Atlanta Falcons 2013 Season Preview: Offensive Line
By Brad Rowland
October 7, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Atlanta Falcons guard Justin Blalock (63), guard Mike Johnson (79), guard Garrett Reynolds (75), and guard Peter Konz (66) stand on the field prior to the game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Greetings! As the 2013 NFL season approaches, it is time to take a deeper look at what to expect from the Atlanta Falcons. In the fifth of a nine-part preview, we’ll be examining the part of the offense that is under the most scrutiny as the season opens, and that unit is the offensive line. Let’s go.
Offensive Tackles
Starters
First, we’ll go with the positive, and while I never thought I would type this sentence 12 months ago, left tackle Sam Baker is a positive. Baker emerged in a huge way last season, allowing only 3.5 sacks on the entire 16-game season, and he transformed his body in a visible way last off-season. I would stop short of putting him in “elite” company at the left tackle spot, but the position is no longer a) a liability, and b) a future concern, as Baker is inked to a 6-year contract. The only real fear with Baker is a fairly extensive injury history, but we’ll hope that his body holds up to the pounding yet again.
The right side is the major concern on this offensive line, and that was compounded by the loss of Mike Johnson for the season. Johnson was penciled in as the starter on the right side, but he went down with a debilitating leg injury early in camp, and left a big hole in his absence. Lamar Holmes gets the call as the presumptive starter, and he appeared in exactly 1 game during the 2012 campaign. Holmes was the team’s 3rd-rounder in 2012 out of Southern Miss, so there’s reasonable pedigree there, but he has been nothing short of a turnstyle in the preseason. It is too early to make a full-on judgment of his prospects for the regular season, but he hasn’t alleviated doubts thus far.
Rotation Players/Backups
The primary backup at both spots seems to be rookie Ryan Schraeder. He competed with Holmes for the starting job at right tackle despite being an undrafted free agent (out of Valdosta State), but the 300-pounder is an unknown at this point. There will be real trepidation if Baker goes down, but Schraeder didn’t stand out as exceedingly awful in his preseason appearances.
Offensive Guards
Starters
This is a much stronger duo thanks to more balance than the tackle spot. Justin Blalock is now in his 7th season as a starter with the Falcons, and prior to last year’s emergence by Baker, he was easily the best player on the offensive line. He’s a good athlete at 6-foot-4, 320+ pounds, and he’s well known for his prowess in the run game. The left side is certainly set with Blalock and Baker. On the right side, Garrett Reynolds gets the nod out of camp for the 3rd straight year, except in 2013, there is little competition to remove him. He’s got a checkered injury history, but when he’s on the field, he’s proficient at guard (not so much tackle, but alas), and he’s got great size at 6-foot-7, 310 pounds.
Rotation Players/Backups
The primary backup at guard is probably Joe Hawley (we’ll get to him later), but as a pure guard, Phillipkeith (yes, his name) Manley and Harland Gunn are battling it out for possible playing time. I would fall short of providing a reasonable scouting report on either player.
Center
Starters
For the first time in more than a decade, Todd McClure won’t be anchoring the middle of the Falcons’ offensive line in 2013. The 13-year veteran retired prior to the season, and his replacement, Peter Konz, has big shoes to fill. Konz did start 10 games last season at the guard spot, but this will be a big jump for the 2nd-year player. All reports are that he held his own in camp, but we won’t know for sure until we see him in a full-time role.
Rotation Players/Backups
The aforementioned Joe Hawley returns as the primary backup at center and guard. He has appeared in 37 games over 3 seasons with the Falcons, including 12 starts, and is a solid rotational piece. He’s undersized at 6-3 (generous) and under 300 pounds, but Hawley moves well, and he’s certainly the best of the 2nd-team offensive line.
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On the whole, the Falcons offensive line is the lone concern on that side of the ball. As I mentioned, the left side will be strong, but the overall line failed to produce running lanes last season (thanks to Michael Turner as well, in fairness) and keeping Matt Ryan upright is a big-time responsibility. Much of this season’s report card will be tied to Lamar Holmes, but depth is lacking everywhere and this unit can’t afford injuries.
Stay tuned for part 6, when we pivot to this year’s pass catchers.