Pass rushing has long been an Achilles heel for the Atlanta Falcons, and 2024 may be no different. Both the Falcons’ top sack producers from last year — Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree, each with 6.5 — remain free agents.
The Falcons haven’t drafted a reliable pass rusher in decades. John Abraham was the last one that really struck fear into opponents, and he was acquired in free agency.
Calais Campbell, Bud Dupree, and Arnold Ebiketie discuss how the defensive line has stepped up during Atlanta’s two-game winning streak and Ryan Nielsen’s powerful influence.
If there’s been one area of the Falcons defense that hasn’t been pulling their weight, it’s the edge group. Bud Dupree has seen the most action, but he hasn’t been that impact pass rusher like this group needs.
The Falcons haven’t had a ton of success drafting and developing since the new regime took over. A decent portion of Atlanta’s 2021 draft class has dissipated.
The Falcons are expected to compete for the NFC South title in 2023 after years of irrelevance. The division is in the worst state it’s been in a long time.
Thanks to a haul of free agents, this is the best Falcons roster since Arthur Smith took over in Atlanta. However, no matter the external additions, there will never be sustainable success with internal development.
Host Kevin Knight is joined by Will McFadden (Bleav in Falcons) to discuss the top breakout players to watch for the Falcons heading into the 2023 NFL season, including Desmond Ridder, Arnold Ebiketie, Troy Andersen, and many more.
Just under five months ago, Arnold Ebiketie sat inside the Atlanta Falcons' locker room, cleaning out his area before taking off for an offseason he knew would be critical to his long-term outlook.
Atlanta’s invested a lot in its defense, but the picture at linebacker remains a little murky The Falcons invested some serious capital on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, adding players like Jessie Bates and Calais Campbell to help transform the unit.
The Falcons’ pedestrian pass rush has been well-documented in recent years, ranking dead last in the league in sacks over the last two seasons… by more than 20 sacks.
The Falcons now have just one unsigned draft pick.
New offensive line coach Chris Morgan has been pleasantly surprised by the two second-year players, so far.
Our friends at Athlon will get no argument from us regarding the Atlanta Falcons roster, even as it fought as it did in 2021. As of a few days ago, "rough shape'' is not unfair.
The Atlanta Falcons had a full-on makeover this offseason on defense. After adding players at all three levels, this year's defense will look quite different compared to last year's.
When the Atlanta Falcons traded up in the second round of the NFL Draft last week, many thought a quarterback would be the pick. However, the selection filled a major need outside of the quarterback, selecting Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie.
Ebiketie posted 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss in 2021 for Penn State.
Well, your team just added a dangerous pass rusher. How He Got Here Arnold Ebiketie has come a long ways since the start of his collegiate career. He was a lightly recruited two-star prospect with three FBS offers - Army, Navy and Temple.
NAME: Arnold Ebiketie POSITION: Defensive End SCHOOL: Penn State HEIGHT: 6’2” WEIGHT: 250 pounds CAREER BACKGROUND Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon in Africa, Arnold Ebiketie eventually moved to the United States and settled in his hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has been all-in on Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie since January, when he listed the All-American defensive end as a first-round pick in his first NFL mock draft.
Arnold Ebiketie arrived at Penn State last year with a plan and achieved it. The defensive end brought the same approach to the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, where Penn State remains a significant part of that plan.
Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie, who became an All-Big Ten defensive end after transferring from Temple, will skip the Outback Bowl to begin preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Penn State’s electrifying pass rusher put on a show. Penn State’s contest with Michigan was a showcase of some of the Big Ten’s top pass rushers. Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo combined for five sacks, and helped create misery for Penn State’s offense all afternoon.
John Lovett ran with a Penn State crowd at Baylor. Head coach Matt Rhule told him stories and showed him photos of his days as a Penn State linebacker.
Getting our owl on Arnold Ebiketie was a 3-star prospect coming out of high school, and spent the first 3 years at Temple. As an Owl, Ebiketie racked up 58 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, three forced fumble, and one scoop-six fumble recovery.
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