A Fresh Look At The Atlanta Falcons Defensive End Depth Chart

I'm going to be picking my way through the depth charts at various positions now that the draft has ended. Today, I thought it might be worth our while to take a closer look at defensive end, particularly after the Falcons selected Jonathan Massaquoi.

I still think there's a good chance that Massaquoi will play a little outside linebacker, thus dooming a player like Robert James to the axe.The Falcons have a decent blend of talent and upside at defensive end right now, and I don't think they want to cut Cliff Matthews or Lawrence Sidbury at this point. Listing Massaquoi as a linebacker and having him play some there would take care of the problem, allowing the Falcons to keep that chart intact.

Right now, here's how I see it shaking out.

Starters

John Abraham: Duh. He'll come off the field regularly, but he's still the best pass rusher the team has.

Ray Edwards: Will hopefully be totally healthy and more effective in the new scheme. He remains a great run-stopper.

Backups

Kroy Biermann: A little underappreciated. Does everything decently well, even though he had a down year in 2011. Will spell both Abe and Edwards regularly.

Lawrence Sidbury: This is a make-or-break year for El Sid. He was efficient in limited snaps last year, grabbing a few sacks and applying good pressure. He should get more snaps in a defense focused on getting to the passer.

Cliff Matthews: Only one year in and he ripped it up in pre-season, so I have to believe he'll get another shot on the active roster. Well-balanced skill set and considerable upside.

Jonathan Massaquoi: Will probably play some end. A natural pass rusher with an explosive first step, Mike Nolan will probably find him useful for putting the fear of God into slow-footed tackles.

How do you think the depth chart will shake out?