterans, and an intriguing shift
Last year, the Falcons ignored the draft and went the veteran route, adding Bud Dupree to the mix. Dupree wasn’t expected to be great so much as he was expected to be solid, and to his eternal credit, he was a good player for Atlanta and Ryan Nielsen last year. His ability to hold his own against the run and a robust 6.5 sacks with solid pressure rates meant Dupree was a genuine asset for the Falcons, and the fact that he’s now gone left a void the team had to fill.
The hope was that Atlanta might land one of the draft’s top pass rushers to do so, or sink significant funds into acquiring, say, a Daniele Hunter. The Falcons whiffed on those attempts—they somewhat infamously tried to trade back into the first round to get Laiatu Latu and were reportedly in on Hunter to an extent—and that left them to sign lower-tier free agents and draft Bralen Trice in the third round. The addition of Trice, an absurdly productive college player with toughness and a well-rounded skillset, figures to be by far the most impactful move of the offseason at the position.
The question, of course, is whether a Bralen Trice and a James Smith-Williams equal a Bud Dupree, given that Dupree was tied for the team lead in sacks and gave the team very capable run defense throughout the 2023 season. I’m not willing to rule out the duo giving the Falcons strong run defense—Trice comes into the NFL with that toolkit and Smith-Williams is a solid defender in that regard—but the pass rushing piece is tougher to call given that Trice is a rookie and Smith-Williams hasn’t offered much to this point in his NFL career.
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