Falcons HC Arthur Smith provides insight on Atlanta's offense

The Atlanta Falcons made a statement about their commitment to the running game when they took Texas running back Bijan Robinson at No. 8 in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, head coach Arthur Smith gave insight on the different wrinkles that the Falcons offense will bring in 2023 while on a podcast with former NFL player Chris Long.

When it comes to the running game, a common concern was that the Robinson pick meant that second-year running back Tyler Allgeier would fall out of favor following a 1,035-yard rookie campaign. Smith said that the team spoke with Allgeier about the pick and that they see the two ball-carriers as different players with different roles.

Smith compared Robinson to his new teammate Cordarrelle Patterson, who posted a 1,166-yard, 11-touchdown season from scrimmage in 2021 as a versatile weapon in both the passing and rushing attack. Smith referenced Robinson's ability to line up outside as a slot receiver, something Patterson was able to do in his first season with the Falcons.

For all the fantasy managers who were worried about the hit Allgeier would see in his production in 2023, it's possible that both Allgeier and Robinson could have dominant seasons at the same time. Smith also mentioned that more touches would be available with the departure of quarterback Marcus Mariota, who ran the ball 85 times for 438 yards in 2022.

The Falcons ran the ball 559 times in 2022 — the most in the NFL — despite often facing negative game scripts during their 7-10 season. With investments made toward the defense over the offseason, Atlanta might be able to have more possessions on offense, meaning both more scoring opportunities and plays. Last season, the Falcons ran the seventh fewest plays on offense of any team in the league.

It's possible that the addition of Robinson has more of an impact on Patterson than it does on Allgeier, especially with Patterson entering the 2023 season at the age of 32. Atlanta could see a lot of two-back formations similar to what the Cleveland Browns did with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

Smith also expressed optimism toward Kyle Pitts' ability to have a bounce-back year in 2023, citing that the former first-round pick was "fighting through some things" in his sophomore season. His head coach said that people forgot too quickly how well he played as a rookie, setting records in his first NFL season when he caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards.

In 2022, Pitts saw his targets drop from 110 to 59, which Smith alluded to being a result of the quarterback position, moving from Matt Ryan to Mariota. With Mariota, Pitts' pass-catching ability was less of the team's offensive focus as in 2022. Smith said that Pitts has the "right mindset" to dominate in 2023.

With Mariota at quarterback, the Falcons averaged just over 23 passing attempts per game, of which he only completed 61.3% of his passes. With a new style to the offense with Desmond Ridder expected to be the starter, Pitts could see more action in 2023 than in 2022. Pitts did not play with Ridder during Ridder's rookie season, but their offseason practices could be invaluable to the future of the Falcons passing offense. Smith says he is excited to see where his team's offense goes in 2023, and the young offense certainly has the potential to be a dominant force.