Getty Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
There’s a lot more buzz going around that the Atlanta Falcons are pushing their way into the top 10.
On Tuesday NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport said the Falcons have been talking to other teams “well into the top 10.”
Rapoport has a strong sense that they will grab a cornerback if they decide to go for the big leap.
Falcons Have Plans to ‘Hone In” on Cornerbacks
Falcons’ general manager Thomas Dimitroff believes a roster can never have enough cornerbacks and how important it is for the Falcons to focus on that position.
“I’m a big believer, I’ve said this before, you really can never have enough corners and I think it’s really important for us to hone in on that,” Dimitroff said. “Whether it’s the back end of free agency or whether it’s in the draft, we’ll continue to look in that area and make sure we have the right amount of people to fortify not only the front line but the depth as well. I understand the concerns of where the numbers are at this point.”
However, head coach Dan Quinn has other plans.
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DQ & Dimitroff Not on the Same Page, What’s New?
The saga of Dimitroff and Quinn not being on the same page continues after Dimitroff claims he’s ready to hone in on drafting corners, while DQ believes the Falcons already have their No. 1 corner.
Quinn is confident in the young corner, Kendall Sheffield and his abilities to step up this season.
“Yes, I do feel that way,” Quinn said when asked Monday if Sheffield could be the No. 1 cornerback. “We played him a lot in the slot. That wasn’t something that he had tons of experience with. He keeps growing and was really up for the challenge.
Quinn also noted that Sheffield has the speed and explosiveness you need to match up on other opponents.
“In our league and division there are certainly some guys that you want to match up on if you need to, Quinn said. “He’s definitely somebody with the speed and short-space quickness to do that. I definitely think he has a shot to do that, based on his speed and that I just think he’s going to continue to grow. Yeah, we’re very excited about him.
As a rookie Falcon in 2019, Sheffield has started 11 out of the 16 games he played as a rookie and recorded 46 tackles and a forced fumble.
The Falcons actually traded up six spots with the Detroit Lions last year to select Sheffield in the fourth-round.
Jeff Okudah OR C.J. Henderson?
Rapoport also said if the Falcons decide to make the big leap jump to look for them grabbing Jeff Okudah or C.J. Henderson. Both have been tied to Atlanta in mock drafts over the last couple of months. But the question remains, who is better?
Okudah is expected to go in the 3-7 range while Henderson a little later. Henderson even still has a possibility of being available at No. 16. But some experts say otherwise.
An anonymous GM gave his two cents on what he thinks is really going down.
“I bet 40 percent of the teams in the league have Henderson higher on their boards than Okudah,” the GM told Peter King of NBC Sports. “Better cover guy.”
Maybe that GM is Dimitroff?
Either way, you can’t go wrong.