Atlanta Falcons: 5 offseason needs
By John Buhler
3. Depth at inside linebacker
Overall, Atlanta crushed its 2016 NFL Draft, getting great value with its first four picks. Two of those picks just so happened to be inside linebackers Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell. Both middle linebackers played meaningful snaps as rookies.
That eventually gave way to long-time starter Paul Worrilow having to embrace a rotational role in his fourth year in the league. Though technically sound as a tackler in run defense, Worrilow lacks the speed Quinn likes at all levels of its starting defense.
Add in that popular, but often-injured Sean Weatherspoon will be hitting free agency, too, and Atlanta will need to locate depth at the position group this offseason to spell Jones and Campbell. Expect Atlanta to attack middle linebacker through free agency. Frankly, they can’t do better than what they did last year in the draft, so let that position group breathe for a moment this draft.
Worrilow can start on a mediocre defense, so he may not want to stay in Atlanta if he covets playing time. Weatherspoon could very well retire this offseason. This will be a great test for Dimitroff and his pro scouting department to find a player that can play limited, but meaningful snaps at inside linebacker for the Falcons in free agency.