ESPN’s "way-too-early" power rankings isn’t impressed."With

the NFL offseason officially here Chris Lindstrom Atlanta Falcons Jersey , ESPN published their “way-too-early” power rankings. Avert your eyes, as their self-described power panel of “more than 80 writers, editors, and TV personalities” make some interesting picks.First, let’s get the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints absolutely collapsed down the stretch. Drew Brees was washed and the early season favorites Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara looked ordinary. ESPN puts them at 3rd overall after noting Brees “faded a bit down the stretch.” The man’s arm fell off. The entire offense was predicated on dump offs to Kamara and Michael “Catch Rate” Thomas. No wonder they couldn’t beat the pathetic Los Angeles Rams at home in the playoffs.The Falcons come in all the way at 18. Vaughn McClure cites the team’s multiple injured Pro Bowl players returning to health. As a Falcons fan the offseason is where my unbridled optimism demands one of the top spots. Replacing Steve Sarkisian and getting Keanu Neal, Devonta Freeman 2019 Chris Lindstrom Jersey , Ricardo Allen, and Deion Jones back at full health is certainly worth multiple wins. Yet the Falcons still come in around their 2018 7-9 record. If the team ends up around the 18th best team in the league we will see a much busier offseason next year.The Carolina Panthers come in at 19 where the reason for optimism is Cam Newton underwent shoulder surgery early in the offseason. I’m not kidding. Their bright spot is their oft-injured quarterback got a jump start on serious surgery.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as is typical, lays at the bottom of the NFC South at the 24th slot. Honestly that feels low for the stellar coaching staff they put together but Bruce Arians will still be stuck with Jameis Winston. We will certainly see updated power rankings after free agency, the draft, then probably every 24 hours leading up to preseason. You just can’t stop power rankings despite how hard you try. I will expect the Falcons to bubble up the rankings if they make a few good player acquisitions. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has a unique status. It’s a status few professional athletes achieve Chris Lindstrom Atlanta Falcons Jersey , and it comes with certain collateral benefits. As a franchise quarterback with over a decade of service to his team, his voice matters. He’s expected to lead, both in the locker room and on the field. So shouldn’t he have some input when it comes to any proposed reconstruction of the coaching staff? The Falcons re-hired coaching alumni Dirk Koetter and Mike Mularkey this week. Koetter will run the offense, while Mularkey will coach the tight ends. They moved pretty quickly following the firing of Steve Sarkisian, and I commend them for their decisiveness. But then there’s this: I have mixed emotions if Ryan was not in fact consulted. (To be sure, it does sound like they at least asked him what he thought.) But let’s assume Cheap Chris Lindstrom Jersey , for argument’s sake, that Ryan had little if anything to do with these re-hires. Was that fair? Was that smart? Is that how you treat a franchise quarterback? Let’s be clear, Dan Quinn and company didn’t set precedent by cutting Ryan’s opinion out of the equation. The Packers did the same thing to Aaron Rodgers before they fired Mike McCarthy. But assuming the player at issue is a consummate professional like Ryan or Rodgers, there’s little if any harm to be had by bringing them into the fold. In this case, Quinn probably said a little too much, then he ostensibly walked it back. It’s the mere hesitance to involve a guy like Ryan that makes me scratch my head. How about you Kaleb McGary Jersey 2019 , Falcons fans?