The injury to cornerback Isaiah Oliver offers an important learning opportunity and litmus test for this new Atlanta Falcons coaching staff. Will the young players that replace him grow and develop over the course of the 2021 season?
This is a similar scenario to the one facing the team at the left guard position that I wrote about a few weeks ago with rookie Jalen Mayfield. After two very lackluster games to start the season, concerns about Mayfield’s long-term viability were raised.
Fortunately for the team, Mayfield then turned in his best performance in the Falcons’ Week 3 win over the New York Giants, allaying those concerns for at least a week.