1
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,520
Speaker 1: What's up everybody, and welcome to an offseason edition of

2
00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,160
Speaker 1: the Falcons Final Whistle podcast. I'm Scott Bear along with

3
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,800
Speaker 1: Tory mcelhaney. Ashton Edmonds is on assignment in Las Vegas.

4
00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:24,239
Speaker 1: So this is gonna be a two person show and

5
00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,640
Speaker 1: what will be the first of many offseason Falcons Final

6
00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,000
Speaker 1: Whistles as we break down Falcons news as it comes

7
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,200
Speaker 1: in addition to major tent pole moments throughout the course

8
00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,519
Speaker 1: of this offseason, like the start of free agency where

9
00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,840
Speaker 1: the Falcons have a little bit of money or maybe yeah,

10
00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,160
Speaker 1: danger that's true, and then they're gonna have the number

11
00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,280
Speaker 1: eight overall pick and of number of quality opportunities to

12
00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,760
Speaker 1: add talent. And we're gonna talk to you at each

13
00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,680
Speaker 1: stage through OTA's through mini camp on towards the regular season.

14
00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,320
Speaker 1: This is the kickoff of the offseason offseason version of it.

15
00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,560
Speaker 1: And Tori, do we have some news to discuss or

16
00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:08,000
Speaker 1: what that? There have been some changes on the defensive staff,

17
00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,640
Speaker 1: most notably the Falcons have a new coordinator after Dean

18
00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:17,080
Speaker 1: Pas retired shortly after the season was over. The Falcons

19
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,280
Speaker 1: have poked poached, let's just say poached Ryan Nielsen. I

20
00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,080
Speaker 1: thought you were gonna say poked the poked him. I

21
00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,039
Speaker 1: thought about it, and then I couldn't get the word out.

22
00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,959
Speaker 1: They have hired let's just stick with the formal terms.

23
00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,280
Speaker 1: They have hired Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator.

24
00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,360
Speaker 1: They have also hired Jerry Gray, who has a long

25
00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,240
Speaker 1: history with Arthur Smith, as their assistant head coach defense.

26
00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,440
Speaker 1: We're going to talk about each one of these guys individually.

27
00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,720
Speaker 1: I think a narrative that hasn't really been addressed yet

28
00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,160
Speaker 1: is you put these two gentlemen together, and I think

29
00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,680
Speaker 1: you have a lot of good opportunities because you have

30
00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,880
Speaker 1: Ryan Nielsen, who is going to call plays and is

31
00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,640
Speaker 1: going to be in charge of this defense as a

32
00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:03,400
Speaker 1: first time coordinator, another young, aggressive, energetic coach added to

33
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,000
Speaker 1: the staff. And then you have Jerry Gray, who I

34
00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,680
Speaker 1: think is coached for thirty five plus years and has

35
00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,680
Speaker 1: been a coordinator twice and has been to the Puppet

36
00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,600
Speaker 1: show and seeing the strings and knows what it's like

37
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,560
Speaker 1: to call a defense. I think those two guys together

38
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,639
Speaker 1: are really going to help the Falcons as they transition

39
00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,120
Speaker 1: after Dean pas retirement. Yeah. I think it's These two

40
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,520
Speaker 1: hires have been really intriguing because I think it gives

41
00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,040
Speaker 1: more information about what direction the Falcons want to go

42
00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,200
Speaker 1: in in the post Dean Pease defense era in Atlanta.

43
00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,160
Speaker 1: It's I agree with you about the Jerry Gray hire.

44
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,520
Speaker 1: I think that was a really important move for the Falcons.

45
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,160
Speaker 1: And that's not anything against Ryan Nielsen at all. I

46
00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,560
Speaker 1: think Ryan Nilsen's a very intriguing decision at defensive coordinator

47
00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,919
Speaker 1: as well. But what Jerry Gray can bring in terms

48
00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,320
Speaker 1: of knowledge, in terms of experience, in terms especially with

49
00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,240
Speaker 1: the secondary. You think about Ryan Nielsen's strength, Ryan Nielsen's

50
00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,880
Speaker 1: strength as a coach, as a play caller is along

51
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,120
Speaker 1: that line of scrimmage. You need someone that you trust

52
00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,920
Speaker 1: in the secondary, and who could you trust more than

53
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:19,160
Speaker 1: a guy with over thirty years of experience coaching defenses

54
00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,919
Speaker 1: at this level. I just think that the pairing of

55
00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,080
Speaker 1: these two guys together, I completely agree with you that

56
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,119
Speaker 1: that pairing is just as important as who the defensive

57
00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,680
Speaker 1: coordinator was going to be. Yeah, so let's let's get

58
00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,520
Speaker 1: into this Ryan Nielsen higher first. Again, he's forty three

59
00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,800
Speaker 1: years old, is from usc UCLA along. I won't hold

60
00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,440
Speaker 1: that against him, I don't think maybe though, let's get

61
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,440
Speaker 1: along with Drake London so well swimmingle But but Ryan

