The Falcons defense was solid in a few areas last season. They were 17th in scoring and top three in third-down defense. It’s a good foundation to build on, but they weren’t really a scary unit either. They were 29th in takeaways, 27th in interception percentage and 21st in sacks.

Essentially, the Falcons were good on a down-to-down basis, but they didn’t force many errors or make many plays. That’s a hard way to live and the biggest problem is they didn’t do much to get better from a personnel standpoint. After picking Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick, they used their next four picks on defense, but a premium addition in free agency or the draft would make it easier to feel good about them taking a step forward.

The Falcons are essentially banking on continuity and coaching to take them to the next level. Calais Campbell and Jeff Okudah are the biggest losses. However, the familiar names will have to learn a new scheme under new head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake.