According to AJC.com, Morris stated on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, “My relationship with Kirby Smart is jealous.” “Let’s go get some titles just like that guy.” All they’ve done is create an excellent program.
Georgia’s 2024 recruiting class is recognized as the best in the country, marking yet another impressive grab from Smart and his cadre of excellent assistant coaches. Georgia boasts the most talented bunch for the second time in five years, and they should continue the program’s tradition of producing draft picks and champions.
Morris remarked, “They’ve done nothing but create an excellent program.” Once more, it all begins with the people. simply observing him claim victories. Seeing has been enjoyable. It’s exciting to watch Georgia produce so much talented people. I am aware that my current residence is a large Georgia contingency. I must grab my Bulldog hats and give the boys my support.
Georgia fans, who have been around for decades of success that has reached a fever pitch in recent years under Smart during the program’s run to a pair of national championships, are undoubtedly many throughout the greater Atlanta area.
The Falcons will have many picks in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, starting at No. 8 overall, which puts them inside the top 10. That may present a chance for Morris and Atlanta to choose offensive tackle Amarius Mims of Georgia or Brock Bowers of Georgia, two players expected to be selected early on Day 1.
Morris, who was brought on in January to turn around the NFL team in the Peach State, had served as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams for the previous three seasons and had also held the position of head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011.
Until Ohio State or Texas receive votes from the media, Smart and the Bulldogs will probably be ranked first in the preseason in August. They have Carson Beck back at quarterback, along with several more offensive playmakers and two defensive players, notably safety Malaki Starks, who should be All-American possibilities.
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Georgia finished the 2023 regular season undefeated until falling to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, which caused them to exit the postseason race. The Bulldogs concluded as one of the best teams in the country after humiliating Florida State, 63-3, in the Orange Bowl.
Calvin Ridley: Falcons wide receiver might end up with the Eagles or Dolphins
Wide receiver Calvin Ridley of the Atlanta Falcons, who hasn’t played since leaving the NFL in October due to mental health issues, is most likely to wind up with the Philadelphia Eagles or Miami Dolphins.This week on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, NFL Media’s Steve Wyche conjectured that the former Alabama standout “may be looking for a fresh start” in 2022 and might not play for the Falcons again if the team decides to continue forward with the 2022 season, which is the last year of his current contract.
In that scenario, the Eagles and Dolphins would rank first and second on his list of suitors, according to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin. Given the team’s plenty of trade possibilities and the fact that Ridley was a member of the Crimson Tide’s wide receiver DeVonta Smith and quarterback Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia is an obvious choice.
According to Benjamin, the Dolphins are expecting to lose four pass-catchers to free agency, so Miami will need depth outside of Jaylen Waddle. The nine teams that CBS Sports lists as potentially interested are the Browns, Colts, Raiders, Jaguars, Bears, and 49ers.
Riley announced his plan to take a break from football for an unspecified amount of time in a statement he posted on Halloween.
As much as Riley would like to be competing with his teammates on the pitch right now, he posted on Twitter, “These past few weeks have been very challenging and I need to step away from football at this time and focus on my mental wellbeing.” I can be the best version of myself both now and in the future because to this. I want to express my gratitude to my friends, family, the Atlanta Falcons organization as a whole, our amazing fans, and my teammates for their unwavering support throughout this difficult time.
Ridley has 31 catches for 281 yards this season, two touchdowns, and an average of 9.1 yards per catch. Since leaving Alabama, Ridley has amassed 248 receptions for 3,342 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 13.5 yards per reception in his career.
Following the transfer of Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans, Ridley emerged as the Falcons’ top receiver for the current campaign.
After having his greatest NFL season to date, Ridley was selected with the 26th overall choice in the 2018 NFL Draft. In 2020, Ridley caught 90 catches for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns, a career high. Despite Jones only playing nine games owing to injury concerns, that led Atlanta in receiving.
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When rookie tight end Kyle Pitts joined the Falcons receiving corps in August of last year, Riley was thrilled to see him.