62
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,200
Speaker 1: Nielsen comes in. If you didn't know his name and

63
00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,360
Speaker 1: you had to search for it, did you have some

64
00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,680
Speaker 1: fun features to dive over? In particular, let's give credit

65
00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,680
Speaker 1: where credits due. Larry Holder wrote a fantastic story. Josh

66
00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,480
Speaker 1: Kendo also chimed in with comments from Falcon's head coach

67
00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,240
Speaker 1: Arthur Smith, and Tori wrote kind of a five things

68
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,760
Speaker 1: to know summation of if you don't know who Ryan

69
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,160
Speaker 1: Nielsen is, here's this guy, and like, what were some

70
00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:20,919
Speaker 1: themes that you found Tory as you were writing the

71
00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,280
Speaker 1: news story and writing all these follow ups and kind

72
00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,080
Speaker 1: of building for Falcons fans a greater and clearer picture

73
00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,960
Speaker 1: of who their new defensive coordinator is. Yeah. So something

74
00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,799
Speaker 1: that really struck me in everything that I read about

75
00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:40,479
Speaker 1: Ryan Nielsen is his role as a player developer, which

76
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,080
Speaker 1: I thought is exactly what the Falcons need at this

77
00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:48,360
Speaker 1: juncture and where they are. I loved reading especially. I'm

78
00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,480
Speaker 1: glad that you brought up Larry Holder's feature on Ryan

79
00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,479
Speaker 1: Nielsen with The Athletic. If you don't if you don't

80
00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,000
Speaker 1: know anything about Ryan Nielsen, I definitely recommend going and

81
00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,440
Speaker 1: reading that story. But because that's where I really felt

82
00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,560
Speaker 1: like I found the crux of who Ryan Nielsen is.

83
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,839
Speaker 1: And I also think that Scott and I should say

84
00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,800
Speaker 1: we have yet to talk to Ryan Nielsen. He we

85
00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,279
Speaker 1: haven't talked to him, we haven't met him yet. That

86
00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,480
Speaker 1: will come probably when the Falcons get back from Las Vegas,

87
00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,240
Speaker 1: which is where they are coaching the Shrine Bowl right

88
00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,479
Speaker 1: now as we're recording this podcast. So there's still so

89
00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:24,520
Speaker 1: much to learn about Ryan Nilson in the direction that

90
00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,039
Speaker 1: he wants to take the Falcons defense. But the one

91
00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,920
Speaker 1: quote that I really hung on too, and it's a quote,

92
00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,520
Speaker 1: hold on, let me pull it up because I wrote

93
00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:40,680
Speaker 1: about it because I pulled from Larry Holder's twenty twenty

94
00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,359
Speaker 1: one story on Ryan Nielsen and his emergence. It was

95
00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:48,960
Speaker 1: he was talking to defensive lineman Karl Granderson and what

96
00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,040
Speaker 1: Carl Granderson said this quote, it just speaks volumes to me.

97
00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,279
Speaker 1: He said, he focuses and is big on technique in effort,

98
00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,080
Speaker 1: he coaches pretty hard. He wants us to be big,

99
00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,200
Speaker 1: nasty D lineman so we can go out there and

100
00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,480
Speaker 1: destroy people. You have to have tough skin in order

101
00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,400
Speaker 1: to play D line for the New Orleans Saints. That's

102
00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,640
Speaker 1: the guy the Falcons got and I think that's exactly

103
00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:14,719
Speaker 1: and we'll get into more of this, I think later

104
00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:20,159
Speaker 1: in the podcast, but that is exactly what Arthur Smith likes.

105
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,440
Speaker 1: You think about who Arthur Smith is binding big nasty

106
00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,720
Speaker 1: lineman where it's like tough to play at the line

107
00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,400
Speaker 1: of scrimmage for these coaches because you know how hard

108
00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,479
Speaker 1: they're going to push you. That is that's the crux

109
00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,760
Speaker 1: of I think what the Falcons are trying to establish.

110
00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,400
Speaker 1: We look at what they did offensively in the run

111
00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:42,359
Speaker 1: game this year. They want to establish that run stopping, mean, dirty,

112
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,000
Speaker 1: nasty front along the defensive line, and they know that

113
00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,440
Speaker 1: that has to be an area of improvement. They've talked

114
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,360
Speaker 1: about it at nauseum that they have got to get

115
00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,039
Speaker 1: a push up front along this defensive line. Yeah, they

116
00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,440
Speaker 1: in areas where they struggled the pass rush obviously in

117
00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,560
Speaker 1: pass defense in general, they went out and they got

118
00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,880
Speaker 1: guys who are really good at creating those types of things.

