Team news: Atlanta Falcons | Page 4

You’re not going to like my answer, but I’m not sure we do [see Kyle Pitts become a dominating force]. This doesn’t mean I don’t think he’ll be very valuable this year and into the future. It’s just that in this system, I’m not sure he’s going to be “dominating” in any traditional sense.

The story went on to say the thing about Pitts is his best fantasy football value would be to essentially use him like the Falcons used him in 2021, which is to say as a wide receiver. Miami’s Mike Gesicki was the only tight end to play more snaps split wide than Pitts in 2021 (240 to 227), according to TruMedia. However, Atlanta drafted Pitts with the idea that he was a player with No. 1 wide receiver ability who could also play tight end well enough to give the team true positional flexibility. If Pitts can’t — or just isn’t asked to — block then it handcuffs the Falcons’ ability to manipulate the types of defensive personnel they face, the story went on to say. The piece did add Pitts' blocking ability has been praised this offseason.

In the last 10 years, five running backs have been taken in the top 10. Four of the five (Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Todd Gurley) had 229 carries or more in their rookie season. The fifth (Christian McCaffrey) had only 117 carries but added 80 catches. When teams draft backs in the top 10, like Bijan Robinson, they use them a lot.

Related players: Tyler Allgeier, Cordarrelle Patterson

The author went on to say Allgeier will still get plenty of use because the Falcons ran the ball an NFL-high 559 times last year. So even if Robinson carries the ball 250 times, there are still plenty of carries to go around. Patterson’s role is a little bit more of a mystery, the story added. He'll be third on the team in carries, according to the author, but how far back he’s going to be is a question mark. The prediction is Patterson's 144 carries from a year ago could get cut in half this season.

The Chicago Bears released backup quarterback P.J. Walker on Sunday, the team announced.

Related players: Tyson Bagent, Nathan Peterman, Justin Fields

Walker signed a two-year contract worth $4.15 million in March with over $2 million in guarantees. After three seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Walker was brought in to compete for the backup quarterback job behind Justin Fields. The Bears will now hand that role to undrafted rookie Bagent or veteran Peterman. Bagent, who signed with Chicago after playing for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's squad at the Senior Bowl, has been the team's strongest backup QB throughout training camp, the story went on to say.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith is still letting rookie running back Bijan Robinson know he’ll have to earn a starting job.

Although Robinson was the No. 8 overall pick and will surely be the No. 1 running back in Atlanta when the regular season starts, he remains the third running back on the depth chart for the Falcons’ third and final preseason game.

Cordarrelle Patterson is listed as the No. 1 running back and Tyler Allgeier is listed as No. 2.

While depth charts in August don't tend to mean a whole lot, the story went on to say Smith prefers to keep rookies behind veterans who have already proven themselves, and both Patterson and Allgeier played well last season. But Robinson was drafted to be the Falcons’ starting running back, and it remains overwhelmingly likely that he will be for the Falcons’ Week 1 game against the Panthers.

Arthur Smith said Cordarrelle Patterson will be out a couple of weeks, likely the rest of the preseason, and they will reevaluate and have more info on his status in the week before Week 1.

Related Players: Tyler Allgeier

This could end up being a huge boost to Allgeier, as the RB2 in Atlanta's scheme figures to be heavily involved. We will keep an eye on the situation, but a soft tissue injury for Patterson, who is entering his age-32 season could end up lingering longer the team is hoping.

Atlanta Falcons rookie running back Bijan Robinson is expected to make his debut Friday against Cincinnati, but even then don't expect a full gamut of what the No. 8 pick in this year's NFL draft can do.

"We're not going to go crazy," Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said. "We just need the reps. We need to get our bread-and-butter concepts in there and he'll see his tracks."

The story went on to say Smith said they'll give Robinson some of the basic stuff so he can feel the speed of facing another opponent in a game and have tackling in order to get him ready for Week 1 against Carolina. Robinson sat out the preseason opener against Miami along with many of the team's key players.

The rookie third-rounder has impressed his coaches and teammates with his route running and talent. Wilson benefited from DeAndre Hopkins not taking part in any of the voluntary workouts before he was released and Marquise Brown not being involved much this offseason, either. That led to him getting a significant number of reps, which has helped him climb the depth chart to a point where he could be a factor in Arizona's offense from Day 1 of the season.

Related Players: Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, Zach Pascal

With Rondale Moore operating as a gadget player from a past regime, and Marquise Brown apparently still working his way back to health, there is a very real chance that Dortch or Wilson could lead the team in targets over the 2023 season.

That may end up being nothing more than a technicality, and not that exciting for a Cardinals team that projects to be pretty awful this year. We currently only have a single option ranked in the top-45 wide receivers (Brown - WR27)

This has been the hope for DeAndre Hopkins for some time. The Cardinals had trade talks for months, and they heated up before the draft. Ultimately, no deal. Now, he's a free agent.

Related Players: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Michael Wilson

We will have to wait and see what other team will be heavily impacted by the eventual signing of Hopkins, but as of now we can expect a target increase for each of Brown, Moore, and, likely, third-round rookie Michael Wilson.

GM John Lynch announced the 49ers have exercised the 2024 fifth-year option for receiver Brandon Aiyuk, valued at $14.1 million, but declined the option for defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. The 49ers had previously hinted that they’d make both of these moves, which are obviously tethered to the fact that Aiyuk has been productive — he notched a 1,000-yard season in 2022 — while Kinlaw has struggled to stay available due to knee issues.

Related Players: Danny Gray, Ray-Ray McCloud

The 49ers did add former Alabama tight end Cameron Latu, but we should expect them to add more talent to their pass-catching group before the draft is over. They have six late-round picks to do so, and whether or not any of those picks hit may effect the team's long-term view of Brandon Aiyuk.

Cardinals’ general manager Monti Ossenfort said that he doesn’t expect to trade DeAndre Hopkins at any point during this week's draft.

Related Players: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Pascal

Kyler Murray got protection in the form of OT Paris Johnson on Night 1, but he still may be losing his biggest offensive piece before long. The entirety of the offense would immediately become suspect if that were to happen, with Murray missing time and a middling WR room behind Hopkins