According to McClain Baxley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ridley stated, “I’m excited for the football world to see the guys we have, too. We have a ton of speed in there, a ton of guys who can make plays.” We play wide receiver, really. We are skilled. Almost anything that large and small receivers can accomplish, we can do as well. We can play zone football, beat press coverage, go up and grab the ball, and catch and run. We are capable of everything.
This study was made possible by Nick Kosko.
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Report: Arthur Smith receives coaching job offer from Atlanta Falcons
According to ESPN NFL insider Dianna Russini, the Atlanta Falcons have reportedly made offensive coordinator Arthur Smith of the Tennessee Titans an offer to join them as their next head coach. Should Smith be hired, he would take over for Dan Quinn, who was let go by Atlanta in August along with general manager Thomas Dimitroff following a 0–5 start.
“The Atlanta Falcons have made an offer to Arthur Smith to become their next head coach per sources. Smith has been the offensive coordinator for the Titans the last 2 seasons,” Russini posted to Twitter on Friday.
Under Raheem Morris, Atlanta’s temporary head coach, the team finished 4-12 this season.
As the play-caller for the Titans, Smith was tasked with enhancing Tennessee’s offensive efforts. With an average of 30.7 points per game this season, Smith helped the team rank fourth in the league in scoring. In the NFL, only the mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and the Titans, led by Derrick Henry, rushed for more yards per game.
This autumn, Henry became just the eighth player in NFL history to dash for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Henry had led the NFL in rushing in back-to-back years.
Todd Gurley’s credibility is questioned by LaDainian Tomlinson
Todd Gurley, a former Georgia standout and NFL Offensive Player of the Year, signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons in March with the intention of regaining his position as one of the NFC South’s best rushing backs. Gurley has more to prove in the Atlanta backfield after his usage rate significantly decreased the previous season and worries were raised by allegations of a deteriorating knee problem.
LaDainian Tomlinson, an NFL pundit and Pro Football Hall of Famer, is dubious about Gurley’s influence. During his junior year at Georgia, Gurley tore his ACL in his left knee; however, he did not exhibit symptoms of the alleged arthritis until the 2019 season while playing with the Los Angeles Rams.
“I was the first person to predict that Todd Gurley would make a comeback in 2019.” I just assumed that he would be alright in 2019 and that what had occurred to him at the end of 2018 was an isolated incident. On Friday’s NFL Total Access, Tomlinson stated, “And I didn’t see that. He averaged less than four yards a rush for the second time in his career. His longest run, however, was 25 yards beyond that. I now see a man who no longer exudes that explosiveness. He’s not a guy who can hit a home run on every play, in my opinion. He is still quite useful at times. He’s still scored ten touchdowns or more.
“But I think that at this stage of his career, he’s going to need a committee of backs to help him stay fresh. We might still see situations where he might burst out with 125 yards, but I don’t think we’ll see Todd Gurley ever again having seven-yard runs because I think his knee is just too bad right now.”
Gurley was productive on the goal line, scoring 12 touchdowns last autumn, and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns both in 2017 and 2018. However, since the Rams opted to let him go after the season, the narrative surrounding his long-term prospects in the league has been entirely negative.
Gurley can’t wait to start playing with the Falcons.
“This is where it all began for me,” Gurley remarked of his return to Atlanta. “Obviously, I grew up in North Carolina, but attending the University of Georgia and being able to perform there is kind of where I made my name, and that’s kind of what made me, man.” And all of my pals are there because, as you know, college is where you meet your lifelong buddies.
“I’m excited, though. I’m not even going to lie. It’s like a good feeling — like a fresh start, but you’ve already been there before. So it’s like the comfortable feeling of just being able to go back to Georgia.”
The Atlanta Falcons claimed Danny Etling off of waivers.
Former LSU Tigers quarterback Danny Etling’s time with the New England Patriots ended on Tuesday, one year after he was granted a chance to play in the NFL. Thankfully, though, he hasn’t had much trouble finding his next NFL team.