119
00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,200
Speaker 1: And Ryan Nielsen has been very good about that. So Tory,

120
00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,720
Speaker 1: let me just say this, but Tory, I've seen the

121
00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:11,640
Speaker 1: Saints play and he runs a four to three how

122
00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,640
Speaker 1: can he possibly be a fit here because if you

123
00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,560
Speaker 1: look at how I mean, Cam Jordan is um freak

124
00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:24,200
Speaker 1: of nature right right, and he's just he's quick and athletic,

125
00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,480
Speaker 1: and complimenting Saints is not what we normally do on

126
00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,480
Speaker 1: this podcast. But credit work credits do here. But and

127
00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,160
Speaker 1: Trey Hendrickson, who worked with with Ryan with Ryan Nielsen

128
00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,760
Speaker 1: as well, is not a small individual. And you think

129
00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,000
Speaker 1: about Arthur Smith and Terry Fonte talking about the quote

130
00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,960
Speaker 1: unquote hybrid model and hybrid model player. Um, did it

131
00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,480
Speaker 1: give you pause that they went with a more quote

132
00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,760
Speaker 1: unquote prototypical for three guy? I mean, Arthur Smith said

133
00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,440
Speaker 1: on Monday, I do laugh about the four three or

134
00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,160
Speaker 1: three fourth thing, um, you know, and basically said, if

135
00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,800
Speaker 1: you watch bass defense, they obviously have five guys up

136
00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,239
Speaker 1: at the line of scrimmage. Call it whatever you want.

137
00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:04,840
Speaker 1: You can call that guy on the end of the

138
00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,559
Speaker 1: line an open side end, a jack linebacker, it doesn't

139
00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,200
Speaker 1: matter what you call it. But I do think he's

140
00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,040
Speaker 1: right though that. Yeah. I mean, even the Falcons last year,

141
00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,360
Speaker 1: some played like a sometimes they played like a two

142
00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,440
Speaker 1: three exactly, and you get to eleven, you know, right,

143
00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,840
Speaker 1: and that's kind of where I was when they made

144
00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,200
Speaker 1: this hiring. Everybody's freaking out, like, oh my gosh, we

145
00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,400
Speaker 1: don't have the personnel to run what Ryan Nielsen wants

146
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,560
Speaker 1: to run. It's like, well, if you look at what

147
00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,559
Speaker 1: Dean Peas was running, he was running literally anything and everything.

148
00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,000
Speaker 1: In terms of fronts, you like what you said you

149
00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,320
Speaker 1: sometimes saw Grady Jarrett standing up like, I don't know,

150
00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,800
Speaker 1: I know that's not a defensive front, but I'm just

151
00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,560
Speaker 1: gonna say, like, Grady Jarrett was standing up sometimes like

152
00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,360
Speaker 1: and I really do think you saw them with a

153
00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,960
Speaker 1: traditional three four look. You saw them with this traditional

154
00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:52,880
Speaker 1: four three look, you saw them in a four two five.

155
00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,120
Speaker 1: I mean, there were so many different things that they

156
00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,760
Speaker 1: did anyways that I do think that it to say like, oh,

157
00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,480
Speaker 1: Ryan Neilson only runs a four to three. Well, the

158
00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:08,160
Speaker 1: best coordinators coordinate and plan for the players that they have.

159
00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,840
Speaker 1: And I think that goes back to the opportunities that

160
00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,240
Speaker 1: the Falcons have with free agency. They could go out

161
00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,520
Speaker 1: and get guys who fit more towards what Ryan Neilson

162
00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,880
Speaker 1: has been running with the Saints. I think just because

163
00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,080
Speaker 1: they went out and got a guy who has a

164
00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:31,920
Speaker 1: four three baseline run, stopping mentality like the Saints have

165
00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,200
Speaker 1: had over the last seven years. I think that that

166
00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,680
Speaker 1: doesn't discount what the Falcons could bring in and do

167
00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,800
Speaker 1: in Atlanta this offseason. I think this defense is going

168
00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:45,960
Speaker 1: to look very, very differently because I think that they

169
00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,280
Speaker 1: now have the resources and the money to pump into

170
00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,719
Speaker 1: this defense. And I think in terms of fronts, like

171
00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,640
Speaker 1: I completely agree with Arthur Smith, and I think even

172
00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,520
Speaker 1: talking to Dean P's in the many conversations we had

173
00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,920
Speaker 1: with him over the two years that he was in Atlanta,

174
00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,240
Speaker 1: I think Ryan Nilson would say the same things, like

175
00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:07,360
Speaker 1: fronts are flexible, fronts are always changing. I mean just

176
00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,360
Speaker 1: because one thing works against one formation offensive formation, doesn't

177
00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,120
Speaker 1: mean that it's going to work with another one. I mean,

178
00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,640
Speaker 1: this is all the game are there spent talks all

179
00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:17,880
Speaker 1: the time the games within the games, Well, this is

180
00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:19,600
Speaker 1: just another part of it. And I don't think that

181
00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,319
Speaker 1: Falcons fans should be absolutely freaking out to be like,

182
00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,839
Speaker 1: oh my god, like we're turning into the Saints or whatever.

183
00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,240
Speaker 1: Ryan Nilson is going to come in and do kind

184
00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,400
Speaker 1: of what Ryan Nielsen wants to do. We also have

185
00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,520
Speaker 1: to think about, like, yes, he was the code defensive

186
00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:38,400
Speaker 1: coordinator with the Saints. But who's calling plays on games?

