Locked On Falcons

Former Atlanta Falcon Michael Turner is the most important running back in team history. Host Aaron Freeman and guests Allen Strk (‪@TheFalcoholicLive‬) and Charles McDonald (‪@YahooSports‬) discuss why Turner's arrival in 2008 was so monumental and due to the identity of the offense centering on his rushing ability moreso than franchise QB Matt Ryan. They discuss the highlights and lowlights of Turner's career before Aaron and Charles go on the hot seat to answer trivia questions about Turner. Part of the @LockedonATL Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

Former Atlanta Falcon Tony Gonzalez is widely considered the greatest tight end to ever step on a field. Host Aaron Freeman and guests Allen Strk and Adnan Ikic (‪@TheFalcoholicLive‬), and David Schiele (‪@10TampaBay‬ ) discuss his career and contributions to the Falcons as the latter two answer trivia questions as part of the summer-long series: Falcons Historian Player Shootout. They discuss how Gonzalez exceeded high expectations by playing five seasons in Atlanta and why he seemed to be good at whatever he put his mind to. Part of the ‪@LockedOnATL‬ Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

The Atlanta Falcons have had plenty of misses over the years in the NFL Draft, but host Aaron Freeman breaks down his biggest ones. He discusses how he wound up too low on players like Foye Oluokun, Russell Gage, Grady Jarrett, and Desmond Trufant over the years. Later, he discusses some lessons he's learned over the past six years of doing floor, ceiling, and eye-level comparisons for Falcons draft picks. He discusses how less than half of the Falcons draft picks reach their eye levels, and an even smaller percentage reach their ceilings to discuss how relatively rare development is even in the NFL. His review of his draft evaluations also reveals that the Falcons have done a subpar job developing Day 2 selections since 2016, which may be a major contributor to the team's ongoing six-year playoff drought. Finally, he answers a pair of listener questions on whether or not Bijan Robinson will return kickoffs this year and whether Michael Vick or Lamar Jackson would win in a footrace. Falcons Draft Picks Floors

The Atlanta Falcons have wrapped up mandatory minicamp and Raheem Morris is looking forward to getting his team prepared for training camp in July. However, Terry Fontenot is dealing with having to pay a fine and losing draft capital because of violations during the legal tampering period. Tenitra Batiste, Jarvis Davis, Aaron Freeman and Tori McElhaney talked about how Fontenot could have gotten more draft capital back in April. Secondly, the Falcons are heading into training camp with plenty of question marks on the defensive side of the football. A.J. Terrell is entrenched as the starter on one side of the football, but there isn’t a clear one on the other side. The team discussed the cornerback position and the young defensive line group. Lastly, they wrapped things up by talking about the competition the Falcons have at the strong safety spot.   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit a

The Atlanta Falcons are on break until training camp and host Aaron Freeman breaks down who he thinks will be the 53 players poised to make the team’s roster when they return. He discusses the lack of starting competitions on offense, which will lead to the most compelling camp battle being at quarterback between rookie Michael Penix and veteran Taylor Heinicke for the right to be Kirk Cousins’s backup. Will the Falcons carry all three quarterbacks on the roster? And why will the competition for backup offensive linemen matter in 2024 more than any other skill position? Later, he looks at the open competitions at cornerback and safety to discuss who will start opposite A.J. Terrell and Jessie Bates. Will it be Clark Phillips or Mike Hughes? Richie Grant or DeMarcco Hellams? He also discusses the potential roster battles for depth spots in the secondary before turning his attention to the front seven on defense. He discusses why nose tackle is the only spot that is likely to be an open starting competition whe

The Atlanta Falcons are set to lose a 2025 fifth-round draft pick for tampering involving Kirk Cousins and others from March of this year. Host Aaron Freeman breaks down whether that punishment is too much or too little given the team's transgressions. Later, he discusses the Falcons run game in 2024 under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. He discusses how much Robinson will lean on the run game this year, and whether or not the Falcons are built to be this high-powered passing attack. He also discusses the influence of play-action on Robinson's play-calling. Finally, he discusses whether or not Bijan Robinson is featured more in this year's offense and whether or not his usage will overlap with Christian McCaffrey. Part of the ‪@LockedOnATL‬ Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

Warrick Dunn was the first big free-agent signing under Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and it proved to be a homerun. Host Aaron Freeman and guests Allen Strk (‪@TheFalcoholicLive‬) and Matt Chernoff (‪@680TheFanAtlanta‬) discuss Dunn's impact on and off the field, his ability to overcome his size and adversity throughout his life to put together a near Hall-of-Fame-caliber NFL career. Later, Matt and Allen go head to head to battle to see who knows the most trivia about Dunn in the second episode of their ongoing trivia tournament called the Falcons Historian Player Shootout. Part of the ‪@LockedOnATL‬ Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman often goes under the radar when it comes to team's rich history of great running backs. Host Aaron Freeman and guests Allen Strk (@TheFalcoholicLive), Cory Woodroof (@usatodaysports), and Jarvis Davis (@LockedOnATL) revisit Freeman's illustrious six-year career in Atlanta. Jarvis and Cory go head to head to answer trivia questions on Freeman's highlights, especially in 2015 and 2016. They break down why Freeman was such an effective weapon and great fit in Kyle Shanahan's offense during those years. Part of the @LockedOnATL Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

