Vic Beasley will not be back with Falcons

Courtesy Atlanta Falcons: DE Vic Beasley, Jr.

Well, it only took five years for the Falcons organization to realize that Vic Beasley, Jr just hasn't turned out the way that they wanted him too. During the 2015 NFL Draft, the Falcons had the number eighth pick in the first round. Many mock drafts had the Falcons taking Beasley in the first round. Beasley, out of Clemson University, had an excellent showing at the 2015 Combine, and so when the Falcons pick came in, it definitely was the defensive end from Clemson University. The Falcons couldn't be happier because they selected a hometown kid from Adairsville, Georgia, about 45 miles northwest from downtown Atlanta.

Beasley went through his growing pains his rookie season, having a hard time getting around the edge and putting pressure on the quarterbacks. Beasley only registered four sacks his first season. Talk around town was it was his rookie season and all rookies go through these growing pains. There were no worries. The 2016 season brought in defensive end Dwight Freeney to play the other side from Beasley. Freeney brought his playing skills and his veteran leadership to the team, and it showed through Beasley. Beasley sacked the quarterback 15.5 times and earned the most sacks in the NFL in 2016 on the way to the Falcons winning the south, and the NFC, on way to the Super Bowl. Now the talk was this defensive end from Clemson is going to be the next John Abraham and be the staple on the defensive end for many years. Well, that was the end of the road, the next two seasons Beasley recorded only five sacks each and eight sacks this past 2019 campaign. During this past offseason Head Coach Dan Quinn took it upon himself to coach Beasley up , but Beasley didn't take the one-on-one coaching to heart.

What I have seen over the years is the effort and hustle has been there, but the results has just not shown up in the numbers. Last year after his four year contract was up, the Falcons opted to regain him for his fifth year option and hoping the numbers would improve. They have not and it was time to move on. The Falcons announced today that they would not be bringing Beasley back. Free agency is starting next month and the draft will be in late April. I look to both of those events for the Falcons to look for a pass rusher. If the other defensive end for the Falcons, Takk McKinley, doesn't step up big this upcoming season, he is going to be in the same boat as Beasley next year when his four years ends. General Manager Thomas Dimitroff was stated as saying the team needs some wreckers on defensive. I sure hope that holds true, because it hasn't been since early 2000 to mid 2000 with Abraham since the Falcons had any wreckers on the defensive end side of the ball.

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