187
00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,960
Speaker 1: Dennis Allen exactly. So that also, what does Ryan Nielsen

188
00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,760
Speaker 1: want to do when he has the control of a defense.

189
00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:48,559
Speaker 1: I mean, these are all questions that we're going to

190
00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,120
Speaker 1: have the opportunity to answer. So I'm not ready to

191
00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,040
Speaker 1: be like, oh my gosh, we're completely getting away from

192
00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,800
Speaker 1: what the Falcons have built the last two seasons. No,

193
00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,000
Speaker 1: I actually think we're going to see more of it

194
00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,520
Speaker 1: kind of come to clarity this between this offseason. Yeah,

195
00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:06,319
Speaker 1: and we are recording this on a Tuesday, and you're right,

196
00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,760
Speaker 1: we haven't heard from Ryan Nielsen. I'm sure that he's

197
00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:13,840
Speaker 1: gonna kind of brush off the notion of base defense

198
00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,960
Speaker 1: one way or the other. And I think that ultimately

199
00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,360
Speaker 1: they can mold and shift because they talk about the

200
00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:24,280
Speaker 1: hybrid model right, Well, you needed some more heft upfront,

201
00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,079
Speaker 1: no matter what, no matter who the coach was. That's

202
00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:29,240
Speaker 1: the thing is, like you really did when we were

203
00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,200
Speaker 1: looking at I think I was the one that wrote

204
00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:36,000
Speaker 1: like the defensive line like positional review that we did

205
00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,400
Speaker 1: all the positional reviews throughout the month of January. The

206
00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,480
Speaker 1: Falcons need help in the interior defensive line, however way

207
00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,240
Speaker 1: you cut it, Like, however way you look at it,

208
00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,720
Speaker 1: they were going to need help because outside of Grady Jarrett,

209
00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,840
Speaker 1: Declan Graham got hurt, Marlon Davidson wasn't on the isn't

210
00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,560
Speaker 1: on the team anymore, Anthony Rush isn't on the team anymore.

211
00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,760
Speaker 1: All of the guys that started out the twenty twenty

212
00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,480
Speaker 1: two training camp season the guys that you ended up

213
00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,360
Speaker 1: with at the end, And so Timmy Horn and Jaylen

214
00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,400
Speaker 1: Dalton and Abdula Anderson. Nothing against those guys at all,

215
00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,640
Speaker 1: But you knew how much interior defensive line was gonna

216
00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,679
Speaker 1: be a priority, if not the number one priority going

217
00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:16,360
Speaker 1: into free agency and the draft. That doesn't change because

218
00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,400
Speaker 1: a new offensive coordinator comes in here. Yeah, And I

219
00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,720
Speaker 1: mean these are still needs in and the volume of

220
00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,160
Speaker 1: talent that needs to join this defensive front, especially with

221
00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:30,439
Speaker 1: some maybe patchwork or some additions in the defensive backfield,

222
00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,960
Speaker 1: are also important. Despite the fact, and I don't think

223
00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:35,800
Speaker 1: that we have to say, all right, they're going away

224
00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,079
Speaker 1: from what deep set up here. I think a lot

225
00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:42,959
Speaker 1: of the mentality and a lot of the not accepting mediocrity,

226
00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,040
Speaker 1: and a lot of the performance on critical downs like

227
00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,640
Speaker 1: that doesn't leave you as an individual, and if you

228
00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,679
Speaker 1: can get better as a front, I think it just

229
00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:56,000
Speaker 1: changes the entire dynamics. So that's I think that's Torani's

230
00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,160
Speaker 1: long winded way of saying, let's not get hung up

231
00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,560
Speaker 1: in the three three four nows of it. Let's also

232
00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:07,040
Speaker 1: not just rest on our laurels and say automatically everyone

233
00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,439
Speaker 1: just if we're gonna try to play it honestly here

234
00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:14,000
Speaker 1: not everyone who fit exactly what DMPs like to do

235
00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,600
Speaker 1: and was a role player, they may not have the

236
00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,920
Speaker 1: same role that. There is some natural transition here. It's

237
00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,840
Speaker 1: not just DNPS that's gone. It's it's it's Ted Moniquino,

238
00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:28,480
Speaker 1: it's John Hope, you know, Arie Emmanuel. So there will

239
00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,440
Speaker 1: be some different philosophies, there will be some new things

240
00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:35,000
Speaker 1: coming into this defense, and I think it'll be interesting

241
00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,240
Speaker 1: to see who these other new hires are going to be.

242
00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,800
Speaker 1: How Ryan Nielsen calls plays, we really don't have a

243
00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,280
Speaker 1: good grasp of that, and what can he do with

244
00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,880
Speaker 1: that defensive front say which you I know Falcons fans

245
00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,560
Speaker 1: don't like to compliment Saints. Saints have a good defense

246
00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:52,959
Speaker 1: and as you point out, have for a long time,

247
00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,800
Speaker 1: and under Ryan Nielsen, even as a position coach, we're

248
00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,400
Speaker 1: really good at getting pressure. And I promise this won't

249
00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,560
Speaker 1: be a long rantory, but the thing that I like

250
00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,800
Speaker 1: about what they do is they get pressure with four.

