Who Ends Up Starting for the Falcons at Free Safety?

The Atlanta Falcons will have many open competitions for starting spots now that a new coaching regime his taken over in Flowery Branch. Dan Quinn wants his players to play a fast and physical brand of football, something that has lacked in Atlanta for the last several seasons. On the offensive side of the ball, there is not a clear-cut starter at either running back or tight end. Kyle Shanahan and his offensive staff will have to sort those battles out. But I think the one position competition that might be most important to the team’s overall success is who ends up winning the starting free safety spot.

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Atlanta has three young, but talented cornerbacks in Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford, and rookie out of LSU Jalen Collins. William Moore is also Pro Bowl caliber strong safety for the Falcons when he’s healthy. Though Moore has played FS before, I expect that the primary competitors for starting free safety are Ricardo Allen, Charles Godfrey, and Kemal Ishmael.

Allen spent his rookie season with the Falcons on the practice squad. The former fifth-round pick out of Purdue University couldn’t break the Falcons’ CB rotation last fall in Mike Nolan’s defense. What Dan Quinn and his staff are doing this summer is to showcase what each player can do best. Through one minicamp and a few sets of OTA’s, Allen will get a fair shot at winning the starting FS position for the Falcons. Even if he doesn’t win the starting job, I can see Allen getting real playing time in Raheem Morris’ new look secondary in 2015 as he transitions from corner to safety.

Godfrey is an eight-year NFL veteran, coming over to the Falcons last year after spending his first seven seasons with the rival Carolina Panthers. Charles started for the Panthers at both safety positions (75 career starts) and has 11 career interceptions playing in the Carolina secondary. While I do like his ballhawking skills, a necessity for a free safety, Carolina’s secondary is usually the worst part of its defense. The Panthers always have a great front four and the team really takes off when they get solid play from their linebackers. Carolina can effectively get away with so-so cover men. I like Godfrey’s hands and veteran experience but he might have already peaked as a professional (0 starts last year for Atlanta).

Nov 9, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons strong safety Kemal Ishmael (36) intercepted the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Atlanta Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Ishmael played in all 16 games last year for the Falcons, starting at safety in 10 of them. In his second season with the Atlanta Falcons, Kemal Ishmael recorded 4 interceptions and 6 passes defended. During last year’s dismal season for the Atlanta secondary, Ishmael at least proved to Falcons fans that he can at worst case spot start at either safety position for the team. He’s a good tackler (66 solo, 30 assists) for a safety and I think he is only going to get better in Year Three with the Atlanta Falcons.

As of this moment, I think that it’s Kemal Ishmael’s job to lose as the starting free safety. Allen might be a work-in-progress this season as he switches from corner to safety. Godfrey might just be a rotational defensive back at this point in his career, solid enough to play but not to start. By playing alongside Moore and inside of Alford, Collins, and Trufant, Ishmael could have a breakout season at FS for the Falcons in 2015.

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