dress roster holes that weren’t adequately filled by rookies. The Falcons have taken a different approach in 2019 Limited Takkarist McKinley Jersey , adding affordable free agents prior to the draft. Here’s why that’s significant."We are officially within spitting distance of the 2019 NFL Draft, with only a few days to go until the Falcons make their first round selection (or, possibly, selections). The internet is abuzz with rumors and speculation galore, but thankfully we don’t have to wait too much longer to find out which rookies will wind up in Atlanta for the 2019 season and beyond.One source of speculation, however, is worth addressing with an article. I’m sure fans have noticed that the Falcons have signed a significant number of veteran free agents in the weeks before the draft. This has led to some...interesting takes. Some are pretty reasonable, others are a little more far-fetched. Obviously we won’t know for certain until draft day, but in the meantime, let’s take a closer look at the Falcons recent free agent signings and what they mean for the 2019 draft.First off, let’s take a look at the veterans that Atlanta added in free agency during the month of April:C/G Adam GettisDT Tyeler DavisonDT Ra’Shede HagemanEDGE Adrian ClaybornEDGE Chris OdomLB Kemal IshmaelOT John WetzelS Chris CooperS Afolabi LagudaS J.J. WilcoxThere are a couple things that stand out about this group. First Takkarist McKinley Falcons Jersey , none of these players are likely to be starters. Second, outside of Adrian Clayborn, these players all signed for at or near the veteran minimum—meaning there is essentially no financial liability for the Falcons. Third, these are all players at positions that Atlanta was likely to target at some point in the draft—for the most part, these veterans fill roles that could’ve potentially gone to Day 3 rookies.In my eyes, these signings—outside of Clayborn and perhaps Davison—are all essentially camp competition. None of these veterans should be viewed as a “lock” to make the roster, because they aren’t. However, many fans are treating these signings as a signal that the Falcons intend to significantly alter their draft plans. For instance, the signings of Hageman and Davison have led many to believe that the team is no longer interested in a top DT prospect, such as Ed Oliver.The truth is that Atlanta is simply doing things a little differently in 2019. Most NFL teams add a cluster of veteran free agents and UDFAs immediately after the draft. The UDFAs are pretty random—after all, it’s up to the players to decide where to go. The veterans Elite Takkarist McKinley Jersey , however, are often added to fill holes on the roster that weren’t adequately addressed by rookies. Instead of waiting until after the draft, the Falcons instead opted to sign a bunch of veteran competition in advance.That timing might actually be smart for the Falcons. Having their “choice” veterans already under contract prior to the draft gives them flexibility and insurance should their ideal draft strategy fail to materialize. It probably makes it easier for Atlanta to trade-up, should they so desire. This also allows the Falcons to focus entirely on UDFAs after the draft, instead of scrambling to pick up free agents during the post-draft frenzy.There is also virtually no reason not to add these veterans prior to the draft as opposed to afterwards. Outside of Clayborn, these players are all signed for the veteran minimum. If the Falcons do wind up with rookies that take the roster spots of these veterans, there is virtually no financial risk. If Atlanta was to wait until after the draft, however, they could risk losing these free agents to other needy teams.So, my recommendation would be to treat these signings the same way you would treat post-draft FA additions: as camp competition that shouldn’t be considered a roster lock. As such, don’t expect these signings to significantly influence the Falcons’ early round selections. Ra’shede Hageman and Tyeler Davison certainly aren’t going to stand in the way of the Falcons selecting Ed Oliver Game Takkarist McKinley Jersey , for example. These veterans are valuable insurance and roster depth, which gives the team additional flexibility.What are your thoughts on the Falcons’ recent string of free agent additions? How do you view the strategy of targeting veterans prior to the draft, as opposed to afterwards? Where do you think the Falcons might go with their first round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft? The Atlanta Falcons have decided to part ways with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who couldn’t fill the massive shoes left by former OC Kyle Shanahan. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news on Monday, sharing that the Falcons will also move on from defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong. “All three of these men are excellent coaches that I have a lot of respect for,” Dan Quinn said Monday via the team’s media relations department. “While these are difficult decisions, we know we have a group of players here we are excited about and in order for us to consistently play true to our identity in all three phases we thought we needed some changes.”On Sark specifically, Quinn said that the team simply needs new direction. “Sark has shown he’s a good coach and play caller,” Quinn said. “After evaluating the entire season, I decided it was necessary that we had a new voice and direction for our offensive unit. I have a ton of respect for Sark, both personally and professionally Takkarist McKinley Womens Jersey , and I appreciate all he’s done during his time here.”Sarkisian was hired from the University of Alabama to fill Atlanta’s vacant OC job on February 7, 2017, following Shanahan’s departure to become the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.Despite being left with many of the same weapons which put up historic numbers in 2016, Sarkisian oversaw an offensive regression from second in yardage (6,653 total yards) and first in scoring (33.8 ppg) to eighth in yardage (5837) and 15th in scoring (22.1 ppg) in his first year as the team’s OC.Matt Ryan followed up an MVP season of 4,944 passing yards and a TD/INT ratio of 38/7 in 2016 with a rather pedestrian year of 4,095 passing yards and a TD/INT ratio of 20/12 in 2017, going from Shanahan to Sarkisian as his OC.The fanbase soured on Sark with some very questionable playcalls over the course of the year, such as a jet sweep out of an empty backfield with Taylor Gabriel on 4th and goal against the New England Patriots in Week 7, and a shovel pass to third-string RB Terron Ward on 2nd and goal on the final drive of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, to name a few.There was improvement in the 2018 season Youth Takkarist McKinley Jersey , as the Falcons remained in the top 10 in total offense and climbed closer to top 10 in scoring offense — upping their points to over 25 per game.Ryan reclaimed his MVP-like form, but the wins became fewer and farther between, and the offense went into a scoring draught where they put up just 20 points or fewer in every game of the team’s season-crippling five-game losing streak between weeks 10 and 14.With Sarkisian being relieved of his post, the Falcons will once again be on the hunt for a new offensive coordinator — their fifth in the Matt Ryan era.Darrell Bevell is a name which has already been linked to the team as a potential Sarkisian successor. Gary Kubiak is probably the most popular choice among the fans (and the writers here at The Falcoholic) to be the next OC.Our own Cory Woodroof compiled a list of potential successors who won’t require an overhaul of the team’s scheme.Atlanta’s vacant OC position will likely be one of the most sought-after assistant coaching positions in the NFL, because of the quarterback and the weapons which are already in place.We wish Steve Sarkisian the best of luck moving forward. It would be great to see him land on his feet somewhere because after all, he’s still a man who has a family to feed.