April 15, 2025 • 40 mins
Derek, Dave and D.J. are back! After catching up, they dive into the 2025 NFL Draft and give a big picture perspective of what the Atlanta Falcons need and how they could address needs on both sides of the ball.
0:31 - Intro
0:58 - Catching up with the guys
6:15 - Upcoming draft coverage
7:18 - Falcons' biggest needs
16:29 - Second most important need
20:35 - On the clock at 15th overall
29:45 - Addressing the QB position
35:00 - Fixing offensive explosiveness
38:42 - Arch's Top Prospects
39:42 - Outro
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
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speed you need only at the Home Depot. Falcons Audible
presented by AT and T is back and we are bad.
We're back and we're bad. You guys remember where they
used to have that?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Right? Is bad and bad is about as good as
you can possibly get.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
The Trio is back together, guys. Before we get into
football stuff, it's been a while, you know. We had
our little man hugs before we saw inside. But tell
the folks what you've been up to, DJ, what you've
been up to the last week.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Man, it's been kids for sure. As I'm sure you
know all about that doing that arch, I know you
went through it, been through it, know what it's about.
But chasing kids, working like crazy, obviously it was down
there in Augusta. Last week down there, doing some cool
work down there. But you know the usual man kids
(01:16):
in travel my son's and travel ball.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
My daughter is running track right now.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Who's loving it, doing really well as a freshman, one
of the only freshmen no doubt, no doubt, no doubt
about it all.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
My wife for sure, but everybody doing good man.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So I appreciate that, love it, and it's not a
bad thing when your job takes you to Augusta National
and that's most people out there in the general public
would say I need that kind of job. Okay, pretty
was it was. It is everything that we saw on
television beautiful.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I mean, I mean, it's it's more than what you
see on TV.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Like you have to be there to understand what it's
all about and how great it is. And people people
first time people who go say, oh, man, have a
phone out there, and it's amazing how you walk around
out there and nobody really cares about their phone, and
you see everybody like engage. You're looking at stuff, you're
(02:08):
talking to people, and you forget for those couple hours
you're out there that hey man, the world's still gonna
be there when you when you leave this place.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
It's not bizarre, guys, like we've come. We've come to
this spot in the world now where like people are
attached to their phone and they can't go longer than
what thirty seconds, sixty seconds without engaging somehow.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
With their phone.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
But yet still in twenty twenty five, you can go
to Augusta, Georgia and this place called Augusta National Golf
Club and you can forget all about that, right, all
the texts and emails and social media that you'd be swiping.
Because I asked my wife that question because I've noticed
on the PGA tour most of the tournaments people have
their phones now, sure, but at Augusta National there's nobody
(02:48):
doing it, and so it's like Augusta does things how
they want to do things.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Yeah, I even looked up. My wife asked me. We
were watching the event this weekend an incredible way. By
the way, congratulations that Roy McElroy. What a what an
up and down roller coaster ride that was. And to
Justin Rose, Justin played great as well ten Birdies on Sunday.
You gotta kid me. But my wife asked me about that,
and she said, how many people are allowed on the
(03:12):
grounds each day. Wow, that's a great question.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
So they don't divulge that information.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
I mean I searched like four or five websites they
say they said, oh, you can get your tickets here
that they purposely don't divulge how many And that's kind
of how the secretive society that is Augusta National. But
Shock's right, any if you go to get a chance
to go down there, I know we're going to talk
to some football in a second. Take the advantage of it,
because it's better. Jock just described it perfectly. It's better
(03:42):
than you can tell someone.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Right.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
There's not a blade of grass out of place, not
a pine straw needle laying in the green. It's all
we're supposed to be in the bright. It is incredible.
I mean, it's like the Grand you go the Grand Canyon,
it's even grander than you thought when you look at
the Grand can That's what That's what Augusta Nashalant so cool.
So that wasn't what you've been up to this season,
what you've been up to. I, speaking of Grand Canon,
(04:05):
went out and saw my son out in Arizona for
part of the month, been grinding on the on the
on the book.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
He's got the bin getting ready for the draft.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
So we're working been working on the draft and and
studying a lot of these guys on tape. We We've
got our series or my series out on because I
want to be blamed if none of the information is correct,
so blame me. But I've got my series out on
the top guys in certain areas that we think we
potentially can be drafting in. I think we had the
linebackers and safeties released on the Land of Falcons dot
(04:38):
com last week, uh tomorrow, while we're filming this on
a Monday, so tomorrow would be Tuesday. They're going to
drop the the big guys. We're gonna do some d
tackles in offensive linemen and that one coming of the
corners at the end of the week, and then the
following following next week, just before the draft, we're gonna
drop the edge guys.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
So that's kind of the areas I looked at.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Yeah, that might give you a precursor as to what
we're going to talk a little bit about right here.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
I watched it. I love when Arch gets to my
man Malachi Starks. Everybody else gets all these little things
they talked about he's got all the nuances of all
these guys. You gets my guy, Malachi Starks.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
No introduction needed. Everybody knows about the bull dog. So
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
You got to Iowa State given you ga gotta love it. Uh, well,
it's a good segue. Let's get into what most people
are pulling.
Speaker 5 (05:29):
Us up to.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa? Why what just because
you host this thing? Listen, you know what I'm saying.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I get gloss over myself when I want to.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Not when you got these two dudes over here. Yo.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Turn No, I've been as you mentioned, I've been busy
with kids. Uh my oldest daughter is going to play
softball at LSU. So we were at Baton Rouge last weekend,
just kind of taking in the sites and stuff, getting
ready for that. Still a year and a half away,
but looking forward to that spring break vacation, went down
to Jupiter, Florida, and really last week been working and
(06:04):
that's about it. I've actually been missing football, to be
quite honest with you. So I'm glad that we're back together.
And speaking of which, we're back together because over the
next few weeks we're gonna be talking about the Atlanta
Falcons and some draft stuff if you will. Okay, so
this week we're gonna talk a little bit more big
picture okay, maybe position groups areas where the Falcons should be,
(06:26):
should they stay at fifteen, should they drop back. Next
week we'll dive into the weeds a little bit more
and we'll start to get into guys' names, we'll start
to get into actual personnel people that we think Atlanta
Mite's targeting. And then the week after the draft will
be back to kind of summarize everything the new guys
that are coming on for twenty twenty five and how
they will fit into this roster and hopefully help them
(06:47):
to some WS come the twenty twenty five fall season.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
That sounded like a plan.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Well, you charge people to look at your binary where
they can get a subscription to see.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Hey, they can't get a subscription. This is old school.
I don't do anything on the computer. It's all writing
stuff down. It's stupid, but people might actually pay for money.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
It's like vin guarantee people will look at that.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Right.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
New Age generation, though you're probably not gonna lie to
be like, wait, people actually wrote this much material with
a pen and paper. Yes, it did happen, all right, guys,
So let's talk about falcons biggest needs.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
All right?
Speaker 1 (07:21):
If anybody is a Falcons fan, watch their things play
out last year, maybe even the year before, and kind
of have a good pulse on the team, they've probably
got an answer for this too. But shock, I'm gonna
start with you. What are the Falcons' biggest needs, biggest
areas of improvement that are going to help them from
what we saw in the field last year to what
needs to change here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I think the narrative still is the same of what
we've talked about the last few years, and it's something
that you're not gonna get away from until it until
it becomes a bigger impact on your team.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
And I think it comes down to being able to
rush the passer. And I think that.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Ultimately is one of the things that you have looked
at over the past few years. I look back and
it says eight out of the last three teen seasons,
the Falcons have finished in the bottom five of the
league in sacks, And that tells you everything you need
to know. So you start thinking about where the biggest
improvements that can happen for a team or a unit.
I think it comes with the ability be able to
get after the quarterback. And we've seen over the years
(08:16):
guys who on the other side, who have not played
their best football at the quarterback position have come in
and played well against the falcons because there's time to
throw the football. Now, you can have all the talent
on the back end you want, but if you've got
extra time to throw the football, guess what. These dudes
are good enough to find ways to get guys open,
and gonna find ways to skiing guys open, and guys
gonna be able to throw the rock all over the yard.
So I think ultimately comes down to, baby, how do
(08:39):
you create the pass rush? And I think we've seen
over the past few years we've tried to elevate those
positions by bringing in guys that in the past have
shown their ability but to get to the quarterback. But
I think now you look at, Okay, how do we
get younger, how do we find guys in this draft?
How do we find guys who can get to the quarterback.
So I think ultimately people think it's just past side.
(09:00):
I think it has a lot to do with the
interior as well. No more Grady Jared, no more that leadership,
No where that guy in the middle who everybody has
seen around here for the last ten seasons, and what
he's about. Who's going to be the guys on the interior. Now, Now,
we went out and we drafted a couple guys last
year on that defensive line and that defensive interior, defensive
guys to see if they can be the guys who
can step up and become the next maybe Grady Jared,
(09:23):
but we'll see. So I think oltimate, Yeah, it has
to do with the guys on the edge, But I
still think about the interior just as important as the
guys on the edge, because pushing from the middle is
exactly where each quarterback says, you know what, please don't
have that guy for so long we talk about Aaron Donald,
You think about our guy Chris over in Kansas City,
(09:44):
all those guys who Kris pushed that middle of that pocket.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That is a problem.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
As much as we talk about the edge, and as quarterbacks,
for us, we always just think about it blitz and
a blitz comes off the edge. We always say we
want to squeeze want to get everything from the middle.
We're gonna let the outside guy go. The most dangerous
for us is in the middle on the inside. So
you can let that furtherest guy go and we can
get that football off better than a guy coming in
the middle. So up to me, I say, interior defensive
(10:11):
line as well as the outside's a big deal.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
DJ to your point, it's gonna age me a little bit,
but it's reality. But like you know, you talk about
the interior defensive front, like I played against a guy
in Warren Sapp that was one of the best to
ever do it. Now, the newer generation, all they do now,
they see him in Colorado, they see him with Deon Sanders,
they see him coaching, and they might see the flamboyant
attitude and stuff that he has. But he was one
(10:34):
of the best defensive tackles that ever played, and you
had the game plan for him, and if you did
not him and the rest of that defense was gonna
tear you up.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Arch.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
I mean you saw that firsthand as well, So I
think it's a great point. I would say pass rush
has become to a point where it's desperation now, like
it has to get better.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Arch.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
We talked about throughout the course of last season that
sometimes it's about sacks, but it's also about affecting the quarterback.
And I think affecting the quarterback could be misconstrued because
you can say, oh, well, we're getting guys in the backfield,
but if you don't truly affect the quarterback, meaning he
has to throw the football away, he has to scramble,
(11:13):
or he is down on the ground. To DJ's point,
they're too good now. The quarterbacks are.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Too good now.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
The schemes offensively are too good now with the running
backs coming out of the backfield. If you can't truly
and I mean truly affect the quarterback on defense, it's
gonna be hard to win in the National football Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
You guys are banging on, and I think that we
talk about pass rush, and that's kind of where I
think the layman fan and the fans will go to,
Okay a week heating the quarterback up. Quarterbacks are under
pressure every time they drop to throw. The ball's coming
out somewhere in at three second range, somewhere at nimb
three point five if you've got some time, but it's
probably two and a half to three seconds balls coming out,
so there's a lot of there's still pressure, there's hats
(11:54):
and hands in the way. And I would couple with
what you guys are saying, is the reason this is
not just a slam dunk. Hey, take the best edge
rusher it's on the board, or take the best defensive
tackles on the board, is because if you can't hug
in coverage on the back end to maybe make the
quarterback change the timing of the quarter of the what.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
The quarterback does.
Speaker 5 (12:15):
If you can't from a corner standpoint take away some
of those quick, easy throws, all the efforts in the
world up front aren't going to get you home. And
if you go back and you look at the first
eight or nine weeks of the season last year, save
a couple of weekends, the Patrick Mahomes and people like
that are just killing you playing the keyboard underneath because
(12:35):
there wasn't anything. There was no hug coverage. There's no
way to take away those quick throws and make him
hold the football. So I think that the more you
can combine that back end with the front end is
a big deal too. So that's why don't be surprised
if when you look at the board, we start talking
about position groups, that a corner might be the second
(12:57):
rated corner on the board is sitting there. You might
take the corner knowing that this is one of the
deeper classes that we've seen recently from an edge rush standpoint,
that you can add to what you already have Braylan
Trice coming back off injury, Leonard Floyd in free agency,
you got Arnold Debakatie who's coming back after a pretty
solid season last year.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
That you might be able.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
To find a guy in the second round, or if
you trade back or trade back in the first one,
whatever you do, that you might not be able to
find a guy that's maybe fifth or sixth on the list,
but still big time player. Because there's a bunch of guys.
So there's a lot of different ways to affect the quarterback,
but you guys are dead on that's the number one
thing that the Falcons need to be able to do
(13:39):
is try to affect the passer and try to take away.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Some of the easy stuff.
Speaker 5 (13:44):
That we kind of will take for granted, those quick,
easy throws that keep you in those manageable third down situations.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Because you know, we talk about you know pass rush,
and what happens is if you don't affect the quarterback.
And I'm not talking about a quarterback is dropping back
in here, he's throwing a skinny post down the middle
of the field and he's completing for thirty five yards.
I'm talking about if you can't affect a quarterback to
where you get them off the field on third down,
then everything starts to snowball. Your defense gets tired, the
(14:14):
other offense gains momentum, confidence, they're getting closer to scoring range,
they're putting points on the board. Now you're playing catchup, right,
and so it's a snowball effect that if you can't
slow down the opposing offense. Because guys, there was a
day when it was all about stopping the run on defense.
That was number one goal. I bet you there's still
(14:35):
a lot of defensive coordinators out there that still say
that our first goal going into every game is we
have to.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Stop the run.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
But the quarterbacks have become so good that they can
They can scheme plays that feed off of the run game,
and all of a sudden, you get the dink out
to a running back, a slot receiver, a tight end,
and all of Suddens a pickup for seven yards, it's
a pickup for eight yards and your defense is constantly
on the field. So yes, we've been harping about it
because it is so important in the National Football League
(15:04):
that you have to get after the quarterback.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Right, So it'swich we saw exactly what you're describing is
what we saw in the Washington game and in the
Carolina game when when it's on the loan, you're going
to go to the playoffs. If you win in Washington
and beat Carolina at home, you're going to the playoffs.
With everything that happened with the quarterback and all that
stuff before, and we couldn't get off the field. We
couldn't get off the field in overtime against Washington, and
(15:28):
couldn't make that stop late in the game against Carolina
because you scored. You put thirty eight on the board
against Carolina and wasn't enough. You had Pennix's heroics with
Pitts at the end of the game in Washington. It
all went for nothing because what you just said is
you've got to be able to get off the field.
And that is pass rush. That's a bill has stop
the run, but a lot of it has to do
(15:48):
with being able to control what they're doing in the.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Passing game, right.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
So we talked about this a lot leading into the
twenty twenty four draft, and of course we talked about
Brayln Trice getting hurt, so we never really got a
chance to see him. Maybe he ends up coming back.
Maybe it's Leonard Floyd, maybe it's Morgan Fox. Maybe it's
the scheme from Jeff Ulbrook that changes.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Right.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Obviously, that's part of the reason why Jimmy Lake is
no longer with this organization. Because if you can't get
the job, and I'm not going to just say on defense,
it's anywhere, right, if you're a position coach, if you're
a coordinator on offense, if you're a special teams coordinator,
if your unit is not getting the job done, unfortunately,
you're going to be looking for a new job because
this is a production based business. So it's a theme
(16:26):
that continues here. In twenty twenty five. We talked a
lot about pass rushing. I just want to ask you, guys,
what would be your second most important need for Atlanta
as we go into this draft.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Well, I think that that shock made a great reference
to the interior the defensive line, and you're losing one
of the great leaders that this franchise, frankly, has ever
seen in the history of their franchise. And that's not overstating.
And I don't think you guys would I think you
guys would agree with me on that. Grady Jarrett had
the ability to motivate guys, had the ability to establish
(16:57):
a work ethic from Monday to Saturday. That translated into
in how he played on Sunday, and guys tried to
mirror that. They may not have been able to reach
his level, but they tried to do that. You've you
just lost that leadership and stuff. So the dtackle position,
that was a great point to go. So I'll go
to where I was talking about prior in mixing the
(17:19):
front and the back is I think you've got to
begin if you're looking at edge and d tackle and
those are certainly warranted. And I'm sure there's music to
the ears of the falcony, the faithful out there. Corner
is going to be a place you're going to be looking. Now.
I love that you re signed Mike Cues. He's coming
off an outstanding year, maybe his best year as a pro.
Was able to stay healthy state on the field, was
an outstanding tackler on the perimeter. You got D offered resigned.
(17:42):
I know there was some good stuff and some bad
stuff from D, but he's got a year of experience
and expect him to be exponentially better because of that experience.
And you signed some guys in free agency that could
help out. So namely what Mike Ford who comes in here.
Mike's a guy that can transition from from safety to corner,
maybe even play some nickels or some versatility there. So
(18:03):
you but you still there's there's a couple of three,
probably five or six really good corners that would probably
be plug and play that you might look at. That's
where I would probably.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Go DJ, anyone any other position group come to your mind.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Those are I think artis hit some some some big
ones on the head and obviously I guess my question
is I think what fans would ask is you just
sign obviously Mike.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
To that new deal.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Does that take away from where you go with a
corner because you brought him back, you brought D back, Uh,
you still got other couple guys in the fold. Does
that deter you as an Atlanta Falcons to go get
another guy.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
What you're talking about is the corner.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
It doesn't because of the specialty type that we're going
You tell me, if you've got a guy and there's
a couple of guys and I'm I'm probably maybe I
don't want to specifically named guys. We're going to do
that next week for you. But there's the training now
at the college level and rack you do games every week,
there are guys that are specifically training to play nickel.
(19:06):
It's not like they're taking a corner and on third
down they're rotating one of the corners.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Inside.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
There's a dude that comes on the field and he
may be on the field for eighty percent of the
snaps based on the way college is played, where you've
got four and five receivers on the field.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Anyway, that dude.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Is trained to play man coverage in the slot, play
zone coverage in the slot, and tackle in the box.
You've got four or five of those guys in the
draft that if you feel like that was a problem
for you and Hughes is still here, you draft that dude.
He's a plug and play guy. That's what I'm kind
of talking about when it comes to that Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
I mean I would agree with it too, DJ. As
we all know the NFL is all about competition for sure,
right and and David, it reminds me of last year
when we were almost sitting in this exact same spot.
Last year, you were talking about Quinjon Mitchell over and
over and over about how talented he was and what
happened He gets drafted, the ends up winning a Super Bowl.