251
00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,719
Speaker 1: Now you need talent, right, but if you can get

252
00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,600
Speaker 1: pressure with four, it changes everything. And I think that

253
00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,520
Speaker 1: that's where their ultimate goal is. I asked Arthur Smith

254
00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,000
Speaker 1: about that and he says, like, that's the ideal scenario.

255
00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,040
Speaker 1: And if you can get pressure rushing for and you have,

256
00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,280
Speaker 1: and Ryan Nielsen has proven that he can do that

257
00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,680
Speaker 1: with the right talent, will go find the right talent

258
00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,640
Speaker 1: and become that's hype of tough defense that you've faced

259
00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,760
Speaker 1: in New Orleans over the last three or four seasons.

260
00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,720
Speaker 1: So I think all that is going to be fascinating

261
00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,800
Speaker 1: and I think it's going to be really interesting once

262
00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,680
Speaker 1: we hear from him. Right that we're dealing with this podcast,

263
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,360
Speaker 1: we're talking a lot about what we've read and what

264
00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:50,360
Speaker 1: we've learned by observing, but we haven't really heard from

265
00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,120
Speaker 1: him yet, and then that's going to be a learning point.

266
00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,160
Speaker 1: And then we're gonna learn some more when we see

267
00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,000
Speaker 1: him engage with players, and then the player's reaction to it,

268
00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,120
Speaker 1: and then a little bit more after the preseason and

269
00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,560
Speaker 1: when he actually calls a play that's not generic and

270
00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,600
Speaker 1: that's going to be interesting. So this is a long

271
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:10,160
Speaker 1: learning process. They interviewed a lot of good candidates and

272
00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,880
Speaker 1: they were really sold on this guy, which I think

273
00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,240
Speaker 1: because we've talked about Jerry Gray already, Tory. So let's

274
00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:20,320
Speaker 1: let's skip to this next part, which is your idea

275
00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,840
Speaker 1: and your point here maybe about kind of why this

276
00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,080
Speaker 1: was the guy and why Arthur Smith said specifically on

277
00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,040
Speaker 1: Monday that he was a quote unquote fit. Yeah. So

278
00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,400
Speaker 1: this is an idea that I had just when I

279
00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:35,640
Speaker 1: was doing the research for the story that I wrote

280
00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,400
Speaker 1: about like five things to learn about your new defensive coordinator,

281
00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:41,680
Speaker 1: And this was kind of the moment that really sparked

282
00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,440
Speaker 1: in a story idea for me, and it's one that

283
00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:46,440
Speaker 1: I'm going to play around with and hopefully have a

284
00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:52,000
Speaker 1: more in depth piece for you guys to really read, essentially,

285
00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,000
Speaker 1: and we can talk more about it later too. But

286
00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,920
Speaker 1: because I haven't talked to Ryan Nielsen, I haven't talked

287
00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,720
Speaker 1: to Arthur Smith about this higher so for me, this

288
00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:03,320
Speaker 1: is just my opinion. But my opinion is that the

289
00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,080
Speaker 1: Falcons went with Ryan Nielsen because he strikes me as

290
00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,680
Speaker 1: an Arthur Smith guy. And here's what I say about that.

291
00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:15,800
Speaker 1: Arthur Smith is an offensive lineman. He played offensive line

292
00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:20,000
Speaker 1: at the University of North Carolina at the almost exact

293
00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,440
Speaker 1: same time Ryan Nielsen is on the West Coast at

294
00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:27,560
Speaker 1: USC playing defensive line, and he did that at the

295
00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,760
Speaker 1: college level. Then they both, you know, grow up and

296
00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:36,000
Speaker 1: they become coordinators and go through all of the coaching

297
00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,080
Speaker 1: hoops and hurdles, but the crux of who they are

298
00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:44,640
Speaker 1: they are hard nosed, intense, and they want dirty, nasty

299
00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,680
Speaker 1: lineman exactly kind of what that initial comment was from

300
00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:54,560
Speaker 1: Carl Granderson. I fully believe that that intensity, that whole

301
00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,880
Speaker 1: idea of winning the game and living and dying at

302
00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:02,400
Speaker 1: the line of scrimmage is what sold Arthur Smith on

303
00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,800
Speaker 1: Ryan Nielsen and what sold Ryan Nielsen on Arthur Smith,

304
00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,240
Speaker 1: because to me, they're kind of cut from the same cloth.

