Desmond Trufant is ready to tackle DeSean Jackson, literally and figuratively

Fresh off a brand new, giant contract, Desmond Trufant isn’t sitting around counting piles of money or taunting his former NFL brothers about his success. At least, he’s not just doing that.

Instead, Trufant is looking forward to the challenges ahead. The NFC South is in a weird place right now, with the Panthers loaded up with receivers of uncertain skill, the Saints retooling with elite second year option Michael Thomas, and the Buccaneers basically trying to set the division on fire by putting Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson in the same lineup. Trufant is particularly intrigued by that last addition.

I’m one of the first ones to chalk up attitude as a nice thing that doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but I like this. Trufant is coming off a major injury and Jackson is a tough matchup for any cornerback, given his speed, but Trufant is jockeying for the right to face him and impose his will regardless. When a team is coming off a crushing Super Bowl loss, as the Falcons unfortunately are, the question that keeps cropping up regards their toughness, their ability to bounce back, and their ability to compete. Read through McClure’s piece here and you will not for a second doubt that this team is up to the task, and Trufant in particular should be heading for a very nice year, whether he’s facing Jackson or not.

The Falcons could very well have their work cut out for them against the Bucs this coming season, but they’re not going to be intimidated by the speed on that Tampa Bay offense.