After hiring Jeff Ulbrich to be their new defensive coordinator this offseason, the Atlanta Falcons have focused on getting younger, faster, and more versatile on the defensive side of the football. While veterans like A.J. Terrell and Jessie Bates III remain among the unit’s cornerstones, it’s clear that a youth movement is coming to Flowery Branch.
Four rookies are going to play a meaningful role for Ulbrich’s defense in Week 1: first-round pass-rushers James Pearce Jr and Jalon Walker and defensive backs Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr. Raheem Morris announced earlier this week that both Watts and Bowman would get the start for the Dirty Birds, and Bates III has quickly been impressed with the young DBs.