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We’re down to very little in cap space and only six selections in the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft, and there’s one major question to ask right now. What exactly are the Falcons doing with their offensive line?
Technically, there’s plenty of bodies here for Atlanta to choose from on this roster, but the picture’s a little cloudier when you ask who the team’s starting right guard and swing tackle are going to be. The Falcons don’t know if Chris Chester is playing this year and 2016’s swing tackle, Tom Compton, is off to the Bears. You need to address both of those positions, and besides edge rusher, they’re probably the two most vital positions to take care of right now.
Assuming the Falcons won’t hit both in the draft, given their limited selections, who is still out on the open market?
Guard
Jermon Bushrod
Brandon Fusco
Chris Chester
Tim Lelito
Jahri Evans
Nick Mangold
Austin Pasztor
Tackle
Garrett Reynolds (!)
Jake Long
King Dunlap
Ryan Clady
Breno Giacomini
Sebastian Vollmer
Gosder Cherilus
Byron Bell
Matt McCants
Bradley Sowell
William Beatty
As you’ll note, this is not a great market. If the Falcons aren’t planning on drafting a swing tackle but are planning to invest at guard, which I’d consider likely, they can scoop up a halfway decent backup and hope for continued good health for Jake Matthews and Ryan Schraeder. The problem is that virtually every tackle on that list either has problems staying healthy (Beatty, Clady) or just is kind of terrible (Dunlap, Sowell).
Stay tuned to see how this all shakes out, but I would bet a nickel that one of the men on this list will wind up in Atlanta sooner or later.