Atlanta Falcons 2013 Season Preview: Pass Catchers
By Brad Rowland
Aug 8, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White (84) shown on the field during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Bengals defeated the Falcons 34-10. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-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 sixth of a nine-part preview, we’re focusing on one of the “flashier” positions on any NFL roster, as well as one of the best position groups on the Atlanta Falcons. Let’s get it going with a preview of the pass-catching options.
Wide Receiver
Starters
The Falcons are a unique position within the NFL in that they don’t have a defined “number 1” receiver. That would seem like a negative on the surface, but in actuality, the team has two different #1 receivers, and each guy is a monster in his own right.
Roddy White gets the pole position for the purposes of this preview, and he does so because of an outstanding track record. White has been one of the most profilic receivers in the league, putting up a staggering 6 consecutive seasons with 1,150+ yards and 6+ touchdowns. In addition, White has excelled even more since the formation shift in the offense from a “ground and pound” game to more of an air assault under Matt Ryan, and he has 90+ catches in each of the past 3 years. In short, he’s ultra-consistent and ultra-productive. At 31 years old, there is probably a slight dip coming in athleticism, but White is a superb route runner with good size (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) and he’s a prime target for Matt Ryan.
On the opposite side is the “flashy new toy” in the form of Julio Jones. The former Alabama product exploded in year two, posting 79 catches for 1,198 yards and 10 touchdowns, and his upside is even higher. He’s a physical freak at 6-foot-3 and nearly 230 pounds, and Jones is on the very short list of the most talented receivers in the league. The only real downside with Jones thus far has been a spotty health history, but it’s too early to call him injury-prone in any real way, and we’d be nitpicking to downgrade him on that. As of this moment, White is still getting significantly more targets than Jones, but that may even out a bit in 2013.
Rotation Players/Backups
Even with arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league, the Falcons do have to have backup receivers, and it’s an interesting group. Harry Douglas is the default #3 guy, and he’s caught 39 and 38 balls over the past two years respectively. Douglas is a local product (graduating from Jonesboro High School), and he’s a talented slot receiver despite modest size (5-foot-11) and the lack of explosiveness. There isn’t too much upside with Douglas as long as the other two receivers and Tony Gonzalez are around, but he’s solid.
For depth, Kevin Cone and Drew Davis make up the rest of the receiving corps. Cone has made his bones in the league as an outstanding special teams player, while Davis is probably the more polished receiver who would see time if the injury bug hit the top three guys.
Tight End
Starter
As the 2012 season closed, it looked like the Falcons would have a gaping hole once 2013 arrived, but they received a pleasant gift during the off-season. Tony Gonzalez, also known as the greatest tight end to ever live (quite literally), has passed on retirement for one more season, making the Falcons “set” at tight end in 2013. I could go on for days with Tony Gonzalez stats, but he has 70+ catches in ten consecutive seasons, is 2nd all-time receptions with 1,242 (trailing only Jerry Rice), and despite being a tight end, Gonzalez is in the top-7 in both career receiving yards and touchdowns.
He’s a monster.
At 37 years old, I probably wouldn’t expect more than 60-70 catches, 800 or so yards, and 6-8 touchdowns, but the fact that those estimates are conservative shows you just how valuable his presence is to this team.
Rotation Players/Backups
Behind Gonzalez, there is a world of unknown. Chase Coffman is listed as the #2 guy on the depth chart, but he has only 4 catches during 3 years in the NFL. He’s a talented player at 6-foot-5, but he’ll likely be used sparingly unless Gonzalez succumbs to injury. The other option is rookie Levine Toilolo, who is massive in stature (6-foot-8, 265 pounds) but wildly unproven as a 4th-rounder out of Stanford.
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Obviously, this is one of the strengths of the entire Falcons roster, and that comes as no surprise. They are armed with the best receiver duo in the league in my opinion, and with Gonzalez as a top-5 tight end (even at this stage in his career), Matt Ryan has a cupboard full of weapons to play with this season.
Stay tuned for part 7, when we glance at the running back group.