Monday, May 16, 2022

Atlanta Falcons Post-Draft NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2022 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Atlanta Falcons rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 30.6 (31st)
  • Best ranking: 29 (Multiple)
  • Worst ranking: 32 (Multiple)

Below you will find a post-NFL Draft roundup for the Falcons in our consensus 2022 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 32

Player who benefited most from draft: DT Grady Jarrett

Jarrett, the Falcons' top front-seven defender, had little to no help last season. He saw double-teams regularly and sometimes even triple-teams. Atlanta's approach to the draft -- taking Day 2 rushers Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone -- should help the pass rush. And, in turn, it should help Jarrett not face quite as much attention. Plus, Jarrett signed a $51 million, three-year extension days after the draft and celebrated a birthday, so that was a good week for him. -- Michael Rothstein

NFL.com -- Rank: 31

With Matt Ryan in Indianapolis, Calvin Ridley suspended and Julio Jones in Graybeards purgatory, the Falcons are starting over on offense. They began excavation last year by drafting tight end Kyle Pitts fourth overall, and they continued pouring foundation with the selection of USC wideout Drake London eighth overall on Thursday night. The 6-foot-4 London is a red-zone terror -- he called himself and the 6-6 Pitts the "twin towers" during a draft night appearance on the Around The NFL Podcast -- and the pair will give new quarterback Marcus Mariota a real opportunity to make plays. Speaking of Mariota, he'll have competition in the quarterback room in rookie Desmond Ridder, an intriguing Round 3 dart throw.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 29

The Falcons are basically tanking this year as they get out of cap hell. They don't have a lot of talent, but they will have a ton of cap space next year to fix it.

USA Today -- Rank: 29

GM Terry Fontenot had already acknowledged they're "taking it on the chin this year," and a draft full of players who might take longer to blossom than most suggests Atlanta is playing a longer game.

The Athletic -- Rank: 32

We predicted in February that the Falcons would make some sort of quarterback move this offseason, but trying (and failing) to trade for Deshaun Watson, actually trading Matt Ryan, signing Marcus Mariota and drafting Desmond Ridder is an even wilder outcome than anyone could have predicted. We think the Falcons were probably worse last year than their record indicated, and our voters think 2022 could be even more challenging.

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