Will S. from Summerville, Georgia
It’s gonna be interesting knowing that Raheem Morris doesn’t play his No. 1s in the preseason, to see how he handles the QB position. Do you think Kirk Cousins (assuming he’s still a Falcon) will start in the preseason, as much to see if he’s still “got it” as much as anything else? It seems pointless to play the other guys, but what are your thoughts? Thanks!
I think you are onto something, Will, and not just because of the quarterback position.
It’s funny because y’all know how I feel about the preseason: DO NOT PLAY YOUR STARTERS. However, because of how this 2025 roster is structured coupled with the first four weeks of games on the Falcons’ schedule, I have begun to change my tune a little bit. And it wouldn’t surprise me if Raheem Morris — also a proponent of the don’t-play-your-starters-in-the-preseason opinion — changes his thinking, too.
Let’s start with my first point, which is how the 2025 roster is constructed. You have a semi-rookie quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. who needs as many live reps with his skill crew as you’d be willing to give him. You also have a ton of new faces — young faces at that — on defense. You also have guys returning from injury (Bralen Trice, DeMarcco Hellams to name a couple) who you need to rev up after a season on the sideline. You have a lot of new, a lot of youth and the need to accelerate them quickly, which brings me to my second point…
The first four weeks of the season are arguably one of the most significant for Atlanta. They open at home against Tampa Bay before going on the road in consecutive weeks to face Minnesota in a prime-time slot and a new-look Carolina team in Charlotte. They then host one of the NFC’s hottest teams with Washington coming to town in Week 4. There’s no where for Atlanta to hide, and they have to be ready to hit the ground running fast.
There’s no easing into this season, which is why the preseason may matter more than usual.
Now, I am not saying play every single starter through all four quarters of the three preseason games. Heck no. But I am saying give some of the younger starters some reps.
For example, give Penix a couple series with his full gambit of offensive weapons, along with Ryan Neuzil at center. I don’t think you have to have all five linemen out there with him, but Neuzil partnering with Penix in a live look would be important. Then, defensively, get your draft picks out there working through a rotation for a series or two. See how someone like Billy Bowman Jr. operates at nickel, or how Xavier Watts communicates at safety. If you have a young player who you expect to start Week 1, don’t wait around for Week 1 to get them accustomed to the NFL speed.
