Falcons training camp battles: Who wins the right guard job?

In today’s edition of the roundtable, The Falcoholic’s staff debates who is set to win the starting right guard job, which is perhaps the most unsettled position on the entire roster. Read on to find out who we picked.

William McFadden

RG: Mike Person

Fans might not enjoy the thought of having Mike Person return as a starter on the offensive line, but he should do well so long as he doesn’t have to snap the ball. With Alex Mack taking over all of the duties that come with playing center (#blessed), Person should be able to focus on something he actually does well, block. This is one of the most important camp battles that the Falcons will have, but a tight competition should only bring improvement. Whether it’s Person or Chris Chester manning the position, they will have earned the job in the coming weeks.

Allen Strk

RG: Chris Chester

The starting right guard opening will quietly become the most competitive training camp battle. Chris Chester is a crafty run blocker, but shoulder issues affected him in pass protection. He was consistently overpowered during Atlanta’s downfall last season. Mike Person has a legitimate shot to supplant him. Preseason will ultimately determine who slots in between Alex Mack and Ryan Schreader. The sturdy veteran should maintain his place for one more season. After last year’s debacle, the coaching staff wants the offensive line to be more organized, especially when handling A-Gap blitzes.

Dave Choate

RG: Chris Chester

You might as well throw your hands in the air and admit you don’t know for sure who is going to win this one, but that wasn’t an option for our roundtable. I’ve got Chester because he’s decent, knows the scheme and is familiar to the team after a solid (if penalty-filled) 2015, and the picture is just really muddled at guard.

Kendall Jackson

RG: Mike Person

Person didn’t perform particularly well as he played center for the first time last season, but he did show he’s capable of blocking decently. The reduction of responsibilities should help him out a good bit, and I think he snatches the right guard spot from Chris Chester.

The DW

RG: Mike Person

While 2015 starter Chris Chester is back, it’s more likely that the team wants him in a reserve role instead of starting 16 games. Person may not have been the right choice at center, but he did demonstrate good movement and was a decent pass blocker. Ultimately, I think the team wants Wes Schweitzer to take hold of the job, but it’s hard to envision a 6th round rookie getting the start immediately. If Person falters, don’t be surprised if Schweitzer leap frogs past Chester to take the position.

Caleb Rutherford

RG: Mike Person

Part of me feels like this is Chris Chester’s job to lose, but this is another battle where we could see any number of players come out as the starter. That’s a great thing because it likely means whoever we’re sending out there is pretty solid. The thought of Mike Person on my team’s offensive line is scary, but between all the botched snaps and not-so-great line blocking calls was a guy who could actually hold his own against NFL DTs. Now that Person isn’t in charge of that, I think his blocking can be used to some effect, and I expect him, plus his combination of youth and experience, to come out on top.