He helps that defense in Philadelphia become one of the
(19:59):
best in the league because you can never have too
many talented young corners. You can never have too many
guys that may turn into another AJ Terrell. Now that's different.
He's a first round draft pick. But if they fall
in love with which just like they did with Bijon Robinson.
We didn't think they were gonna be drafting a running
back in the first round. They fell in love with
Jon Robinson and his talent and look at him a
(20:21):
couple of years later. He's not one of the most
dynamic running backs in the league. Right, So if they
find it, if they find a guy that they feel
like is gonna fit the system. Loves a personality. Ulbrick
loves him. From a defensive standpoint, I think you bring
him in and you let these guys compete and win
the positions on the field.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Is that how we do it in the NFL? Absolutely? Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (20:40):
All right, So let's talk a little bit more about
the fifteen pick. Obviously that's gonna be a really interesting
slot for Atlanta because they don't have a whole lot
of draft capital right now. Guys, So I'm gonna ask
you this question. Do you stay at fifteen or do
you think Atlanta is a mover and shaker in the
first down, either up or down. DJ, Let's start with you.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
It's interesting because there is obviously a lot of different
scenarios that can help you for this organization. Obviously, if
you're looking for great value, looking for guy who come
in to help you right now, which I think there
is guys who will be at that fifteen spot that
you can come in and say, all right, this guy
can plug and play right now and he can be
of value to you right now. Or you say, you
(21:20):
know what, we lost a few pigs last year. The
Matthew Judon didn't really work out the way you wanted to.
You lose a third round pick, Maybe here's an opportunity
for you to move back a few spots and say,
you know what, maybe there's a guy that we really
like and we probably can get into twenty somewhere. But
in the same token, we can get the guy we want,
and we can add a couple more picks to it.
I think it adds great value to what you want
(21:42):
to do. So, you know, it's hard to say because
we're not in those rooms, were out in those draft
rooms where they're talking scenarios, but I can see the
argument for both, and for me, I would say I
would say fifteen is a good spot for you to
go get somebody that you really wanted. That spot, especially
when it comes to if you're really dedicated to like
everybody say hey, they talk to none but defensive guys
(22:05):
at the combine. If that's what you feel strong about it,
you feel really good that this guy can come in
here right now and say, you know what, he will
absolutely help our defense from day one.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
You got to go get that guy.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Let me ask you this shock and you guys, let
me ask both you guys. Okay, So here's the dynamic.
You're sitting, you're in the war room, and this thing
starts to go okay, and inevitably it seems like every year,
a guy that is pretty highly rated, maybe the best
at his position, begins to fall. And it not necessarily
(22:37):
because of anything he's done.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
It might be.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
Because all of a sudden, the quarterbacks or somebody kind
of panics and drafts a quarterback you didn't expect to
go there, or a guy they fell in love with
a certain player, and all of a sudden, you get
to where we are, and this happened to us back.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
What was it? What you're to Ridley?
Speaker 5 (22:57):
Come out in nineteen twenty when Ridley twenty one? Remember
we got to twenty two and we're thinking edge rusher.
We're thinking edge rusher, which I guess we've been doing
that for a while now. But Calvin Ridley was the
was the number two rated wide receiver on the board,
and he was he was supposed to be gone inside
the fifteen pick. Here we're at twenty two and Ridley's
(23:19):
sitting there. All that being said, what happens if you
get to fifteen and the number one offensive tackles.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
On the board.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
And there's been a lot of conversation about you know,
the team has gone and looked at some guys and
done some extra study on a couple offensive tackles. I mean,
what happened, you know, So that's and I'm not saying
you guys can make that decision for Terry or for
for Raheem right now, but that's a real.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Possibility, is arch.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
And I think at this stage with the draft, you're
right because weird things happen, and I think all options
are on the table because you're right there, Like there
could be a run on wide receivers and all of
a sudden somebody picks the tight end, and then all
of a sudden there's a linebacker and wait a second,
there's a corner available that they had no idea. They
(24:10):
couldn't mocked it ten times that the guy was going
to be available, and then all of a sudden they
make a move. And maybe it even works out to
where Atlanta finds a way to go from fifteen to
thirteen or something because that guy is still available that
they didn't think was going to be. And yes, to me,
this shapes us up as a draft to trade back right,
to get more draft capital, to get more assets, right,
(24:32):
to try to bring in more players to help this
team grow.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
But it could end up being the exact opposite.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
You just never know how things are going to shake
out when it comes to the day of the draft.
So we're thinking trade up, trade down. It's just we're
going to play this thing out, right, We're gonna play
this thing out. First round. Did we talk enough about
pass rusher that this should be the pick? Or what
position group we're not going with players? What position group
(25:01):
are we thinking? First round?
Speaker 3 (25:03):
DJ Man, we've seen over the years, like we've talked about,
anything can freaking happen on draft day and Arch stows
wrenching the whole plan. He tells, you, you know what
if that guy who we not even talked about, and
they went to go see this one guy and you
got a chance to who it makes it interesting to say, Okay,
(25:26):
if we can build our team the best way possible
and this guy's sitting there, you go get him. It
makes a lot of conversations a lot different. I think
in the first round, I'm sticking with some sort of
guy in the front setting.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
How about that?
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Okay, because obviously who knows where their mind is thinking
on the best way that Jeff Albrooks says, this defense
can be impacted.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Maybe it's a linebacker, Maybe it's.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
A guy that you know, I know you got Diabolo
just came in here, but you know, Troy's been up
and down. Maybe you need another guy who can bring
something to that episode. Maybe you know, well, we talked
about the NT, you talked about guys on the edge.
I mean, there's so many guys in this draft that
you could say, you know what, for Jeff.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Albrooks sake, it fits really well.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Maybe for the common Falcon fan you say, you know,
I really love this guy from this particular blaze to
edge rush. But the Falcon may say, you know what,
we got a guy who could fill that role who
looks similar to how he is, but we want a
guy who looks this way on the interior. So I
think front seven is where you go. I know it's
pretty broad, but I think you stay there. And over
the years we talked about getting pass rusher and we
(26:29):
on the whole other side of the ball, getting somebody
on the offense side of the ball. So I think
we stay on that defensive side and somewhere in the
front seven, especially in that first round.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Well this day and age, front seven gives you a
lot of different positional options because it's tackle, it's end,
it's pass rusher, it's middle linebacker, it's rush linebacker.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
It's outside linebacker.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Right, it's it's become so you know, the positions have
become so tailored, if you will, Yeah, you want to
hear this, Yeah, exactly are they going to fit in
your specific system? So Art, what do you think about
position group?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
First round? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (27:06):
Everything I said about offensive tackle, don't don't hyper ventive
late at home. I will throw in one last little
caveat to that. And I know the fans have been
thinking this. I've been reading it on some of the
chat rooms and that kind of stuff. Is Michael Pennix
is a left handed quarterback. Well, I'll just throw that
out there. I'll just throw that out there.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Okay, So the if you feel comfortable.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
And I thought that the gentleman that played on the
right side had a pretty good year this year, maybe
his best year as a pro. But he is in
the back end of his contract and would it I'm
just saying, Okay, that could potentially, But I would agree
with with Shock you probably You're probably there too, Rack.
I think the conversation has been about how do we
affect the run game as well the past game first,
(27:54):
but the run game as well, because if you draft
the defensive tackle or an edge guy or a line by,
those guys are gonna have an effect in the run
game as well. So you're drafting and a a guy
that's an asset that can affect the game in the
front seven. I would think that would be what it is.
I mean, I don't want to get into specific names,
(28:15):
but I know there's there's there's some guys.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
There's some guys.
Speaker 5 (28:19):
There's some guys, man, I mean, there's a couple of
just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
I'm not abdul Abduel Carter. Yes, he's a dude. Okay,
he's a dude. Not gonna be there.
Speaker 5 (28:29):
Okay, Travis Hunter love watching his tape. A dude, He's
not gonna be there. So now all of a sudden,
you start thinking, Okay, who could potentially bunch back? And
this is what we're talking about with the draft falls
you were you were discussing, we're running receivers or whatever
it is. Does that guy you know fall to you?
Speaker 2 (28:49):
You know? And and is there a guy in your mind?
Speaker 5 (28:51):
And we're gonna we're gonna weet you guys at but
we're gonna let their apptites we're gonna pick our guys.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Next week, we're gonna pick a guy.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Is there a guy for you on the board that
is a can't miss dude in your mind that if
he fell to Atlanta And I'm not talking about Abdul
Carter or Mason Graham, those guys are going to be gone.
Is there a guy that you think is being projected
between eight and and whin the Falcons pick? If he's there,
he's a no miss, You've got.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
It, Honestly, arch I hadn't gone into the weeds that yet.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Sorry, so I.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
Don't have But that's a great tease because we're going
to talk about it for next week, and I want
I want to this is this week, is is big picture.
Next week we're gonna start talking more individual players. There's
there's one more discussion that I want to have with
you two guys up here that I think is interesting
to have. Now my caveat here is this is not
(29:46):
first round. Okay, this is just this draft. What happens
at the quarterback position? Where are Because there's been so
much talk out there about Kirk Cousins and is he
going to be moved? Is he's gonna move to the draft,
he's gonna be moved later. But last year, one year ago,
the whole discussion was sign Kirk Cousins. They drafted Michael Pennix.
