Atlanta Falcons: 5 Players Primed For A Breakout in 2015

I found the signing of former first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers DE Adrian Clayborn an intriguing one for the Atlanta Falcons.  Clayborn came into the NFL with a ton of promise out of Iowa as a disruptive playmaker on the defensive line.  When healthy, he is able to adequately make plays in the backfield for his defensive unit.  However, injuries have cut short two of his four years in the NFL, ultimately allowing the Tampa Bay organization to cut ties with their former first-round pick.

Perhaps it’s because I remember Clayborn having strong performances against the Atlanta Falcons twice a year as a divisional foe, but I’ve always like his potential as an NFL defensive lineman.  He has the quickness to play at defensive end but large enough to go inside at a 3-Technique if he has to as slightly undersized defensive tackle. His versatility was a major factor why Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff decided to bring the former Iowa Hawkeye to Flowery Branch this offseason.

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Quinn refers to him as AC and sees him as crucial cog in the pass rushing scheme for the Atlanta Falcons.  Clayborn will likely play on the opposite side of the field from rookie franchise pass rusher LEO Vic Beasley.  I hope that Clayborn has a healthy 2015 as he could become that player the Falcons’ pass rush desperately needs, somebody who can wreak havoc from anywhere up front as an every-down type of player.

Atlanta benefits from stealing talent from an NFC South rival.  Clayborn is well-versed in defensive strategies to stop both the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints.  Plus he can give insight about what it takes to keep the Buccaneers’ offense at bay.  Should Adrian Clayborn stay healthy, his signing might go down as the best free agent acquisition the Atlanta Falcons front office made this past offseason.

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