Once Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins and Darnell Mooney in free agency, attention turned to the defensive line. The expectation was the Falcons would finally make a significant acquisition, whether it was a free agent like Danielle Hunter or a trade for Brian Burns. They didn’t in the way we thought.
Instead, the Falcons spent three straight draft picks from the second round to the fourth round on Ruke Orhorhoro, Bralen Trice, and Brandon Dorlus. Along with those rookies, the Falcons will be relying on Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata, James Smith-Williams, Arnold Ebiketie, Zach Harrison, etc. to rush the passer.
The mostly young, unproven group is apparently doing well, though, because Dolphins beat writer Omar Kelly said Miami’s offensive line looked rough in the teams’ first joint practice on Tuesday.
Let’s get a couple of things straight. First, this is controlled, joint practices. Secondly, the Dolphins offensive line sucks.
However, maybe just maybe, the Falcons actually have something along the defensive front under Raheem Morris and Jimmy Lake. At the very least, there will be plenty of bodies to have a healthy rotation this season, something that hasn’t always been the case in Atlanta.
Morris had a lot of success in Los Angeles with rookie pass rushers. Kobie Turner (9.0) and Byron Young (8.0) led the Rams in sacks last year, despite being Day 2 draft picks.
If the Falcons can get similar production out of their rookie defensive linemen, this may quietly be a strength for Atlanta in 2024.
Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
“Bristol Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks, will host a regular season MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds in 2025, multiple sources briefed on the plans told The Athletic on Tuesday,” Bianchi writes.
This is exciting for a few reasons. It’s always encouraging for Major League Baseball to find new ways to attract fans, something they’ve been notoriously abysmal at accomplishing in recent years. For Braves fans outside of Atlanta in the great state of Tennessee, it also presents an opportunity for them to see their favorite team closer to home.
But perhaps most notably, this game has a chance to be Major League Baseball’s most attended game ever. Back in 2016, Bristol Motor Speedway hosted Virginia Tech and Tennessee for a college football showdown, a game that was attended by nearly 157,000 fans.
“In 2016, Tennessee and Virginia Tech played a college football game on a purpose-built field in the infield,” Bianchi writes. “That game drew 156,990, the largest crowd ever to watch an NCAA football game.
However, hosting a sold-out MLB game at Bristol Motor Speedway would likely set an attendance record for the sport. According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the largest crowd for an MLB game belongs to a 2008 exhibition match between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Red Sox won that game in front of an officially announced crowd of 115,300 – the only time the Hall says a baseball crowd has “probably” exceeded 100,000.”
100,000 screaming fans at a baseball game almost seems unfathomable, but when you showcase the Braves in the heart of Braves Country, it’s an opportunity for something special. There’s little doubt this event will prove to be a hit for everybody involved.