(30:09):
We don't ever want to have an issue at the
quarterback position. And in the foreseeable future, well, the organization
is hinting that they may be moving on from Kirk
because at some point he might end up be in
the backup still and that might be a great situation.
But do they have to start thinking about something behind
Michael Pennix. I'm just throwing it out there because I
got two quarterbacks with me.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
DJ you have to always think that way. And we've
seen in this league, we've seen his organization. If you
don't have that guy, if your number one guy goes down,
you're in trouble. So the conversation, I guarantee has already
been had. The conversation has already been talked about. Okay,
what if this guy I e. Kirk Cousins is not here?
(30:52):
Who is the guy behind Michael Penny shil you? So
that conversation is there and a lot of it goes to, Okay,
do you want to know the young guy? Oh, do
you want a guy who's had experience in the National
Football League. But as we know, a lot of those
guys they're gone, Yeah, they are at another team. They're
in that role already with another picketing around this league.
(31:13):
And then you start asking yourself, okay, is there's somebody
in this draft that you feel comfortable enough that if
this guy goes down, you feel good about it. And
I think that's still up in the air. And right
now you're holding on the number eighteen because of whatever
all the situations around it. But obviously, as we know,
we go through training camp, things happen, guys go down,
(31:34):
and then here comes the phone starts ringing, and then
that's not the time where you start thinking about it.
So you bring up a good point of you're looking
down in this draft. You look, hey, fifth sixth round,
and there's a guy there. She say, you know what,
I think this guy's mature enough. You look at Michael
Penick Jung he is what twenty four, He came into
this league very mature. If you have another guy who's
sitting in the role you know you feel good about.
(31:54):
If you don't have that veteran guy that this guy
can feel that void, then you have to pull that
trigger because you don't know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
And I think, like you.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Mentioned, there's a lot of talk on the outside about
what could happen in the coming months before trade airline
all that kind of stuff. If you know a team
comes calling for Kirk gouzz and I think you have
to have that in place already with a guy already
in the building.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Three hundred and sixty five days ago, Arts we weren't
talking about whether or not the Falcons will be drafting
a quarterback in twenty twenty five. But with everything that's transpired, it,
like he said, there's been probably been discussions and it's
somewhere on the table, and I don't know if a
fifth sixth rounder is the one that you want, but
like they got to have whoever is it gonna be
(32:38):
behind Michael, whether it's this year or next year. And yeah,
you can push the peanut forward and think about that
in twenty twenty six. But I'm just trying to prime you, guys,
do not be surprised if somewhere in this twenty twenty
five draft there's a quarterback taken both both.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Yeah, because because you've been throwing a lot of wrenches
in now, Ratnell throwing a nice little.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
I will be I'll be shocked.
Speaker 5 (33:00):
I'll be shocked, guys if they take it for a
quarterback in the draft, and now, I will not be
shocked if they sign a couple of free agents that
are available to come in and potentially come in and
compete for maybe a third spot. I think that they
I agree with shocked. The conversation has been had. Okay,
what happens if we get the perfect offer for Kirk
(33:21):
and it gives him an opportunity to go someplace that
he would like to go. Remember, he's got some clauses
in his contract where he can say yeay or nay
on some stuff. But if it's a perfect scenario where
he can go start or whatever, or compete for the
starting job, that conversation has been had. I think right
now they're planning, and Terry's been adamant about the fact
they're comfortable with the way the room looks. They're not
(33:43):
comfortable with where the money is for each guy, but
they're comfortable with the way the room looks that I
don't know if you're in a better situation. Is there
anybody in a better situation from a quarterback standpoint in
the National Football League, if you go into the season
and Kirk Cousins is your backup quarterback going in the league,
and don't think that he's one of these malcontents that's
(34:03):
going to be a problem. I mean, he and Pennis
rode home from game that they've got a really good relationship.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
So there's there's that.
Speaker 5 (34:11):
Yes, he'd like to be playing someplace, but I think
don't worry about the relationship or the potential disruptor or
something like that. That's not going to happen with Kirk Cousin.
That's not going to happen. Yeah, I don't think they're
going to do that. I don't think they're going to
draft quarterback.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Just something to keep an eye on. I thought about
it a couple of times over the last week. And
you know, again, three hundred and sixty five days ago,
would have never thought that we'd be having this discussion.
But at some point the discussions will be had or
have been had.
Speaker 5 (34:38):
Let me let me ask you guys this, Okay, So
we're kind of doing big picture.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
We're we're we talked about.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
Pass rush, okay, and so I think that if we
got the guy that's delivering the packages out here, and
we said, hey, what do you think the focus?
Speaker 2 (34:51):
He say, pass rush? What is that?
Speaker 5 (34:53):
What does that need? In you guys's mind? Where is
where is something that affects the game rack other than Russian?
Some of these are kind of intertwined like a chain, right,
whereas an areas are a number, there's a stat or
something that has to change or you're going to struggle
again on one side of the the boy one explosive
(35:14):
plays on offense, Okay, I think more explosive plays down
the field, and I think that there was and there's
been a lot of discussion about Kyle Pitts over the years,
and rightfully so. And I'm not saying Kyle Pitts has
been the reason why we haven't had explosive plays. But
when you have somebody that has the generational talent of
Michael Pitts potentially in the middle of the field, the
idea was that that should open up more holes for
(35:37):
Atlanta to have some shots down the field. Right, He
draws attention in the middle, gives a Manda Man matchup
on the outside. You take a shot with somebody down
the field of Darnell Mooney or something like that, and
We've already talked about Drake London. Drake London has been
great for this organization. But I don't think Drake is
to take the top of the top off of the
defense type wide receiver. He's going to use his physicality,
(35:58):
his athleticism to go up over the top of people,
box people out and make those difficult catches. But for me,
like I think about the Chiefs and I look at
Xavier Worthy and what did he do. He brought a
speed factor that offense that every defense had to respect. Okay,
and I'm not just picking out the guy that had
the fastest time in the combine, but they the Chiefs
were very strategic on why they picked him is because
(36:21):
he creates issues for defenses and they got a quarterback
that can get him the ball. So if there's another
way that this offense can generate more explosive plays, feeding
off of play action with Robinson and Algier in the backfield,
feeding off of what Drake can do on the outside
by making the difficult catches, but more explosive plays offensively,
I feel like helps you score more points. It's a
(36:44):
game where you got to score points.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
The time of winning seven to three does not happen
too much in the national munch of the league anymore,
and the defense is not there for it right now,
right now. So find a way to score more points
by being more explosive.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
Okay, let me ask you this.
Speaker 5 (36:59):
On top of that, Okay, Atlanta was top ten in
the league in average yards per play I think five
point nine yards per play. Okay, but key moment explosives
is what you're talking about, guys that are making key
moment explosives. Was that a quarterback issue or was that
a Kyle Pitts issue, because if he go back to
his rookie year, dude was making explosive players Matt Ryan throwing.
Speaker 4 (37:21):
Him the rocks exaxt thing.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
I'm thinking because I when both of you guys talking
about this, the first thing I thought about was those
last three ball games and how much the ball was
starting to be pushed down the field. And we know
from Michael Penny's time of college, Oh, he loved the
de ball. He wanted to throw the football down the field.
And I think we saw in those last three ball
games his willingness to push the football down the field.
(37:44):
You got all the play action and you got a
slight roll in you got a deep eighteen twenty two
yard comeback coming on the back side of the money that's
pushing the football down the field. And I think I
think the last game, I think we saw there there
were two instances where throws one in the end zone
to Drake, it gets knocked down. Next play right back
to him on a on another fave route. I think
this is what you're going to get them. I think
(38:05):
is going to get to where you want to be,
where you're pushing the football down the field. Michael Pitt's
gonna be that kind of guy who will throw the
football down the field.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Yeah, And and I think that mentality and throwing another
piece in there, right and it guys, it could be
a third rounder. And maybe this third rounder is a
is a you know, a guy that's got great top
end speed, but he's got some things that need to
still be worked on. Right, He's got some tools, but
he's not refined yet.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Racks already got his trading back or we're gonna go round.
Speaker 5 (38:35):
He's already the drapes have been pulled.
Speaker 4 (38:44):
We got to get it back. What is talking about
already got it for.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
What DJ is talking about. We gonna get into next week.
All right, So, uh speaking, which you want more draft coverage?
You talked about a little bit. Arch. Your top prospect
videos out going out right now on YouTube. Which are
the ones that you've done so far?
Speaker 5 (39:01):
So far we have on the website right now of
the linebackers and safeties, which includes your guy Malachai Starks.
And then we're gonna go to the big guys. Big
guys are coming up. I got a couple of defensive tackles,
a couple of offensive linemen, A dog is in that
is in a piece of that too, and then we'll
do we'll jump to the corners at the end of
the week, and then starting next week we'll get to
(39:22):
the addressers.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
So there you go.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
If you want to get see Arch breaking some of
these guys down the depth, go to the Falcons YouTube
channel as always Falcons Atlanta Falcons dot Com, our YouTube channel,
and all of the other different podcasts and personnel that
we have here. We're gonna be spitting out material about
this draft over the next two to three weeks to
give you all you can consume. So fellas great to
(39:46):
be back with you, guys.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
You barely got into it. Oh scratching the SIRC coming back.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yeah, remember the old days where they had pencils that
had erasers in the bottle. They don't know what I'm
talking about anymore. No chan scratching the surface here, all right,
So thanks so much for joining us. Falcons Audible presented
by AT and T. As always, as I mentioned, we
got more content coming up for you next week, and
then we will wrap up the draft for one more
podcast after that to show you all the selections the
(40:13):
Atlanta Falcons made in twenty twenty five on behalf with
DJ Shockley, Dave Archer, I'm Derek Rackley. We'll see you
next week right here on the Falcons Audible
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presented by AT and T is back and we are bad.
