Montee Ball: Atlanta Falcons Interested in RB?

According to NFL Trade Rumors, the Atlanta Falcons have interest in former Denver Broncos RB Montee Ball.

The Atlanta Falcons had an underwhelming preseason with regards to the running backs on their roster.  Presumed starter, second-year player Devonta Freeman didn’t play a snap due to a lingering hamstring injury.  3rd Round Selection and former All-American for the Indiana Hoosiers RB Tevin Coleman missed the first two preseason games with a lingering hamstring injury.

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The likely candidate for the 3rd string spot with the Atlanta Falcons Antone Smith missed time with, you guessed it, a hamstring injury suffered in the first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.  Smith later received an injury settlement for the team.  4th stringer undrafted free agent Terron Ward out of Oregon State was the only player to make the team that played in all four preseason games in the running back group.  He wasn’t great, but his effort had to have won over HC Dan Quinn and OC Kyle Shanahan.

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Montee Ball was entering the third year of his rookie deal with the Denver Broncos before their front office decided to cut ties with their former 2013 2nd Round Draft Selection.  Ball rushed for a combined 731 yards and 5 touchdowns in 21 games with the Denver Broncos the last two seasons.

I remember Montee Ball dominating the Big Ten with outstanding rushing performances while he was with the Wisconsin Badgers.  Ball was a 2x Consensus All-American (2011-12), the 2012 Doak Walker Award winner, and a Heisman Finalist in 2011, finishing fourth for the Badgers during his time in Madison.

Should Atlanta take a chance on the former Wisconsin standout RB?  I think they could and very well should.  The rushing attack for the Atlanta Falcons the last few seasons was one of the worst in the NFL.  Improvement was minimal at best in this past preseason.  If Atlanta were to bring on Montee Ball as say the third string running back behind Freeman and Coleman but ahead of Ward, I’d be okay with that.

Outside of the promising passing game of the Atlanta Falcons, there are major concerns on the club with regards to the ground game and up front on the offensive line.  Bringing in Montee Ball could potentially aid the Falcons’ rushing attack.  Ball is only 24 and won’t turn 25 until December, so he has plenty of NFL life left in his legs.

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If Atlanta opts to go running back by committee in 2015 for new OC Kyle Shanahan, then I wouldn’t mind seeing Montee Ball in the mix.  This seems like a low risk, high reward signing that Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff might actually want to go through with.  Keep an eye on where Montee Ball ends up, it could very well be in Flowery Branch before the Monday Night’s home opener at the Georgia Dome.

Next: Atlanta Falcons: LB Corps Okay Without Brooks Reed?

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