Atlanta Falcons Potential First Round Pick: Brian Burns

Despite the fact that the Atlanta Falcons chose to retain the underperforming Vic Beasley, the team badly needs to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Brian Burns could be the man to provide that pressure.

The NFL draft is fast approaching and most experts and analysts, expect the Atlanta Falcons to focus on the offense and defensive lines in the early rounds. Though defense and offense tackle are certainly an area of need, so is a player that can pressure quarterbacks off the edge. In recent years, teams like the New York Giants have won multiple Super Bowls on the strength of a suffocating pass rush. That’s how important generating pressure is in the National Football League.

The Atlanta Falcons currently have only three defensive ends on their entire roster. So by numbers alone, there is definitely a need at the position that must be filled before training camp. With the salary restrictions the Dirty Birds are facing, the draft is the best way to fill the majority of the team’s remaining needs. I wrote about the cap difficulties Atlanta faces in this article.