Even before he was lost for the season due to injury, Andy Levitre was the weakest link on the Falcons’ offensive line. Expect Atlanta to try to address the guard spot with one of their top picks in the draft.
Bars isn’t the top guy on most people’s list at the position, but he’s a great fit for what the Falcons like to do on offense. He’s a solid technician who has the feet to move and get to the second level. He isn’t a dominating run blocker, but he really know how to use leverage to his advantage.
The advanced feel he has for the game should allow him to be a plug and play starter from day one. That’s important for a franchise that really wants to maximize Matt Ryan’s ability to win right now. He isn’t old per se, but the Falcons would like to add players capable of helping them right away.
The really nice thing for Atlanta is that their biggest need lines up really well compared to what other teams will be looking for in this draft. It’s hard to imagine more than one guard going off the board before they’re on the clock. That means they should get a quality prospect, at a position of need, without being forced to move up the board.