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ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta Falcons

What's next for Falcons after Super Bowl heartbreak? Questions on new coordinator, defense

Lindsay H. Jones
USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) speaks with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan after the game against the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome.

It took 18 years for the Atlanta Falcons to return to the Super Bowl after their initial appearance in 1998, and the second go-around was full of heartbreak in an overtime loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The challenge head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff face now is developing a roster and coaching staff that can more regularly compete for NFC and Super Bowl titles.

To do so, the Falcons will have several important questions to answer as they head into the offseason:

1. Who will be the offensive coordinator, and what will the new offense look like?

Kyle Shanahan was named head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. That wasn’t be a surprise to anyone within the Falcons, but preparing for life without him hasn’t been a priority as the team got ready for the Super Bowl. It will quickly become the biggest issue for Quinn to address, first by hiring Shanahan’s successor, and then figuring out what the offense will look like without Shanahan, who could try to take some other Falcons assistants with him to the 49ers. Quinn said Thursday that the team’s offense was in place, but the new coordinator surely will have his own style and ideas, and he will have to work quickly to develop rapport with MVP-winning quarterback Matt Ryan.

2. When will Matt Ryan get a new contract?

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Ryan signed a five-year, $103.75 million contract in 2013, but an extension could be coming sooner rather than later for the newly crowned MVP. What could that new deal look like, and what will it do to the Falcons’ finances? An extension before 2017 would likely free up cap room for the Falcons, given Ryan is currently scheduled to count nearly $24 million against the salary cap. A new deal would likely lower that number for next year. The number to watch for Ryan’s deal is $24.5 million – the annual salary of the Indianapolis Colts’ Andrew Luck, who signed his record-setting contract last summer.

3. Who might leave in free agency?

The Falcons have the bulk of their starting lineup on both offense and defense under contract for 2017, but there are a couple of key names who are set to become free agents in March. Among them are veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, one of the longest-tenured Falcons and a team leader, and 34-year-old starting right guard Chris Chester, who re-signed with the Falcons on a one-year deal last year. Other veterans with expiring deals include pass rusher Dwight Freeney, who might choose to retire – it would be fitting if he stepped away in the same year as longtime Colts teammate Robert Mathis – and tight end Jacob Tamme, who was a starter before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery at midseason.

4. How can the defense improve?

The Falcons clearly made adding speed to the defense a priority last offseason, and saw an improved pass rush thanks to a huge second year from Vic Beasley, who recorded a league-high 15 1/2 sacks. But the Falcons need to beef up their run defense and develop a more consistent pass rush to complement Beasley. With uncertainty about Freeney’s future, the Falcons need more depth at that position. The pass defense will also get a boost with the expected healthy return of No. 1 cornerback Desmond Trufant, who suffered a season-ending pectoral muscle injury in November.

5. How will they adjust to a new home?

The Falcons closed out the Georgia Dome in historic fashion with an NFC title, and will play their next home game in the brand-new Mercedes Benz Stadium next door. The new stadium will be loaded with modern amenities, and the Falcons hope the lively spirit that was so present at the Georgia Dome in 2016 will carry over. When Ryan and the offense were able to jump to an early lead, the Dome became so loud that it provided a tremendous home-field advantage. New stadiums, while shiny, can sometimes feel more sterile. A winning team will change that.

Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones.

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