The Atlanta Falcons made the announcement on Wednesday that they had claimed Danny Etling off of waivers after the Patriots released him. With the addition of Etling, the Falcons now have four quarterbacks on the roster: Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub, and freshly signed Matt Simms. As of Wednesday night, the Falcons had not yet disclosed a matching roster move.
Etling received a shot in the NFL when the Patriots took a chance on him in the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting him with the No. 219-overall choice in the seventh round. Etling had started for the Tigers as their starting quarterback in 2016 and 2017. Etling played the entire season on the Patriots practice squad but was not included in the 53-man roster. After Super Bowl LIII, Etling was one of several players signed to a reserve/futures deal by the Patriots.
Etling’s status on the team was called into question the moment the Patriots selected Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham, another quarterback, in this year’s Draft. Etling was given another chance at a possible roster place early in training camp when the Patriots started to try him out as a wide receiver. But the experiment’s outcomes weren’t very promising.
Etling was targeted on two passes during Monday’s practice that turned out to be interceptions, including one that came on a catch that Etling botched, according to a report by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. This occurred only a few days after Etling failed to snag a possible fourth-down convert and was fined for improper formation in the Patriots’ preseason game against the Detroit Lions. On Tuesday, Etling was declared unnecessary in order to provide place for recently signed tight end Eric Saubert, who is, fittingly, a Falcons fan.
Etling’s opportunity with the Falcons now stems in part from the attrition they have endured thus far in the preseason: Kurt Benkert, the third-string quarterback, was placed on Injured Reserve after suffering a toe injury that hindered his ability to compete for the backup quarterback position, despite an outstanding performance in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game. Etling will probably now have to contend with Simms for third-string snaps and possibly even upset Schaub in the backup role.
Etling is now the fifth player on the Falcons roster to attend LSU for college football. The other members of this group are safety Ronald Martin, wide receiver Russell Gage, linebacker Duke Riley, and Pro Bowl linebacker Deion Jones.
Kurt Benkert’s Hall of Fame performance steals the show.
Former Virginia Cavaliers star and 2002 ACC Player of the Year Matt Schaub has made a solid livelihood for himself as Matt Ryan’s backup quarterback since returning to the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. But if the Pro Football Hall of Fame game on Thursday night is any guide, Schaub might have to defend against another Virginia quarterback during his 16th NFL preseason.
Kurt Benkert, the third quarterback in the Falcons’ room, is that person. Matt Ryan was sitting out the Denver Broncos game on Thursday night in Canton, Ohio, so Schaub and Benkert had an opportunity to play major roles. And Benkert proved to be a sharpshooter, a decisive player, and a spark to ignite Atlanta’s offense on the Falcons’ fourth offensive series. The pinnacle of Benkert’s night came late in the second quarter, after he had completed six of his first nine attempts. Benkert led the Falcons on a 61-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown throw to running back Brian Hill.
Benkert, who spent the whole previous season on the practice squad, is going into his second NFL season and is trying to earn the backup position with the Falcons. His 19-of-34 for 185 yards and one touchdown performance is a fantastic start. After the game, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn acknowledged that one of his biggest concerns was Benkert’s performance.
“I thought Kurt did a good job in the two-minute drill at the end of the half,” Quinn said. “That felt good and excellent.”
A few outsiders took notice of Benkert as well, such as NFL Network analyst Brian Billick, a former head coach who won Super Bowl XXXV. Speaking on NFL Network, Billick said that Benkert’s performance demonstrated his growth after being left undrafted the previous season.
“Coming out of college, some of the observations were, ‘Well, there were some ill-advised throws. He seemed to force the ball,'” Billick recalled. “He seemed very much in control of it, didn’t force the ball. He looked like much more of a veteran than he is.”
