There have been some interesting developments as the Atlanta Falcons wrapped up their last week of organized team activities. From suspensions to position changes, here are nine storylines to watch following the final week of Falcons OTAs.
1
Jalen Mayfield moves back to college position
#Falcons have move Jalen Mayfield back to right tackle apparently. He was working at his college spot with the third team Oline today. He started at LG as a rookie and spent all of last season on injured reserve.
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) June 7, 2023
Jalen Mayfield didn’t pan out at left guard in 2021, but the former third-round pick out of Michigan appears to be moving back to right tackle, the position he played in college. As much as fans have criticized Mayfield, the team didn’t exactly set him up for success by throwing him out there at left guard as a rookie. Perhaps moving back to tackle will bring out the best in Mayfield after spending last season on injured reserve.
2
Avery Williams suffers devastating blow
Falcons returner Avery Williams "probably done for the year" after tearing ACL last week, per head coach Arthur Smithhttps://t.co/LfHOfVENqI pic.twitter.com/S6jXHTqUIt
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) June 7, 2023
Williams tore his ACL last week in a non-contact injury. The special teams ace will likely miss the entire 2023 season, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday. Williams rushed for 109 yards on 22 carries last season after converting to running back over the offseason. The Falcons will have to find a new punt returner in 2023.
3
RB Bijan Robinson taking PR reps
Bijan Robinson taking some punt return reps.
Other names doing the same: Dee Alford, Keilahn Harris, Carlos Washington Jr. and Zay Malone.
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) June 7, 2023
Could Falcons first-round pick Bijan Robinson be used as a punt returner this season? The versatility of the former Texas star was one of the reasons Atlanta drafted him. While it does make sense to use Robinson in whatever role helps the team most this season, it’s also a bit risky for a top-10 pick to be out there returning punts. We’ll see how it plays out, but this is an interesting storyline to watch going forward.
4
DeAngelo Malone playing Jack LB spot
I found this observation from McElhaney to be interesting because we’ve all been wondering how Nielsen would utilize some of these undersized EDGE guys on the roster like Malone. This also shows that Atlanta’s defense could be a bit of a hybrid with both 4-3 and 3-4 concepts, as many anticipated when Nielsen was hired.
5
DL Ta'Quon Graham makes return
Good news for Atlanta — Ta’Quon Graham back at practice for the first time publicly since his knee injury last year.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) June 7, 2023
The Falcons lost defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham for the season when he injured his knee during the team’s Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears. Graham started nine games for Atlanta in 2022, and it will be interesting to see how many reps he gets in Ryan Nielsen’s scheme in 2023. The former fifth-round pick out of Texas has played in 24 games over the last two seasons. In 2022, Graham recorded 34 tackles (15 solo) and eight QB hits.
6
Breon Borders signed on Monday, suspended on Thursday?
Recently signed Falcons CB Breon Borders have been suspended for the first two games of the 2023 regular season.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 8, 2023
The Falcons signed cornerback Breon Borders earlier this week, and according to ESPN’s Field Yates, Borders was suspended for the first two games of the 2023 season. If Borders makes the team, he won’t see the field until Atlanta’s Week 3 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
7
Kyle Pitts expected back
"We're trying to be smart. We're planning to play 20, 21 games. So you need to be ready to go, peaking, ready to roll Sept. 10 and play our best football at the end of the year."
Arthur Smith on everybody being ready for the season opener including Kyle Pitts
H/T @mikerothstein pic.twitter.com/yodepSX5Nr
— Pro Football Wire (@officialpfw) June 2, 2023
Tight end Kyle Pitts could be Atlanta’s secret weapon this season. After a stellar rookie campaign, Pitts finished with 28 catches for 356 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2022. Similar to Ta’Quon Graham, Pitts’ season would end due to a knee injury he suffered during the team’s Week 11 win over Chicago. If Pitts is healthy for Week 1, it will do wonders for second-year QB Desmond Ridder.
8
Falcons start Troy Andersen during 7-on-7 drills
Some thoughts (delayed) from Wednesday’s Falcons OTA: pic.twitter.com/SvbxYKkAcT
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) June 8, 2023
Troy Andersen is another player who fans are excited to see this season. The former second-round pick was out there with the starting defense at inside linebacker during 7-on-7 drills, ESPN’s Michael Rothstein reported. Is Mykal Walker still in the mix, or will the team look to build around Kaden Elliss and Andersen instead? We’ll see if this is a trend going forward.
9
London ready for encore performance?
Lil one handed beauty by Drake London #Falcons pic.twitter.com/GFXsJTE3BL
— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) June 7, 2023
London was part of an impressive wide receiver class in 2022. While he was outproduced by some of the others, London was PFF’s highest-graded rookie receiver last season and he set a team record for catches. He was a favorite target of Desmond Ridder over the final four games of the season. As you can see above and below, London looks ready to take that next step this season.
Sliding and thriving pic.twitter.com/vxQTSbUdTP
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) June 7, 2023