We're back and we're bad. You guys remember where they
used to have that?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Right? Is bad and bad is about as good as
you can possibly get.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
The Trio is back together, guys. Before we get into
football stuff, it's been a while, you know. We had
our little man hugs before we saw inside. But tell
the folks what you've been up to, DJ, what you've
been up to the last week.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Man, it's been kids for sure. As I'm sure you
know all about that doing that arch, I know you
went through it, been through it, know what it's about.
But chasing kids, working like crazy, obviously it was down
there in Augusta. Last week down there, doing some cool
work down there. But you know the usual man kids
(01:16):
in travel my son's and travel ball.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
My daughter is running track right now.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Who's loving it, doing really well as a freshman, one
of the only freshmen no doubt, no doubt, no doubt
about it all.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
My wife for sure, but everybody doing good man.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So I appreciate that, love it, and it's not a
bad thing when your job takes you to Augusta National
and that's most people out there in the general public
would say I need that kind of job. Okay, pretty
was it was. It is everything that we saw on
television beautiful.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I mean, I mean, it's it's more than what you
see on TV.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Like you have to be there to understand what it's
all about and how great it is. And people people
first time people who go say, oh, man, have a
phone out there, and it's amazing how you walk around
out there and nobody really cares about their phone, and
you see everybody like engage. You're looking at stuff, you're
(02:08):
talking to people, and you forget for those couple hours
you're out there that hey man, the world's still gonna
be there when you when you leave this place.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
It's not bizarre, guys, like we've come. We've come to
this spot in the world now where like people are
attached to their phone and they can't go longer than
what thirty seconds, sixty seconds without engaging somehow.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
With their phone.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
But yet still in twenty twenty five, you can go
to Augusta, Georgia and this place called Augusta National Golf
Club and you can forget all about that, right, all
the texts and emails and social media that you'd be swiping.
Because I asked my wife that question because I've noticed
on the PGA tour most of the tournaments people have
their phones now, sure, but at Augusta National there's nobody
(02:48):
doing it, and so it's like Augusta does things how
they want to do things.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Yeah, I even looked up. My wife asked me. We
were watching the event this weekend an incredible way. By
the way, congratulations that Roy McElroy. What a what an
up and down roller coaster ride that was. And to
Justin Rose, Justin played great as well ten Birdies on Sunday.
You gotta kid me. But my wife asked me about that,
and she said, how many people are allowed on the
(03:12):
grounds each day. Wow, that's a great question.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
So they don't divulge that information.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
I mean I searched like four or five websites they
say they said, oh, you can get your tickets here
that they purposely don't divulge how many And that's kind
of how the secretive society that is Augusta National. But
Shock's right, any if you go to get a chance
to go down there, I know we're going to talk
to some football in a second. Take the advantage of it,
because it's better. Jock just described it perfectly. It's better
(03:42):
than you can tell someone.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Right.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
There's not a blade of grass out of place, not
a pine straw needle laying in the green. It's all
we're supposed to be in the bright. It is incredible.
I mean, it's like the Grand you go the Grand Canyon,
it's even grander than you thought when you look at
the Grand can That's what That's what Augusta Nashalant so cool.
So that wasn't what you've been up to this season,
what you've been up to. I, speaking of Grand Canon,
(04:05):
went out and saw my son out in Arizona for
part of the month, been grinding on the on the
on the book.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
He's got the bin getting ready for the draft.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
So we're working been working on the draft and and
studying a lot of these guys on tape. We We've
got our series or my series out on because I
want to be blamed if none of the information is correct,
so blame me. But I've got my series out on
the top guys in certain areas that we think we
potentially can be drafting in. I think we had the
linebackers and safeties released on the Land of Falcons dot
(04:38):
com last week, uh tomorrow, while we're filming this on
a Monday, so tomorrow would be Tuesday. They're going to
drop the the big guys. We're gonna do some d
tackles in offensive linemen and that one coming of the
corners at the end of the week, and then the
following following next week, just before the draft, we're gonna
drop the edge guys.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
So that's kind of the areas I looked at.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Yeah, that might give you a precursor as to what
we're going to talk a little bit about right here.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
I watched it. I love when Arch gets to my
man Malachi Starks. Everybody else gets all these little things
they talked about he's got all the nuances of all
these guys. You gets my guy, Malachi Starks.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
No introduction needed. Everybody knows about the bull dog. So
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
You got to Iowa State given you ga gotta love it. Uh, well,
it's a good segue. Let's get into what most people
are pulling.
Speaker 5 (05:29):
Us up to.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa? Why what just because
you host this thing? Listen, you know what I'm saying.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I get gloss over myself when I want to.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Not when you got these two dudes over here. Yo.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Turn No, I've been as you mentioned, I've been busy
with kids. Uh my oldest daughter is going to play
softball at LSU. So we were at Baton Rouge last weekend,
just kind of taking in the sites and stuff, getting
ready for that. Still a year and a half away,
but looking forward to that spring break vacation, went down
to Jupiter, Florida, and really last week been working and
(06:04):
that's about it. I've actually been missing football, to be
quite honest with you. So I'm glad that we're back together.
And speaking of which, we're back together because over the
next few weeks we're gonna be talking about the Atlanta
Falcons and some draft stuff if you will. Okay, so
this week we're gonna talk a little bit more big
picture okay, maybe position groups areas where the Falcons should be,
(06:26):
should they stay at fifteen, should they drop back. Next
week we'll dive into the weeds a little bit more
and we'll start to get into guys' names, we'll start
to get into actual personnel people that we think Atlanta
Mite's targeting. And then the week after the draft will
be back to kind of summarize everything the new guys
that are coming on for twenty twenty five and how
they will fit into this roster and hopefully help them
(06:47):
to some WS come the twenty twenty five fall season.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
That sounded like a plan.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Well, you charge people to look at your binary where
they can get a subscription to see.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Hey, they can't get a subscription. This is old school.
I don't do anything on the computer. It's all writing
stuff down. It's stupid, but people might actually pay for money.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
It's like vin guarantee people will look at that.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Right.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
New Age generation, though you're probably not gonna lie to
be like, wait, people actually wrote this much material with
a pen and paper. Yes, it did happen, all right, guys,
So let's talk about falcons biggest needs.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
All right?
Speaker 1 (07:21):
If anybody is a Falcons fan, watch their things play
out last year, maybe even the year before, and kind
of have a good pulse on the team, they've probably
got an answer for this too. But shock, I'm gonna
start with you. What are the Falcons' biggest needs, biggest
areas of improvement that are going to help them from
what we saw in the field last year to what
needs to change here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I think the narrative still is the same of what
we've talked about the last few years, and it's something
that you're not gonna get away from until it until
it becomes a bigger impact on your team.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
And I think it comes down to being able to
rush the passer. And I think that.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Ultimately is one of the things that you have looked
at over the past few years. I look back and
it says eight out of the last three teen seasons,
the Falcons have finished in the bottom five of the
league in sacks, And that tells you everything you need
to know. So you start thinking about where the biggest
improvements that can happen for a team or a unit.
I think it comes with the ability be able to
get after the quarterback. And we've seen over the years
(08:16):
guys who on the other side, who have not played
their best football at the quarterback position have come in
and played well against the falcons because there's time to
throw the football. Now, you can have all the talent
on the back end you want, but if you've got
extra time to throw the football, guess what. These dudes
are good enough to find ways to get guys open,
and gonna find ways to skiing guys open, and guys
gonna be able to throw the rock all over the yard.
So I think ultimately comes down to, baby, how do
(08:39):
you create the pass rush? And I think we've seen
over the past few years we've tried to elevate those
positions by bringing in guys that in the past have
shown their ability but to get to the quarterback. But
I think now you look at, Okay, how do we
get younger, how do we find guys in this draft?
How do we find guys who can get to the quarterback.
So I think ultimately people think it's just past side.
(09:00):
I think it has a lot to do with the
interior as well. No more Grady Jared, no more that leadership,
No where that guy in the middle who everybody has
seen around here for the last ten seasons, and what
he's about. Who's going to be the guys on the interior. Now, Now,
we went out and we drafted a couple guys last
year on that defensive line and that defensive interior, defensive
guys to see if they can be the guys who
can step up and become the next maybe Grady Jared,
(09:23):
but we'll see. So I think oltimate, Yeah, it has
to do with the guys on the edge, But I
still think about the interior just as important as the
guys on the edge, because pushing from the middle is
exactly where each quarterback says, you know what, please don't
have that guy for so long we talk about Aaron Donald,
You think about our guy Chris over in Kansas City,
(09:44):
all those guys who Kris pushed that middle of that pocket.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That is a problem.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
As much as we talk about the edge, and as quarterbacks,
for us, we always just think about it blitz and
a blitz comes off the edge. We always say we
want to squeeze want to get everything from the middle.