But early in the fourth quarter, Benkert’s outstanding effort was marred by a toe injury that required him to exit the game. The Falcons should be concerned about Benkert’s toe injury, as the seriousness of it is unknown as of Friday afternoon. Benkert outperformed his more experienced adversary, Schaub, who had a terrible night, completing only four of his fourteen throws for 10 yards and one interception.
The next installment in the rivalry between Virginia and Virginia for backup quarterbacks will take place next Thursday night when the Falcons visit Hard Rock Stadium to take on the Miami Dolphins, if Benkert’s injury is not too bad.
Stephone Anthony, a former Saints linebacker, has been signed by the Falcons.
The Atlanta Falcons are making sure that their defensive depth is enough for the next campaign.
According to an NFL Media report by Ian Rapoport, the team signed veteran linebacker and special teams contributor Stephone Anthony to a contract on Friday.
Anthony, a former first-round selection from Clemson by the New Orleans Saints, was most recently acquired by the Miami Dolphins during the 2017 season in a trade.
The No. 31 overall pick that the Saints used to choose Anthony was originally owned by the Seahawks, but it was traded to New Orleans along with tight end Jimmy Graham and veteran center Max Unger.
After Kevin Williams stopped an extra point attempt, Anthony, as a rookie, became the first player in NFL history to return a blocked kick for two points. A rule change that prohibits returns of blocked extra point kicks was brought about by the play.
Anthony forced a fumble by running back Jonathan Stewart in that same game during his rookie season, recording a defensive touchdown. Anthony went on to lead all defensive rookies in tackles for the 2015 season.
After a drop in play and a promotion from his previous starting position, he was placed on the injured reserve list that December, ending his second season early.
Anthony became a free agent this year when the Dolphins chose not to pick up his fifth-year contract option in the offseason after the Saints sold him to Miami in September 2017 for a fifth-round draft selection.
Anthony has 150 tackles, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception in 50 NFL games.
The Falcons have placed a lot of emphasis on developing depth at linebacker after seeing the position group suffer due to Deion Jones’ injury the previous season.
Following a foot injury in Week 1, Jones—their top tackler and possibly greatest defensive player overall—missed ten games in 2018. The team’s defensive output suffered a dramatic downturn when Jones left the field.
The Falcons’ pass defense was ranked 27th overall, giving up 260 air yards per game on average, which was also the fourth highest in the NFL, and allowed 33 passing touchdowns, the fourth most in football. All told, the Falcons’ defense was ranked sixth worst in the league, surrendering an average of six yards per play.
Deion Jones has signed a new contract and is prepared to recover from his injuries.
The Atlanta Falcons are hopeful that Deion Jones, who is perhaps their finest defensive player, can play every game this season.
Due to a foot injury sustained in Week 1, the middle linebacker missed 10 games in the previous campaign. However, he is expected to make a comeback this year, especially after agreeing to a four-year contract with the team.
Jones intends to keep getting better in the future by drawing inspiration from that deal.
At training camp, Jones told the Falcons website, “If you have a vision that’s bigger than the stage you’re in now, you have no choice but to keep going and stay motivated.”
“I have a lot more I want to accomplish; I’m not done yet.”
Over the course of the last two or more seasons, Jones’ presence in the heart of the Falcons defense has been essential to the team’s defensive progress and has a clear correlation to the Falcons’ recent success in making it to the postseason.
With Jones’ 2019 salary set at $1,069,860, the team was hoping to negotiate a somewhat advantageous deal for him before the market for linebackers became overly saturated.
Jones, who was selected by the Falcons in the second round out of LSU in 2016, led the team in overall tackles in each of his two full seasons until being placed on injured reserve in Week 1 of the previous campaign due to a foot ailment. This setback cost the defense as it kept Jones off the field for ten weeks.
Without Jones in the starting lineup, it became easier for opposing offenses to target the middle of the field and gain consistent yardage through a variety of medium-yard passing plays. As a result, Atlanta ended up ranking second in the NFL for third down efficiency, allowing teams to move the chains 48.7% of the time. No team was more giving than the Bengals.