305
00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:12,000
Speaker 1: They have kind of a similar thing at the line

306
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,240
Speaker 1: of scrimmage that makes them tick. And for me, I

307
00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:18,920
Speaker 1: think that's really exciting because we saw in training camp

308
00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,760
Speaker 1: and in the preseason how hard Arthur Smith pushes the

309
00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:28,119
Speaker 1: offensive line, particularly that specific position. What we saw was

310
00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,240
Speaker 1: an offensive line in twenty twenty two that outplayed expectations

311
00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,840
Speaker 1: and let's be honest, did really well the run blocking

312
00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,200
Speaker 1: of this unit. They started out I think it was

313
00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,199
Speaker 1: Pro Football Focus, which take that with a grain of

314
00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,800
Speaker 1: salt as it is, but they had them ranked it

315
00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:48,080
Speaker 1: I think it was thirtieth as an offensive line before

316
00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,000
Speaker 1: the season started. They were a top five offensive line

317
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,840
Speaker 1: pick by the end of the season. There was obvious

318
00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,399
Speaker 1: growth at the line of scrimmage for this offensive line.

319
00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,720
Speaker 1: Now you need that to translate to the defensive line,

320
00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,120
Speaker 1: and who better to do that than a guy who

321
00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:07,000
Speaker 1: has a similar mentality and similar thought process to Arthur Smith.

322
00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,000
Speaker 1: So that's kind of just like where my mind is

323
00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:14,080
Speaker 1: that and kind of my hypothesis as to why they

324
00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,960
Speaker 1: went with Ryan Nilsen in the first place. I see

325
00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,000
Speaker 1: from every all the research points that I've had, I

326
00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:25,119
Speaker 1: see a very serious and clear, I don't know like

327
00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,359
Speaker 1: picture of why Arthur Smith would like a guy like

328
00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,520
Speaker 1: Ryan Nielsen and why he would think that he fits

329
00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:33,639
Speaker 1: in Atlanta. And we heard so much of Terry Fontne

330
00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,560
Speaker 1: and Arthur Smith talk about they were referring to acquiring

331
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:39,920
Speaker 1: players in fregency and the draft, But they were talking

332
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,200
Speaker 1: about not just finding talent but finding fits. Why would

333
00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,600
Speaker 1: that not apply to the coaching staff? Why would it's

334
00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,400
Speaker 1: the exact same type of thing. Is that you need

335
00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:54,320
Speaker 1: talented guys everyone that they brought in, whether it was

336
00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,439
Speaker 1: reported or not. Do you have to be talented as

337
00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,600
Speaker 1: a defensive mind or you're not going to get that

338
00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,520
Speaker 1: higher or you're not going to get that interview? But

339
00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:04,960
Speaker 1: how do you sift through all of the schemes and

340
00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,040
Speaker 1: all of the ideas and the imagination and the creativity

341
00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,200
Speaker 1: without taking a look at what you're trying to find

342
00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,920
Speaker 1: in your players? Do you want a good locker room environment?

343
00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:18,880
Speaker 1: You want guys that fit your ethos to borrow? Why

344
00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,760
Speaker 1: would you not do that Arthur and Terry? Then why

345
00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,840
Speaker 1: would you not do that within the coaching staff? Those

346
00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,080
Speaker 1: guys have been like ninety five hours a week together.

347
00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,719
Speaker 1: So that's what I think we have support for your hypothesis, Tory,

348
00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,439
Speaker 1: and it's something that I think when you look at

349
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,320
Speaker 1: this Jerry Gray addition too, is that you've got a

350
00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:40,320
Speaker 1: guy with history with Arthur Smith, a prolonged history both

351
00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,080
Speaker 1: in Washington going back to the mid two thousands and

352
00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,840
Speaker 1: then again in Tennessee when Arthur was briefly on the

353
00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,240
Speaker 1: defensive side of the ball technically working under Jerry Gray.

354
00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,040
Speaker 1: So there's got to be a good mutual respect there.

355
00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,639
Speaker 1: And not only does he have experience calling plays. You

356
00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,400
Speaker 1: talk about what Ryan Nielsen does, well, it's the front. Well,

357
00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,280
Speaker 1: Jerry Gray was a darn good defensive back in his

358
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,000
Speaker 1: own right and it probably good defensive backs coach for

359
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,280
Speaker 1: a long time. So you're starting to see the plan

360
00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,040
Speaker 1: kind of come out and emerge. Here. We still don't

361
00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,760
Speaker 1: have the complete staff. Ryan Nielsen's going to have a

362
00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,280
Speaker 1: say and a lot of that, and I think that's

363
00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,800
Speaker 1: important and you would expect that Ryan Nielsen's going to

364
00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,760
Speaker 1: have a say in the in the type of player

365
00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,920
Speaker 1: that works for him. That's how Falcon scouting works. They

366
00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:28,120
Speaker 1: go out and they interview the coaches and they say

367
00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,359
Speaker 1: what do you like to do? What it will like like, like,

368
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:32,960
Speaker 1: what traits do you like? There's no disconnect on this staff.

369
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,280
Speaker 1: So they're gonna do that with Ryan Nielsen, and then

370
00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,640
Speaker 1: they're going to go out and find Terry a collection

371
00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,879
Speaker 1: of players that fits what the schematics like to do.