The Atlanta Falcons expect a significant upgrade on offense under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and quarterback Kirk Cousins. Host Aaron Freeman breaks down how this new-look offense will benefit tight end Kyle Pitts. He discusses how Pitts will likely see a larger share of the team's underneath targets than he has seen in the past three years where he has served too often as the team's main deep threat. He compares how Pitts stacks up against current and past top tight ends. Later, he discusses Pitts getting more opportunities as an "inline" tight end. He makes comparisons to other top tight ends around the NFL and past tight ends like Jordan Reed, Gerald Everett, and T.J. Hockenson who have thrived under Sean McVay or his associates over the past decade. Finally, he discusses Cousins' potential to impact Pitts' production and compares his ability to hit short, intermediate, and deep passes in comparison to past Falcons quarterbacks since Pitts entered the NFL in 2021. Part of the @LockedOnATL Follo

Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. have already made their mark as quarterbacks for the Atlanta Falcons. Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot made sure that they had that position covered in 2024 and beyond. Tenitra Batiste, Jarvis Davis, Aaron Freeman, and Tori McElhaney talked about how the quarterback room has caught everyone’s eye in different ways. Secondly, the team talked about Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier being the reason that Zac Robinson won’t get too crazy throwing the football in 2024. Lastly, they wrapped things up by talking about how the defensive line has a big load to carry if Jimmy Lake wants to do well in his first year as defensive coordinator for the Falcons. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account

The Atlanta Falcons offense's success in 2024 rests firmly on first-time play-caller Zac Robinson's ability to maximize his weapons. Host Aaron Freeman explains why pre-snap motion might be a bigger part of that ability than many realize. First, he discusses his expectations for the Falcons offense and how they contrast with the defense. The Falcons have the potential to be one of the better offenses in the NFL, but their ability to be one of the best may rest on Robinson's mastery of pre-snap motion. Aaron explains the types of motion commonly seen in the NFL and if Robinson can be on the cutting edge of that like Mike McDaniel and Sean McVay. He breaks down why motion could help players like Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore be more impactful in Atlanta than they were in their previous stops. Finally, he discusses Drake London's breakout potential as the "breadwinner" of the Falcons offense and how he must live up to the potential of players like Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, etc. as one of the

The Atlanta Falcons are counting on a number of young defensive players to step up in 2024. Host Aaron Freeman discusses four to see which one has the most breakout potential. First, he breaks down cornerback Clark Phillips and his ability to win a starting role at cornerback over veteran Mike Hughes. He breaks down Phillips' coverage and tackling abilities and whether Raheem Morris' defensive scheme will allow him to blossom. Later, he looks at the competition at safety between Richie Grant and DeMarcco Hellams to see who is the best fit in the Morris scheme. He discusses whether or not Grant's versatility will help or hurt him in a battle against Hellams due to the latter being tailor-made for the Cover 3. Finally, he discusses defensive end Zach Harrison and if his breakout potential is the most of the group due to his physical gifts. He also discusses Dee Alford and Troy Andersen's potential value. Part of the @LockedOnATL Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

If the Atlanta Falcons achieve their goals of making the playoffs in 2024, a big part of their success will be based on improvement from their run game and offensive line. Host Aaron Freeman breaks down the potential challenges the Falcons may face in the trenches throughout the upcoming season. He discusses why their run game and offensive line is potentially a critical variable that was lacking on past Falcons teams that fell short of their playoff aspirations. Later, he breaks down why the run game will be an important foundation of the offense and whether or not we'll see a shift away from the outside zone run scheme to more runs up the middle. He examines the bevy of high-end opposing defensive tackles and pass-rushers that will challenge the Falcons blockers this year. He also discusses whether Jake Matthews and Kyle Pitts's run blocking is good enough to help the run game reach its goals. Finally, he discusses the potential growth of left guard Matthew Bergeron entering his second NFL season. Part of t

The Atlanta Falcons are looking for growth among several of their young defensive players including linebacker Troy Andersen. Host Aaron Freeman breaks down why the Falcons need a healthy Andersen to reach their full potential on defense. He discusses the team's overreliance on internal improvement from several young pass rushers, why Andersen's coverage potential could unlock Kaden Elliss' pass-rush ability, and help solve their struggles to cover tight ends. Later, he discusses if Andersen's lack of experience will prevent him from reaching his full potential this year and how it could impact the Falcons defense. Part of the @LockedOnATL Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