We're gonna let the outside guy go. The most dangerous
for us is in the middle on the inside. So
you can let that furtherest guy go and we can
get that football off better than a guy coming in
the middle. So up to me, I say, interior defensive
(10:11):
line as well as the outside's a big deal.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
DJ to your point, it's gonna age me a little bit,
but it's reality. But like you know, you talk about
the interior defensive front, like I played against a guy
in Warren Sapp that was one of the best to
ever do it. Now, the newer generation, all they do now,
they see him in Colorado, they see him with Deon Sanders,
they see him coaching, and they might see the flamboyant
attitude and stuff that he has. But he was one
(10:34):
of the best defensive tackles that ever played, and you
had the game plan for him, and if you did
not him and the rest of that defense was gonna
tear you up.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Arch.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
I mean you saw that firsthand as well, So I
think it's a great point. I would say pass rush
has become to a point where it's desperation now, like
it has to get better.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Arch.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
We talked about throughout the course of last season that
sometimes it's about sacks, but it's also about affecting the quarterback.
And I think affecting the quarterback could be misconstrued because
you can say, oh, well, we're getting guys in the backfield,
but if you don't truly affect the quarterback, meaning he
has to throw the football away, he has to scramble,
(11:13):
or he is down on the ground. To DJ's point,
they're too good now. The quarterbacks are.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Too good now.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
The schemes offensively are too good now with the running
backs coming out of the backfield. If you can't truly
and I mean truly affect the quarterback on defense, it's
gonna be hard to win in the National football Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
You guys are banging on, and I think that we
talk about pass rush, and that's kind of where I
think the layman fan and the fans will go to,
Okay a week heating the quarterback up. Quarterbacks are under
pressure every time they drop to throw. The ball's coming
out somewhere in at three second range, somewhere at nimb
three point five if you've got some time, but it's
probably two and a half to three seconds balls coming out,
so there's a lot of there's still pressure, there's hats
(11:54):
and hands in the way. And I would couple with
what you guys are saying, is the reason this is
not just a slam dunk. Hey, take the best edge
rusher it's on the board, or take the best defensive
tackles on the board, is because if you can't hug
in coverage on the back end to maybe make the
quarterback change the timing of the quarter of the what.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
The quarterback does.
Speaker 5 (12:15):
If you can't from a corner standpoint take away some
of those quick, easy throws, all the efforts in the
world up front aren't going to get you home. And
if you go back and you look at the first
eight or nine weeks of the season last year, save
a couple of weekends, the Patrick Mahomes and people like
that are just killing you playing the keyboard underneath because
(12:35):
there wasn't anything. There was no hug coverage. There's no
way to take away those quick throws and make him
hold the football. So I think that the more you
can combine that back end with the front end is
a big deal too. So that's why don't be surprised
if when you look at the board, we start talking
about position groups, that a corner might be the second
(12:57):
rated corner on the board is sitting there. You might
take the corner knowing that this is one of the
deeper classes that we've seen recently from an edge rush standpoint,
that you can add to what you already have Braylan
Trice coming back off injury, Leonard Floyd in free agency,
you got Arnold Debakatie who's coming back after a pretty
solid season last year.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
That you might be able.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
To find a guy in the second round, or if
you trade back or trade back in the first one,
whatever you do, that you might not be able to
find a guy that's maybe fifth or sixth on the list,
but still big time player. Because there's a bunch of guys.
So there's a lot of different ways to affect the quarterback,
but you guys are dead on that's the number one
thing that the Falcons need to be able to do
(13:39):
is try to affect the passer and try to take away.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Some of the easy stuff.
Speaker 5 (13:44):
That we kind of will take for granted, those quick,
easy throws that keep you in those manageable third down situations.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Because you know, we talk about you know pass rush,
and what happens is if you don't affect the quarterback.
And I'm not talking about a quarterback is dropping back
in here, he's throwing a skinny post down the middle
of the field and he's completing for thirty five yards.
I'm talking about if you can't affect a quarterback to
where you get them off the field on third down,
then everything starts to snowball. Your defense gets tired, the
(14:14):
other offense gains momentum, confidence, they're getting closer to scoring range,
they're putting points on the board. Now you're playing catchup, right,
and so it's a snowball effect that if you can't
slow down the opposing offense. Because guys, there was a
day when it was all about stopping the run on defense.
That was number one goal. I bet you there's still
(14:35):
a lot of defensive coordinators out there that still say
that our first goal going into every game is we
have to.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Stop the run.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
But the quarterbacks have become so good that they can
They can scheme plays that feed off of the run game,
and all of a sudden, you get the dink out
to a running back, a slot receiver, a tight end,
and all of Suddens a pickup for seven yards, it's
a pickup for eight yards and your defense is constantly
on the field. So yes, we've been harping about it
because it is so important in the National Football League
(15:04):
that you have to get after the quarterback.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Right, So it'swich we saw exactly what you're describing is
what we saw in the Washington game and in the
Carolina game when when it's on the loan, you're going
to go to the playoffs. If you win in Washington
and beat Carolina at home, you're going to the playoffs.
With everything that happened with the quarterback and all that
stuff before, and we couldn't get off the field. We
couldn't get off the field in overtime against Washington, and
(15:28):
couldn't make that stop late in the game against Carolina
because you scored. You put thirty eight on the board
against Carolina and wasn't enough. You had Pennix's heroics with
Pitts at the end of the game in Washington. It
all went for nothing because what you just said is
you've got to be able to get off the field.
And that is pass rush. That's a bill has stop
the run, but a lot of it has to do
(15:48):
with being able to control what they're doing in the.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Passing game, right.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
So we talked about this a lot leading into the
twenty twenty four draft, and of course we talked about
Brayln Trice getting hurt, so we never really got a
chance to see him. Maybe he ends up coming back.
Maybe it's Leonard Floyd, maybe it's Morgan Fox. Maybe it's
the scheme from Jeff Ulbrook that changes.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Right.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Obviously, that's part of the reason why Jimmy Lake is
no longer with this organization. Because if you can't get
the job, and I'm not going to just say on defense,
it's anywhere, right, if you're a position coach, if you're
a coordinator on offense, if you're a special teams coordinator,
if your unit is not getting the job done, unfortunately,
you're going to be looking for a new job because
this is a production based business. So it's a theme
(16:26):
that continues here. In twenty twenty five. We talked a
lot about pass rushing. I just want to ask you, guys,
what would be your second most important need for Atlanta
as we go into this draft.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Well, I think that that shock made a great reference
to the interior the defensive line, and you're losing one
of the great leaders that this franchise, frankly, has ever
seen in the history of their franchise. And that's not overstating.
And I don't think you guys would I think you
guys would agree with me on that. Grady Jarrett had
the ability to motivate guys, had the ability to establish
(16:57):
a work ethic from Monday to Saturday. That translated into
in how he played on Sunday, and guys tried to
mirror that. They may not have been able to reach
his level, but they tried to do that. You've you
just lost that leadership and stuff. So the dtackle position,
that was a great point to go. So I'll go
to where I was talking about prior in mixing the
(17:19):
front and the back is I think you've got to
begin if you're looking at edge and d tackle and
those are certainly warranted. And I'm sure there's music to
the ears of the falcony, the faithful out there. Corner
is going to be a place you're going to be looking. Now.
I love that you re signed Mike Cues. He's coming
off an outstanding year, maybe his best year as a pro.
Was able to stay healthy state on the field, was
an outstanding tackler on the perimeter. You got D offered resigned.
(17:42):
I know there was some good stuff and some bad
stuff from D, but he's got a year of experience
and expect him to be exponentially better because of that experience.
And you signed some guys in free agency that could
help out. So namely what Mike Ford who comes in here.
Mike's a guy that can transition from from safety to corner,
maybe even play some nickels or some versatility there. So
(18:03):
you but you still there's there's a couple of three,
probably five or six really good corners that would probably
be plug and play that you might look at. That's
where I would probably.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Go DJ, anyone any other position group come to your mind.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Those are I think artis hit some some some big
ones on the head and obviously I guess my question
is I think what fans would ask is you just
sign obviously Mike.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
To that new deal.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Does that take away from where you go with a
corner because you brought him back, you brought D back, Uh,
you still got other couple guys in the fold. Does
that deter you as an Atlanta Falcons to go get
another guy.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
What you're talking about is the corner.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
It doesn't because of the specialty type that we're going
You tell me, if you've got a guy and there's
a couple of guys and I'm I'm probably maybe I
don't want to specifically named guys. We're going to do
that next week for you. But there's the training now
at the college level and rack you do games every week,
there are guys that are specifically training to play nickel.
(19:06):
It's not like they're taking a corner and on third
down they're rotating one of the corners.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Inside.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
There's a dude that comes on the field and he
may be on the field for eighty percent of the
snaps based on the way college is played, where you've
got four and five receivers on the field.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Anyway, that dude.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Is trained to play man coverage in the slot, play
zone coverage in the slot, and tackle in the box.
You've got four or five of those guys in the
draft that if you feel like that was a problem
for you and Hughes is still here, you draft that dude.
He's a plug and play guy. That's what I'm kind
of talking about when it comes to that Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
I mean I would agree with it too, DJ. As
we all know the NFL is all about competition for sure,
right and and David, it reminds me of last year
when we were almost sitting in this exact same spot.
Last year, you were talking about Quinjon Mitchell over and
over and over about how talented he was and what
happened He gets drafted, the ends up winning a Super Bowl.
He helps that defense in Philadelphia become one of the
(19:59):
best in the league because you can never have too
many talented young corners. You can never have too many
guys that may turn into another AJ Terrell. Now that's different.
He's a first round draft pick. But if they fall
in love with which just like they did with Bijon Robinson.