372
00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:45,000
Speaker 1: And thinking long term, back to what Terry said in

373
00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:50,239
Speaker 1: his postseason press conference was using the Ravens model, not

374
00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:54,000
Speaker 1: the Ravens defensive scheme as a model, but using the

375
00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,639
Speaker 1: fact that they continue to cycle in the type of

376
00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,680
Speaker 1: player that they like and that defense is good regardless

377
00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,280
Speaker 1: of ordinator. Right that in an ideal world as a

378
00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,800
Speaker 1: coaching staff, the head coach remains stable and the GM

379
00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,400
Speaker 1: remains stable and the assistance because you win, like what

380
00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,840
Speaker 1: we're seeing with Damiko, Ryan's and Vic Fangio out in

381
00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,840
Speaker 1: San Francisco, that those guys get head coaching jobs, well

382
00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:18,480
Speaker 1: then you got to bring somebody else, and but you

383
00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,040
Speaker 1: have to sustain that level. So that's the ultimate long

384
00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:25,440
Speaker 1: term goal. And I think that, look, everybody knows who

385
00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,400
Speaker 1: Vic Fangio is. Everybody knows who Brian Flores is. Maybe

386
00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,480
Speaker 1: fewer people know who Ryan Nielsen is, but I think

387
00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,560
Speaker 1: that you should be intrigued to learn more about this guy.

388
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,600
Speaker 1: And that's what again we're going to develop here. We

389
00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,440
Speaker 1: don't have all the answers right now, and we're not

390
00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:44,600
Speaker 1: going to until we continue to get these additional points

391
00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,000
Speaker 1: and tory before we kind of wrap this thing up here.

392
00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,480
Speaker 1: And this is way way, way, way, way way way

393
00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,000
Speaker 1: too early, but I'm gonna ask you the question anyway,

394
00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,320
Speaker 1: right that when you look at the success that the

395
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,520
Speaker 1: Saints defensive front had and then and then you think, oh, okay,

396
00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:02,120
Speaker 1: Marcus Aavenport's going to be on the market. Oh I'm

397
00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,320
Speaker 1: going to mess up the pronunciation of his last name,

398
00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,200
Speaker 1: but David Onemata is going to be on the open market.

399
00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,680
Speaker 1: That's a defensive tackle that they need somebody in those spots.

400
00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,560
Speaker 1: I'm not saying this is going to become Saints Northeast,

401
00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,240
Speaker 1: but I think that you have to try to take

402
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,760
Speaker 1: a look at in free agency. Look, you want talent

403
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,480
Speaker 1: and good value, sure, yeah, but if you have a

404
00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,680
Speaker 1: guy who knows the system, that that's at least attractive

405
00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,520
Speaker 1: or it may raise him up on the list of possibilities,

406
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,400
Speaker 1: wouldn't it. I mean, I would think so. I mean,

407
00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:37,800
Speaker 1: you think about all the decisions that the Falcons have made,

408
00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,640
Speaker 1: even in coaching and in I mean, we look back

409
00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,920
Speaker 1: at the last two years of bringing in players, and

410
00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,480
Speaker 1: they bring in players that they have a history with,

411
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,200
Speaker 1: They bring in players true that they like, They bring

412
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,920
Speaker 1: in players that have ran in their system before, who

413
00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,000
Speaker 1: they've worked with before. So I don't think it's out

414
00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,520
Speaker 1: of the question. That these guys are on their radar

415
00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,840
Speaker 1: at the exact in time, though, It's like where, what

416
00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,800
Speaker 1: where are you putting that value on those guys are

417
00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,840
Speaker 1: you putting because they are I say, older players? I

418
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:13,040
Speaker 1: don't I feel bad being like, oh, they're old at

419
00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:16,040
Speaker 1: like twenty seven, as I just turned twenty seven and

420
00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:21,280
Speaker 1: I'm not old and so having an existent existence crisis.

421
00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,800
Speaker 1: But it's fine. But with that being said, it's like

422
00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:26,840
Speaker 1: where are you exactly what you're saying, like, where are

423
00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,119
Speaker 1: you putting the value in what you're wanting and trying

424
00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,600
Speaker 1: to build? And how long are you willing to wait

425
00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:38,040
Speaker 1: to be competitors? I mean the Falcons? I think the

426
00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,560
Speaker 1: I mean again, this is really far in the distance.

427
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,359
Speaker 1: I feel like I'm speaking there maybe too soon to

428
00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:46,360
Speaker 1: say this, but don't the Falcons want to be playoff

429
00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,840
Speaker 1: contenders in twenty twenty three? Sure? Who do you want

430
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:51,600
Speaker 1: to go and get? Who you feel like can put

431
00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,120
Speaker 1: you in the best spot to be That? Is it? Guy?

432
00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:57,800
Speaker 1: Is it? Guys who know your system, know what you want,

433
00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,359
Speaker 1: have worked with you before, who can go out and

434
00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,360
Speaker 1: execute what you want because they know you? Is that?

