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Atlanta Falcons: LB Corps Okay Without Brooks Reed?

By John Buhler

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The Atlanta Falcons will be without LB Brooks Reed for a while due to the NFL veteran having undergone groin surgery.

The Atlanta Falcons needed to seriously upgrade their linebacker corps after having arguably the worst group in the NFL last season.  Part of the team’s solution to their LB woes was bringing in former Houston Texan Brooks Reed.

-= Related: Atlanta Falcons Cut Roster Down to 52 =-

Reed was going to start for the Atlanta Falcons at outside linebacker before continued groin issues forced him to undergo surgery.  With Reed placed on Injured Reserve with the option to return in 2015, will the Atlanta Falcons be able to carry on despite his loss at OLB?

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    • The Atlanta Falcons emphasized improving the front seven this offseason.  Defensive Coordinator Richard Smith has a strong track record with great NFL linebackers and LBs Coach Jeff Ulbrich is a great hands-on teacher, just years removed from his playing days.  So I imagine that the Atlanta Falcons LB corps would improve on coaching alone.

    Atlanta brought in key veteran LBs like Justin Durant and O’Brien Schofield to fit in nicely with HC Dan Quinn’s defensive scheme.  We’ve Paul Worrilow play at a lighter weight and more freely in Atlanta’s new defense than he ever did in Mike Nolan’s the last two years.  Allen Bradford had an impressive preseason, earning a valued roster spot at linebacker.

    Losing a likely starter like Brooks Reed is tough, but I feel that the Atlanta Falcons can survive in his absence because the front seven seems to actually have some bite.  The pass rush on the defensive line and from Vic Beasley and Kroy Biermann at the LEO gives Atlanta the opportunity to control the line of scrimmage defensively, something this team has struggled with in years.  Usually the linebackers feed off the defensive line and vice versa.

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    At the top of the Atlanta Falcons LB depth chart, the team will feel the effects of losing a starting OLB.  However, since O’Brien Schofield is so familiar with Dan Quinn’s scheme from their time in Seattle, I can see him having no problem filling in nicely for the injured Brooks Reed.  On the whole, I feel that the linebackers group of the Atlanta Falcons is much improved over last year’s and the unit can at least tread water, even with an extended absence from Brooks Reed.

    The Atlanta Falcons’ home opener is just one week away.  The Philadelphia Eagles will play our Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football on September 14th at the Georgia Dome.  Rise Up, Atlanta!

    Next: Justin Hardy: An Impact Rookie for the Falcons?

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