Jones stated, “All you have to do is ease back into full speed.” Everything else is going well. I’m simply trying to get back into the swing of things every day.
When Jones did eventually return, it was in time for Atlanta to play Baltimore at home on December 2. He sacks Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and has a career-high 15 single-game tackles.
Jones played 384 defensive snaps overall, accounting for 35% of the Falcons’ defensive snap total for the season. This included every play in their Dec. 9 defeat to Green Bay. Jones concluded the season with 53 tackles and two interceptions, including a 41-yard return touchdown in a Week 15 victory against Arizona.
The native of New Orleans has performed especially well against the archrival Saints of the Falcons, going 3-1 in four games, scoring one of his three career defensive touchdowns, and intercepting three passes to return for 131 yards in total—two of those totals are career highs for Jones against any opponent.
Before moving to Atlanta, Jones attended Jesuit High in New Orleans for his prep work, had a three-star ranking from the 247Sports Composite, and was a standout player at LSU for 30 games.
Calvin Ridley has a small hamstring ailment.
One of the future stars of the Atlanta Falcons is battling a minor injury.
During the team’s Thursday morning practice, Calvin Ridley, a second-year wide receiver, strained his right hamstring and needed some medical attention.
Following one of his reps, Ridley left the field and was stretched out by Falcons conditioning staff members. He was able to return to the practice field a little while later and run a slant route before leaving it once more to seek assistance.
Although Ridley was experiencing hamstring tightness, head coach Dan Quinn stated that the receiver should be able to participate in the team’s upcoming four-day practise session, which begins on Saturday.
Ridley, the No. 26 overall choice of the Falcons in 2018, established himself as a reliable receiving threat in the offensive scheme of the team right away, setting a rookie record for touchdowns with 10.
In a victory over division opponent Carolina in his second game back for Atlanta, Ridley scored his first NFL touchdown. The next week, he stunned everyone by scoring three touchdowns on seven receptions for 146 yards in his debut game versus archrival New Orleans.
After recording what at the time was an NFL-high six scoring catches against Cincinnati the next week, Ridley scored two more touchdowns and set a league record for a rookie in his first four games.
This season, Julio Jones wants to “go crazy.”
The wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons, Julio Jones, has been waiting a year to sign a long-term contract. Until then, he wants to show that he is worth the money.
Jones claims he wants to create significant NFL history in order to do this.
Following training camp practice on Wednesday, Jones told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “I’m not going to lie to you: I’m going crazy this year.” “I’m losing my mind. I’ve been taking care of everything I need to. I’m tending to my physical needs. I’ll be prepared both psychologically and physically to go.
Jones established a benchmark of 3,000 yards for what may be considered “crazy.”
Jones said in jest, “Well, I’m not a prediction type guy, but I might mess around and go three [thousand yards], you know what I mean.”
It is unheard of for a wide receiver to finish a season with 3,000 yards, but Jones was kidding when he mentioned that Calvin Johnson, who had 1,964 receiving yards with the Detroit Lions in 2012, currently holds the NFL record.
Jones himself is ranked second all-time with 1,871 yards from 136 receptions in 2015.
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Jones would need to average 188 yards per game over 16 outings to reach the 3,000 yard mark this season.With a lifetime average of 96.7 yards, Jones now holds the record for most receiving yards per game in NFL history. Therefore, he would need to more than double that amount to meet his objective.
Although it is obvious that won’t happen, the Falcons still anticipate that he will perform at least as well as he did the previous year, when Jones led the NFL with 1,677 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
With 10,731 career receiving yards, Jones is on track to overtake Roddy White (10,863) as the Falcons franchise’s all-time record in career receiving yards soon.
For the previous two years, Jones has been requesting a new long-term deal, and he momentarily withdrew from consideration during the offseason in an attempt to secure one because of these and other reasons.
Although the top receiver and the Falcons have not officially announced a new contract, there is some optimism that an official announcement could be made this weekend.
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