We didn't think they were gonna be drafting a running
back in the first round. They fell in love with
Jon Robinson and his talent and look at him a
(20:21):
couple of years later. He's not one of the most
dynamic running backs in the league. Right, So if they
find it, if they find a guy that they feel
like is gonna fit the system. Loves a personality. Ulbrick
loves him. From a defensive standpoint, I think you bring
him in and you let these guys compete and win
the positions on the field.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Is that how we do it in the NFL? Absolutely? Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (20:40):
All right, So let's talk a little bit more about
the fifteen pick. Obviously that's gonna be a really interesting
slot for Atlanta because they don't have a whole lot
of draft capital right now. Guys, So I'm gonna ask
you this question. Do you stay at fifteen or do
you think Atlanta is a mover and shaker in the
first down, either up or down. DJ, Let's start with you.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
It's interesting because there is obviously a lot of different
scenarios that can help you for this organization. Obviously, if
you're looking for great value, looking for guy who come
in to help you right now, which I think there
is guys who will be at that fifteen spot that
you can come in and say, all right, this guy
can plug and play right now and he can be
of value to you right now. Or you say, you
(21:20):
know what, we lost a few pigs last year. The
Matthew Judon didn't really work out the way you wanted to.
You lose a third round pick, Maybe here's an opportunity
for you to move back a few spots and say,
you know what, maybe there's a guy that we really
like and we probably can get into twenty somewhere. But
in the same token, we can get the guy we want,
and we can add a couple more picks to it.
I think it adds great value to what you want
(21:42):
to do. So, you know, it's hard to say because
we're not in those rooms, were out in those draft
rooms where they're talking scenarios, but I can see the
argument for both, and for me, I would say I
would say fifteen is a good spot for you to
go get somebody that you really wanted. That spot, especially
when it comes to if you're really dedicated to like
everybody say hey, they talk to none but defensive guys
(22:05):
at the combine. If that's what you feel strong about it,
you feel really good that this guy can come in
here right now and say, you know what, he will
absolutely help our defense from day one.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
You got to go get that guy.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Let me ask you this shock and you guys, let
me ask both you guys. Okay, So here's the dynamic.
You're sitting, you're in the war room, and this thing
starts to go okay, and inevitably it seems like every year,
a guy that is pretty highly rated, maybe the best
at his position, begins to fall. And it not necessarily
(22:37):
because of anything he's done.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
It might be.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
Because all of a sudden, the quarterbacks or somebody kind
of panics and drafts a quarterback you didn't expect to
go there, or a guy they fell in love with
a certain player, and all of a sudden, you get
to where we are, and this happened to us back.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
What was it? What you're to Ridley?
Speaker 5 (22:57):
Come out in nineteen twenty when Ridley twenty one? Remember
we got to twenty two and we're thinking edge rusher.
We're thinking edge rusher, which I guess we've been doing
that for a while now. But Calvin Ridley was the
was the number two rated wide receiver on the board,
and he was he was supposed to be gone inside
the fifteen pick. Here we're at twenty two and Ridley's
(23:19):
sitting there. All that being said, what happens if you
get to fifteen and the number one offensive tackles.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
On the board.
Speaker 5 (23:31):
And there's been a lot of conversation about you know,
the team has gone and looked at some guys and
done some extra study on a couple offensive tackles. I mean,
what happened, you know, So that's and I'm not saying
you guys can make that decision for Terry or for
for Raheem right now, but that's a real.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Possibility, is arch.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
And I think at this stage with the draft, you're
right because weird things happen, and I think all options
are on the table because you're right there, Like there
could be a run on wide receivers and all of
a sudden somebody picks the tight end, and then all
of a sudden there's a linebacker and wait a second,
there's a corner available that they had no idea. They
(24:10):
couldn't mocked it ten times that the guy was going
to be available, and then all of a sudden they
make a move. And maybe it even works out to
where Atlanta finds a way to go from fifteen to
thirteen or something because that guy is still available that
they didn't think was going to be. And yes, to me,
this shapes us up as a draft to trade back right,
to get more draft capital, to get more assets, right,
(24:32):
to try to bring in more players to help this
team grow.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
But it could end up being the exact opposite.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
You just never know how things are going to shake
out when it comes to the day of the draft.
So we're thinking trade up, trade down. It's just we're
going to play this thing out, right, We're gonna play
this thing out. First round. Did we talk enough about
pass rusher that this should be the pick? Or what
position group we're not going with players? What position group
(25:01):
are we thinking? First round?
Speaker 3 (25:03):
DJ Man, we've seen over the years, like we've talked about,
anything can freaking happen on draft day and Arch stows
wrenching the whole plan. He tells, you, you know what
if that guy who we not even talked about, and
they went to go see this one guy and you
got a chance to who it makes it interesting to say, Okay,
(25:26):
if we can build our team the best way possible
and this guy's sitting there, you go get him. It
makes a lot of conversations a lot different. I think
in the first round, I'm sticking with some sort of
guy in the front setting.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
How about that?
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Okay, because obviously who knows where their mind is thinking
on the best way that Jeff Albrooks says, this defense
can be impacted.
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Maybe it's a linebacker, Maybe it's.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
A guy that you know, I know you got Diabolo
just came in here, but you know, Troy's been up
and down. Maybe you need another guy who can bring
something to that episode. Maybe you know, well, we talked
about the NT, you talked about guys on the edge.
I mean, there's so many guys in this draft that
you could say, you know what, for Jeff.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Albrooks sake, it fits really well.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
Maybe for the common Falcon fan you say, you know,
I really love this guy from this particular blaze to
edge rush. But the Falcon may say, you know what,
we got a guy who could fill that role who
looks similar to how he is, but we want a
guy who looks this way on the interior. So I
think front seven is where you go. I know it's
pretty broad, but I think you stay there. And over
the years we talked about getting pass rusher and we
(26:29):
on the whole other side of the ball, getting somebody
on the offense side of the ball. So I think
we stay on that defensive side and somewhere in the
front seven, especially in that first round.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Well this day and age, front seven gives you a
lot of different positional options because it's tackle, it's end,
it's pass rusher, it's middle linebacker, it's rush linebacker.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
It's outside linebacker.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Right, it's it's become so you know, the positions have
become so tailored, if you will, Yeah, you want to
hear this, Yeah, exactly are they going to fit in
your specific system? So Art, what do you think about
position group?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
First round? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (27:06):
Everything I said about offensive tackle, don't don't hyper ventive
late at home. I will throw in one last little
caveat to that. And I know the fans have been
thinking this. I've been reading it on some of the
chat rooms and that kind of stuff. Is Michael Pennix
is a left handed quarterback. Well, I'll just throw that
out there. I'll just throw that out there.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Okay, So the if you feel comfortable.
Speaker 5 (27:31):
And I thought that the gentleman that played on the
right side had a pretty good year this year, maybe
his best year as a pro. But he is in
the back end of his contract and would it I'm
just saying, Okay, that could potentially, But I would agree
with with Shock you probably You're probably there too, Rack.
I think the conversation has been about how do we
affect the run game as well the past game first,
(27:54):
but the run game as well, because if you draft
the defensive tackle or an edge guy or a line by,
those guys are gonna have an effect in the run
game as well. So you're drafting and a a guy
that's an asset that can affect the game in the
front seven. I would think that would be what it is.
I mean, I don't want to get into specific names,
(28:15):
but I know there's there's there's some guys.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
There's some guys.
Speaker 5 (28:19):
There's some guys, man, I mean, there's a couple of
just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
I'm not abdul Abduel Carter. Yes, he's a dude. Okay,
he's a dude. Not gonna be there.
Speaker 5 (28:29):
Okay, Travis Hunter love watching his tape. A dude, He's
not gonna be there. So now all of a sudden,
you start thinking, Okay, who could potentially bunch back? And
this is what we're talking about with the draft falls
you were you were discussing, we're running receivers or whatever
it is. Does that guy you know fall to you?
Speaker 2 (28:49):
You know? And and is there a guy in your mind?
Speaker 5 (28:51):
And we're gonna we're gonna weet you guys at but
we're gonna let their apptites we're gonna pick our guys.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Next week, we're gonna pick a guy.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Is there a guy for you on the board that
is a can't miss dude in your mind that if
he fell to Atlanta And I'm not talking about Abdul
Carter or Mason Graham, those guys are going to be gone.
Is there a guy that you think is being projected
between eight and and whin the Falcons pick? If he's there,
he's a no miss, You've got.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
It, Honestly, arch I hadn't gone into the weeds that yet.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Sorry, so I.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
Don't have But that's a great tease because we're going
to talk about it for next week, and I want
I want to this is this week, is is big picture.
Next week we're gonna start talking more individual players. There's
there's one more discussion that I want to have with
you two guys up here that I think is interesting
to have. Now my caveat here is this is not
(29:46):
first round. Okay, this is just this draft. What happens
at the quarterback position? Where are Because there's been so
much talk out there about Kirk Cousins and is he
going to be moved? Is he's gonna move to the draft,
he's gonna be moved later. But last year, one year ago,
the whole discussion was sign Kirk Cousins. They drafted Michael Pennix.
(30:09):
We don't ever want to have an issue at the
quarterback position. And in the foreseeable future, well, the organization
is hinting that they may be moving on from Kirk
because at some point he might end up be in
the backup still and that might be a great situation.
