NFL power rankings: Chiefs, Saints lead way into 2020
team. 44. . . . Atlanta Falcons. 16
2020 Key Additions: General manager Thomas Dimitroff corralled a pair of former Los Angeles Rams during free agency in running back Todd Gurley and defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. The latter hopes to bolster a pass rush that has been stuck in neutral for far too long. The team also brought in former Ravens’ tight end Hayden Hurst, a 2018 first-round pick obtained in a trade with Baltimore. Elsewhere, the first round of the draft gave Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris former Clemson University cornerback A.J. Terrell as the team stressed this side of the ball during the three-day process.
Offseason Review: Since reaching Super Bowl LI in 2016, the Falcons wound up returning to the playoffs the following year with a 10-6 record and prevailed in the wild card round. But the club has now followed that up with consecutive 7-9 finishes. However, there were big-time signs of encouragement after a miserable start this past season as Quinn’s club overcame a 1-7 start to win six if their final eight games, including road victories at New Orleans and at San Francisco. The club did some needed house-cleaning this offseason and is hoping some of the new faces such as Gurley and Fowler can elevate this club.
team. 123. . . . Dallas Cowboys. 15
2020 Key Additions: The Cowboys have their share of new faces, most notably on defense as the club lost its share of players when it came to that unit. In any case, the new inside tandem of Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe should make a little easier for end Demarcus Lawrence. At safety, there’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and the team’s new kicker is former Rams’ specialist Greg Zuerlein. The draft gave new head coach Mike McCarthy a new weapon in wideout CeeDee Lamb and perhaps a new center in Tyler Biadasz, a fourth-round pick from Wisconsin. And former pass-rushing standout Aldon Smith is attempting a comeback.
Offseason Review: The loss is certainly outweighed the gains this year for the Cowboys, especially when it came to the defensive side of the ball. But the club did well adding some veterans, most notably up front. More significantly, the club still hasn’t agreed to terms with franchise-tagged quarterback Dak Prescott. The team did get wide receiver Amari Cooper under contract via a lucrative extension. Hence, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the organization and their four-year signal-caller to agree to a deal. All told, an offseason that looked somewhat troublesome early on now appears to be a bit promising.