Three Falcons facing make-or-break seasons
With June roster cuts coming up and contracts ending after this season, management has several decisions to make that will impact salary cap. Many important choices regarding current players must be made and some of the most important are those players that haven’t become quite what we envisioned. Let’s take a look at the ones that are truly in a “make or break” scenario in 2016:
1. DE – Tyson Jackson
Tyson Jackson, a strong side defensive end for the Falcons, came to Atlanta after a few seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s obvious that Jackson doesn’t fit the new defensive scheme and has been slowly fading out of the Falcons’ future plans.
After making offseason adjustments last season, including hiring a dietician and personal chef, we didn’t see a lot of improvement from Jackson. If he doesn’t come a long way this season, Jackson will be on his way out of Atlanta.
2. OLB – Tyler Starr
Tyler Starr has been the center of preseason hype since he made the Falcons roster a couple seasons ago. Starr has been learning and has been viewed as a project by much of the coaching staff. He has spent a lot of time as a reserve and practice squad member, but may have a productive year.
If Starr doesn’t make a big leap and climb up the depth charts, the Falcons may decide to move on from the 25 year old linebacker. With a competitive linebacking corps in the works, Starr could assert himself and finally become the valuable piece that the coaches drafted him to be.
3. TE – Levine Toilolo
Toilolo was immediately hyped up as soon as he was drafted by Atlanta. The 6’8″ tight end has been a model of inconsistency. His hands have been an issue, and despite his height and figure, he hasn’t been a reliable red zone target. Heck, his biggest asset may be his blocking ability. The team has to utilize Toilolo as a right tackle after offensive line injuries in recent years.
After drafting Austin Hooper and having Jacob Tamme emerge as a security blanket for Matt Ryan, the staff has subtly announced that Toilolo is replaceable. Perhaps the new Stanford product in Hooper can replace the older one in Toilolo. Time will tell, but it’s Toilolo’s opportunity to step up to the plate.
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