It’s no secret that the biggest positional flaw on the Falcons’ roster was at guard. For all the concerns on the defensive line, they still have plenty of talent there.
Grady Jarrett is one of the premier defensive tackles in the league. Despite coming off a somewhat down season, Takkarist McKinley is capable of becoming a difference maker. Jack Crawford made a genuine impact as an interior pass rusher. There are pieces to work with on the defensive line. On the other side, Jake Matthews and Alex Mack are the only above-average starters on the roster. Not having a single guard on the roster the Falcons truly felt good about from an injury or talent perspective meant the front office had to be aggressive in free agency,
We know that because the Falcons didn’t waste time by signing James Carpenter to a four-year deal.