435
00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,399
Speaker 1: Is that the guy that you want? Or do you

436
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:09,159
Speaker 1: want to develop guys. Do you want to kind of

437
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,520
Speaker 1: have these young guys be sponges and absorb and yeah,

438
00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,800
Speaker 1: you'll go through growing pains, but you're ultimately getting kind

439
00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:17,760
Speaker 1: of what you put into them. Yeah, I mean that's

440
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,879
Speaker 1: that's the question, right, Like, that's the question that you

441
00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,280
Speaker 1: have to ask yourself if you're Falcons decision makers. Yeah.

442
00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,440
Speaker 1: And we're not trying to offer answers or bold predictions here.

443
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:31,159
Speaker 1: We're just saying how the logic changes and how you know,

444
00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:32,840
Speaker 1: the Falcons are going to think about things as they

445
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:36,280
Speaker 1: continue to make decisions. The first two decisions have been

446
00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,840
Speaker 1: made regarding the coaching staff. They're obviously evaluating talent at

447
00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:41,800
Speaker 1: the Shrine Bowl in Vegas and at the Senior Bowl

448
00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:47,160
Speaker 1: in Mobile. I think either way, we've seen two decisions made.

449
00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,000
Speaker 1: We're going to see a lot more decisions made in

450
00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,520
Speaker 1: terms of investment and asset you and the way that

451
00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,000
Speaker 1: they flesh out the staff and all of those things

452
00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,639
Speaker 1: are going to give us a little bit more of

453
00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,960
Speaker 1: a clue into where they're going, what their priorities are,

454
00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,200
Speaker 1: and what they think and what we think their needs are.

455
00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,480
Speaker 1: I feel like on this podcast, I've said twelve thousand

456
00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:10,280
Speaker 1: times that anything that any transaction made is worth more

457
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,640
Speaker 1: in telling you what the Falcons want or are going

458
00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,680
Speaker 1: to do than any podium trip. It's just the way

459
00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:21,160
Speaker 1: it is. And that's not because Arthur and Terry are

460
00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,880
Speaker 1: not insightful or forthcoming. It's the fact of the matter

461
00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:25,720
Speaker 1: that this is a competitive business, and why would you

462
00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,480
Speaker 1: give away what you're gonna do when it's a competitive business.

463
00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:33,000
Speaker 1: So nonetheless, I just think that these are two intriguing hires.

464
00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,040
Speaker 1: Off the top, it'll be fascinating to heal from, to

465
00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,880
Speaker 1: hear from Ryan Nielsen when his inevitable press conference comes

466
00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,800
Speaker 1: to be, and to see how this defense develops. The

467
00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,920
Speaker 1: first die has been cast, right, and now what happens

468
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,520
Speaker 1: after that is going to be just as important and

469
00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,120
Speaker 1: just as intriguing. But we felt like with the first

470
00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 1: Falcon's Final Whistle podcast, now that we have that first

471
00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,240
Speaker 1: whatever domino, I don't know, pick your analogy, that we

472
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,439
Speaker 1: were finally able to kind of say, Okay, here's a

473
00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,040
Speaker 1: small sign of where they're going to go. Where are

474
00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,439
Speaker 1: they going to go? Yeah? And I mean we'll be

475
00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:09,400
Speaker 1: there every step of the way. We have a long

476
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,800
Speaker 1: offseason ahead, I mean, and seriously, I keep saying this

477
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:13,400
Speaker 1: over and over, and people probably are it's so tired

478
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,159
Speaker 1: of me saying it. But like this offseason is the

479
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,800
Speaker 1: crux of where the Falcons go under Terry and Arthur period.

480
00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,240
Speaker 1: Like to me this the last two years have been

481
00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:28,600
Speaker 1: building to this offseason, this offseason. I can't stress the importance.

482
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:31,560
Speaker 1: I can't stress enough the importance of this offseason. And

483
00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,239
Speaker 1: I think expectations in the way that you look at

484
00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:38,639
Speaker 1: the Falcons should change after this offseason. Mine will I

485
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,360
Speaker 1: can tell you that right now. And the good thing

486
00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:45,000
Speaker 1: is is we'll be along for the ride wherever that

487
00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:50,000
Speaker 1: ride takes to where does which is why it'll take

488
00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,240
Speaker 1: us to Indy for the Combine and Pro Days and

489
00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,720
Speaker 1: everywhere else in between. And we and again Ash and

490
00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,000
Speaker 1: Evans is out there working hard at the Shrine Bowl,

491
00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,240
Speaker 1: so keep an eye out for more articles on that.

492
00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,040
Speaker 1: We have a couple on Charles London and the importance

493
00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,119
Speaker 1: of the Senior Bowl. So we got your covered from

494
00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,200
Speaker 1: every step. And that's why if Halkins Final Whistle, which

495
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,160
Speaker 1: was originally designed many moons ago to be a post

496
00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:15,960
Speaker 1: game podcast, had just become the offseason Never Stops podcast,

497
00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,440
Speaker 1: maybe we should change the name. But Anyway, I'm Scott,

498
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,240
Speaker 1: that's Tori. Appreciate the time and we will talk to

499
00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:26,359
Speaker 1: you again really really soon. Be B