With 2024 NFL training camps set to open, it's time to get up to speed on all 32 NFL teams. Bobby Kownack has the lowdown on position battles, key players and notable subplots across the NFC South.
Catch up on the Atlanta Falcons' offseason developments and 2024 outlook below.
Training Camp Dates/Information
- Players report: July 24
- Location: IBM Performance Field | Flowery Branch, Georgia (fan information)
Notable Roster Changes
| 2024 draft class | Selection |
|---|---|
| QB Michael Penix Jr. | Round 1 (No. 8 overall) |
| DT Ruke Orhorhoro | Round 2 (No. 35) |
| OLB Bralen Trice | Round 3 (No. 74) |
| DT Brandon Dorlus | Round 4 (No. 109) |
| LB JD Bertrand | Round 5 (No. 143) |
| RB Jase McClellan | Round 6 (No. 186) |
| WR Casey Washington | Round 6 (No. 187) |
| DT Zion Logue | Round 6 (No. 197) |
Preseason Schedule
- Week 1: at Miami Dolphins | 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 9
- Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens | 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 17
- Week 3: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 23 (NFL Network)
2024 Schedule Notes
- The Falcons will open the season with four of their first five games at home.
- Atlanta will play 2023 playoff teams in four of its first five games to start the season.
- The Falcons are tied for the easiest strength of schedule based on their opponents' 2023 win percentage (.453).
-- NFL Research
What You Need to Know
1) The Falcons' 2024 season rests largely on Kirk Cousins and his recovery from a torn Achilles. Atlanta felt good enough about his status to sign him to a four-year, $180 million contract this offseason, and all reports on his return have been favorable thus far. Still, Cousins will be 36 years old by the end of August, coming off a big-time injury. He's never been the most mobile, so his game shouldn't lose much there, but training camp will mark an important step in proving he's still the same guy from the pocket. The Falcons finished in third place in the NFC South last season, two games behind the division-winning Buccaneers. A healthy Cousins could very well bridge that gap.
2) Atlanta might be the only team in the league that requires two items dedicated to the quarterback position. There's plenty of intrigue after the Falcons delivered the shock of the draft by selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall. Penix was nothing short of outstanding his last two seasons at Washington, but at 24 years old, he is on the older side for a rookie. He seemingly came pro-ready with 45 collegiate starts under his belt. He'll nonetheless begin his NFL career behind an established veteran who is locked into a new mega contract. Will Penix deliver early flashes of the potential Atlanta sees in him -- especially if he gets extra reps running with the first-team offense should Cousins need time to ramp up? Also, how do Cousins and Penix handle the ever-tricky dynamic of representing the franchise's present and future in the same room?
3) If any young running back is capable of flourishing in a Christian McCaffrey-like role, it's Bijan Robinson. That's exactly the type of usage the second-year back said he sees for himself in new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson's system. Even with 1,463 total yards and eight touchdowns, Robinson's rookie campaign felt muted by Atlanta's overall ineffectiveness offensively. Should he see opportunities in the realm of CMC, who led the league in touches (339), scrimmage yards (2,023) and scrimmage TDs (tied for first with 21) last season, Robinson boasts the human joystick abilities -- and potentially now the surrounding offense -- to far surpass his rookie marks. It bears watching how Atlanta tries getting him the ball during the offensive install, as well as where Tyler Allgeier fits into plans.
4) Can Atlanta maintain momentum on defense despite a change at the controls? The Falcons ranked 18th in the NFL in points allowed and 11th in yards allowed last season, both their best marks since 2017. The Falcons still only finished tied for 21st with 42 sacks, but they also showed vast improvement there by doubling their total from 2022. New defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake is in town, and he's changing the base defense back to 3-4. Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata will be pivotal on the line, but it'll also be interesting to see how Atlanta's front-seven quadruple dip between Rounds 2-5 plays out rotationally for defensive linemen Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus, edge rusher Bralen Trice and linebacker JD Bertrand. In the secondary -- Lake's speciality -- Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell are rock solid with potential position battles all around them.
5) It's not exactly rare for a head coach to get a second chance. Three of the eight head coaches hired in this year's cycle worked as NFL head coaches previously, including Raheem Morris, who went 17-31 with the Buccaneers from 2009-2011. What is rare? An interim head coach who wasn't retained by a team returning years later to helm it full-time. That's what Morris is doing, marking just the fifth such instance in league history, per NFL Research. He pieced together a 4-7 record on an interim basis in 2020 before Atlanta elected to restart with Arthur Smith. Morris subsequently crafted a top-10 defense twice in three years as the Rams' DC, and now he’s back. It's an unorthodox sequence, to say the least. If Morris proves he was the right man all along, though, it's better later than never.