But do they have to start thinking about something behind
Michael Pennix. I'm just throwing it out there because I
got two quarterbacks with me.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
DJ you have to always think that way. And we've
seen in this league, we've seen his organization. If you
don't have that guy, if your number one guy goes down,
you're in trouble. So the conversation, I guarantee has already
been had. The conversation has already been talked about. Okay,
what if this guy I e. Kirk Cousins is not here?
(30:52):
Who is the guy behind Michael Penny shil you? So
that conversation is there and a lot of it goes to, Okay,
do you want to know the young guy? Oh, do
you want a guy who's had experience in the National
Football League. But as we know, a lot of those
guys they're gone, Yeah, they are at another team. They're
in that role already with another picketing around this league.
(31:13):
And then you start asking yourself, okay, is there's somebody
in this draft that you feel comfortable enough that if
this guy goes down, you feel good about it. And
I think that's still up in the air. And right
now you're holding on the number eighteen because of whatever
all the situations around it. But obviously, as we know,
we go through training camp, things happen, guys go down,
(31:34):
and then here comes the phone starts ringing, and then
that's not the time where you start thinking about it.
So you bring up a good point of you're looking
down in this draft. You look, hey, fifth sixth round,
and there's a guy there. She say, you know what,
I think this guy's mature enough. You look at Michael
Penick Jung he is what twenty four, He came into
this league very mature. If you have another guy who's
sitting in the role you know you feel good about.
(31:54):
If you don't have that veteran guy that this guy
can feel that void, then you have to pull that
trigger because you don't know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
And I think, like you.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Mentioned, there's a lot of talk on the outside about
what could happen in the coming months before trade airline
all that kind of stuff. If you know a team
comes calling for Kirk gouzz and I think you have
to have that in place already with a guy already
in the building.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Three hundred and sixty five days ago, Arts we weren't
talking about whether or not the Falcons will be drafting
a quarterback in twenty twenty five. But with everything that's transpired, it,
like he said, there's been probably been discussions and it's
somewhere on the table, and I don't know if a
fifth sixth rounder is the one that you want, but
like they got to have whoever is it gonna be
(32:38):
behind Michael, whether it's this year or next year. And yeah,
you can push the peanut forward and think about that
in twenty twenty six. But I'm just trying to prime you, guys,
do not be surprised if somewhere in this twenty twenty
five draft there's a quarterback taken both both.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Yeah, because because you've been throwing a lot of wrenches
in now, Ratnell throwing a nice little.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
I will be I'll be shocked.
Speaker 5 (33:00):
I'll be shocked, guys if they take it for a
quarterback in the draft, and now, I will not be
shocked if they sign a couple of free agents that
are available to come in and potentially come in and
compete for maybe a third spot. I think that they
I agree with shocked. The conversation has been had. Okay,
what happens if we get the perfect offer for Kirk
(33:21):
and it gives him an opportunity to go someplace that
he would like to go. Remember, he's got some clauses
in his contract where he can say yeay or nay
on some stuff. But if it's a perfect scenario where
he can go start or whatever, or compete for the
starting job, that conversation has been had. I think right
now they're planning, and Terry's been adamant about the fact
they're comfortable with the way the room looks. They're not
(33:43):
comfortable with where the money is for each guy, but
they're comfortable with the way the room looks that I
don't know if you're in a better situation. Is there
anybody in a better situation from a quarterback standpoint in
the National Football League, if you go into the season
and Kirk Cousins is your backup quarterback going in the league,
and don't think that he's one of these malcontents that's
(34:03):
going to be a problem. I mean, he and Pennis
rode home from game that they've got a really good relationship.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
So there's there's that.
Speaker 5 (34:11):
Yes, he'd like to be playing someplace, but I think
don't worry about the relationship or the potential disruptor or
something like that. That's not going to happen with Kirk Cousin.
That's not going to happen. Yeah, I don't think they're
going to do that. I don't think they're going to
draft quarterback.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Just something to keep an eye on. I thought about
it a couple of times over the last week. And
you know, again, three hundred and sixty five days ago,
would have never thought that we'd be having this discussion.
But at some point the discussions will be had or
have been had.
Speaker 5 (34:38):
Let me let me ask you guys this, Okay, So
we're kind of doing big picture.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
We're we're we talked about.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
Pass rush, okay, and so I think that if we
got the guy that's delivering the packages out here, and
we said, hey, what do you think the focus?
Speaker 2 (34:51):
He say, pass rush? What is that?
Speaker 5 (34:53):
What does that need? In you guys's mind? Where is
where is something that affects the game rack other than Russian?
Some of these are kind of intertwined like a chain, right,
whereas an areas are a number, there's a stat or
something that has to change or you're going to struggle
again on one side of the the boy one explosive
(35:14):
plays on offense, Okay, I think more explosive plays down
the field, and I think that there was and there's
been a lot of discussion about Kyle Pitts over the years,
and rightfully so. And I'm not saying Kyle Pitts has
been the reason why we haven't had explosive plays. But
when you have somebody that has the generational talent of
Michael Pitts potentially in the middle of the field, the
idea was that that should open up more holes for
(35:37):
Atlanta to have some shots down the field. Right, He
draws attention in the middle, gives a Manda Man matchup
on the outside. You take a shot with somebody down
the field of Darnell Mooney or something like that, and
We've already talked about Drake London. Drake London has been
great for this organization. But I don't think Drake is
to take the top of the top off of the
defense type wide receiver. He's going to use his physicality,
(35:58):
his athleticism to go up over the top of people,
box people out and make those difficult catches. But for me,
like I think about the Chiefs and I look at
Xavier Worthy and what did he do. He brought a
speed factor that offense that every defense had to respect. Okay,
and I'm not just picking out the guy that had
the fastest time in the combine, but they the Chiefs
were very strategic on why they picked him is because
(36:21):
he creates issues for defenses and they got a quarterback
that can get him the ball. So if there's another
way that this offense can generate more explosive plays, feeding
off of play action with Robinson and Algier in the backfield,
feeding off of what Drake can do on the outside
by making the difficult catches, but more explosive plays offensively,
I feel like helps you score more points. It's a
(36:44):
game where you got to score points.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
The time of winning seven to three does not happen
too much in the national munch of the league anymore,
and the defense is not there for it right now,
right now. So find a way to score more points
by being more explosive.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
Okay, let me ask you this.
Speaker 5 (36:59):
On top of that, Okay, Atlanta was top ten in
the league in average yards per play I think five
point nine yards per play. Okay, but key moment explosives
is what you're talking about, guys that are making key
moment explosives. Was that a quarterback issue or was that
a Kyle Pitts issue, because if he go back to
his rookie year, dude was making explosive players Matt Ryan throwing.
Speaker 4 (37:21):
Him the rocks exaxt thing.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
I'm thinking because I when both of you guys talking
about this, the first thing I thought about was those
last three ball games and how much the ball was
starting to be pushed down the field. And we know
from Michael Penny's time of college, Oh, he loved the
de ball. He wanted to throw the football down the field.
And I think we saw in those last three ball
games his willingness to push the football down the field.
(37:44):
You got all the play action and you got a
slight roll in you got a deep eighteen twenty two
yard comeback coming on the back side of the money that's
pushing the football down the field. And I think I
think the last game, I think we saw there there
were two instances where throws one in the end zone
to Drake, it gets knocked down. Next play right back
to him on a on another fave route. I think
this is what you're going to get them. I think
(38:05):
is going to get to where you want to be,
where you're pushing the football down the field. Michael Pitt's
gonna be that kind of guy who will throw the
football down the field.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
Yeah, And and I think that mentality and throwing another
piece in there, right and it guys, it could be
a third rounder. And maybe this third rounder is a
is a you know, a guy that's got great top
end speed, but he's got some things that need to
still be worked on. Right, He's got some tools, but
he's not refined yet.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
Racks already got his trading back or we're gonna go round.
Speaker 5 (38:35):
He's already the drapes have been pulled.
Speaker 4 (38:44):
We got to get it back. What is talking about
already got it for.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
What DJ is talking about. We gonna get into next week.
All right, So, uh speaking, which you want more draft coverage?
You talked about a little bit. Arch. Your top prospect
videos out going out right now on YouTube. Which are
the ones that you've done so far?
Speaker 5 (39:01):
So far we have on the website right now of
the linebackers and safeties, which includes your guy Malachai Starks.
And then we're gonna go to the big guys. Big
guys are coming up. I got a couple of defensive tackles,
a couple of offensive linemen, A dog is in that
is in a piece of that too, and then we'll
do we'll jump to the corners at the end of
the week, and then starting next week we'll get to
(39:22):
the addressers.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
So there you go.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
If you want to get see Arch breaking some of
these guys down the depth, go to the Falcons YouTube
channel as always Falcons Atlanta Falcons dot Com, our YouTube channel,
and all of the other different podcasts and personnel that
we have here. We're gonna be spitting out material about
this draft over the next two to three weeks to
give you all you can consume. So fellas great to
(39:46):
be back with you, guys.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
You barely got into it. Oh scratching the SIRC coming back.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Yeah, remember the old days where they had pencils that
had erasers in the bottle. They don't know what I'm
talking about anymore. No chan scratching the surface here, all right,
So thanks so much for joining us. Falcons Audible presented
by AT and T. As always, as I mentioned, we
got more content coming up for you next week, and
then we will wrap up the draft for one more
podcast after that to show you all the selections the
(40:13):
Atlanta Falcons made in twenty twenty five on behalf with
DJ Shockley, Dave Archer, I'm Derek Rackley. We'll see you
next week right here on the Falcons Audible
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