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The Falcons signed former Pro Bowl offensive lineman Zane Beadles yesterday, and in the injury aftermath along the line the presumption was that he would be slotted in as a backup guard. Not so, apparently.
On 92.9 The Game this morning, Coach Quinn said that while Beadles possesses versatility to play both positions, he’ll begin his work in Atlanta at tackle.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn tells 92.9 The Game that newly acquired offensive lineman Zane Beadles has the versatility at guard and tackle but will begin at tackle first.
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) October 31, 2018
That’s a curious new wrinkle in the reshuffling of the O-line. Beadles has logged the vast majority of his snaps at left guard since he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2010, but as we know Quinn likes his interchangeable puzzle piece types, it makes sense that he’d give Beadles some run at tackle. With Matt Gono and vaporized fifth-round pick Ty Sambrailo as the primary backups on the roster—and Austin Pazstor recently reacquired as a swing tackle—Beadles’ performance at the position may portend a future move.
The Falcons are now carrying 10 players along the offensive line. Matt Gono is a solid developmental OL, so losing him long-term in favor of Zane Beadles or Austin Pazstor for 2018 would be sub-optimal for sure. Quinn is fond of versatility among his players, so we’re sure to see some continued creative tinkering along a wounded line. As it stands today, Beadles is heading into his first game as an Atlanta Falcon as a backup tackle.