Both rookies and veterans have reported to Flowery Branch, GA for the beginning of Atlanta Falcons 2022 training camp.
The Falcons have many roster questions and positional battles that will need to be worked out and determined before the regular season opener September 11 versus division rival New Orleans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
For the first time in fourteen seasons, the Falcons will take the field without QB Matt Ryan under center for the offense. But a bigger question than which QB (Marcus Mariota or rookie Desmond Ridder) will be taking the snaps from center, might be which center will be doing the snapping?
The offensive line will be a major topic of discussion over the next several weeks, with as many as three starting positions still undetermined as camp opens.
The unit has ranked as one of the worst in the NFL over that past several seasons and with only RG Chris Lindstrom and LT Jake Matthews cemented as starters, expect plenty of competition and speculation almost daily about which players are leading the battle for the other open spots.
When asked by Dukes & Bell if he thought returning starters from 2021, Kaleb McGary, Jaylen Mayfield, and Matt Hennessy would win the starting jobs again in 2022, Atlanta Falcons Reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter was not so sure.
“I don’t believe that will be that case at all” emphasized Ledbetter when expressing his thoughts on the returning players from last season.
“They brought in people to compete against these guys, because they knew they couldn’t run the ball last year” explained Ledbetter when analyzing the battles for the starting roles alongside Lindstrom and Matthews.
The Falcons adding veteran tackle Germain Ifedi via free agency and drafted guard Justin Shaffer amongst others to add depth and competition for the unit.
“The only way they (offensive line) can go is up” was one of Ledbetter’s final thoughts on what can be expected from the unit.