The NFL's investigation into the Atlanta Falcons alleged illegal tampering of then-free agent QB Kirk Cousins is expected to conclude later this week. Host Aaron Freeman discusses the potential punishment and whether or not it'll help the Falcons in the long run. He discusses the possibility that the Falcons losing a mid-round pick leads to them drafting better in the future due to the increased likelihood of them trading back vs. trading up. Later, he discusses the Falcons making a big bet on new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson's ability to maximize the play of Cousins, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts on a weekly basis. He also discusses the dozen young defensive players that the Falcons are betting on taking big steps forward this year as playmakers. Finally, he breaks down the potential for a breakout year from outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie be re-examining the film from 2023 and discussing how he compares favorably with Harold Landry. Part of the @LockedOnATL Follow & Subscribe on

The NFL is expected to reach a resolution on their investigation of the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles for alleged tampering later this week. Falcons are being investigated for illegally contacted then-free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins earlier this offseason. Reports suggest the Falcons may get a more severe punishment. Tenitra Batiste, Jarvis Davis, and Aaron Freeman wonder exactly what that means.They also discuss "Next Factors" for the Falcons on offense and defense, including whether Drake London, the Falcons offensive line, Arnold Ebiketie, and whoever emerges at cornerback as players that can join Cousins as players and units that can really move the needle for the team in 2024.The Falcons have OTAs under way, and the gang breaks down what they expect to see in this current phase of offseason activities. They take a deeper look at the quantity vs. quality of wide receivers on the roster and where the Falcons rank in comparison to other top NFL offenses in the latest CBS Sports rankings, and c

The Atlanta Falcons' success in 2024 depends on their ability to learn lessons from the 2023 failures of NFC South rivals New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. Host Aaron Freeman revisits last June's episode examining all four NFC South teams' "fatal flaws." He notes the parallels between the current Falcons and past Saints and Panthers teams that didn't meet expectations last year. He discusses how the Saints overpaid Derek Carr locking themselves into a bad salary cap situation and mediocrity for the foreseeable future, examining parallels with the Falcons signing Kirk Cousins. He breaks down how the future of the Carolina Panthers looked so bright with Bryce Young, yet was derailed by poor coaching and hopes the Falcons don't befall the same fate with Michael Penix in the future. Finally, he discusses the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' recent success atop the NFC South as a result of their lack of complacency.Part of the @LockedOnATL Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

A contract extension looms for Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell this summer. Host Aaron Freeman breaks down if the team is going to pay him a number that resets the top of the cornerback market. He discusses why he thinks a Terrell extension is imminent and whether that will top Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander as the NFL's highest-paid corner. He discusses other top-of-the-market deals signed by safety Antoine Winfield, cornerbacks Trevon Diggs, Jaylon Johnson, and L'Jarius Sneed and how they impact Terrell's price tag. Later, he's joined by Spencer McLaughlin (@LockedOnOregonDucks) to discuss Falcons fourth-round defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus. They discuss if Dorlus' versatility at Oregon will get him labeled as a "tweener" in the NFL and whether or not Dorlus has the potential to replace Grady Jarrett in the future. Finally, Aaron discusses his concerns about the Falcons' lack of offensive line depth, and whether running it back with Storm Norton, Ryan Neuzil, and Kyle Hinton as the to

The Atlanta Falcons are making a big bet on their offense being the strength of their roster and driver of their push to the playoffs in 2024. Host Aaron Freeman discusses why this is a worthwhile bet for the present and the future. But also expresses reservations about what happens if there are too many cracks in the foundation, which could throw a wrench in their plans to develop rookie QB Michael Penix long-term. He breaks down his long-time struggles with the air of complacency that hovers above the team, not only today but dating back over a decade to the beginning of Matt Ryan and former GM Thomas Dimitroff's times in Atlanta. Finally, he answer a listener question about the team's potential to be a Top 10 offense and does some projections for Bijan Robinson's potential statline in 2024. Part of the @LockedOnATL Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…

Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Michael Penix may have to rework his mechanics and footwork over the next two years sitting behind starter Kirk Cousins. Host Aaron Freeman and guest Luke Braun ( @LockedOnVikings ) discuss some of the issues that Penix will have to overcome in the coming years, including his age, injury history, and inaccuracy. Luke breaks down why Penix's biomechanics need to be reworked and whether or not two years is sufficient time to do so. Later, they discuss the potential hallmarks of the new Falcons offense under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. They discuss what Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell took from his time under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams as a template for things Robinson may borrow. They break down the Rams, Vikings, and Falcons run scheme and how it impacts their dropback and play-action passing game. Finally, they discuss the "vibes" surrounding the new Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Part of the @LockedonATLFollow & Subscribe on