Ricardo Allen: The secret key of the Atlanta Falcons’ defense
The Atlanta Falcons have a secret key to their defensive formula, and his name is Ricardo Allen. The free safety eats up snaps, and had a great 2016…
The Atlanta Falcons are rightfully known for their star-studded offense, led by MVP Matt Ryan, a very good offensive line, and a host of other stud skill players. That said, the defense was one of the most improved areas of the team last year despite a ton of youth at key positions. One player who really stood out? Safety Ricardo Allen.
Allen was a fifth round pick out of Purdue in the 2014 NFL Draft, where he was considered to be undersized and without the ideal measurables to translate to the NFL as a cornerback.
So, the Falcons made him a safety.
This past season as the Falcons’ free safety, Allen was an absolute stud. He led the entire defense with 1,101 total snaps, and was their top player in coverage down the stretch of a near title run.
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He picked off four passes throughout the 2016 campaign, including a pair of interceptions in the playoffs. He finished the year with just one reception allowed on every 66.8 coverage snaps, which was the best of any safety in the NFL.
That kind of efficiency in coverage is why Dan Quinn and his staff have entrusted Allen to be the most utilized player on their defense. He has the ability to play both safety positions as well as corner, nickel, or whatever else they ask of him.
He’s the exact type of weapon that will remind Quinn a little bit of Earl Thomas. He’s not at that level of dominance, but he eats up snaps the way Thomas does and obviously has no trouble covering the field.
The next step for Allen is going to be finding a way to make his presence felt in the run game. He may need to add some bulk to be a force in that regard, but for the time being, his ascent to being one of the most effective coverage safeties in the league is amazing.