The Atlanta Falcons have more promise heading into the 2023 season than they've had in over half a decade. A lot of that starts with a reassembled roster that they have constructed over the last couple of seasons. It's probably still far from where head coach Arthur Smith and staff would like it to be, but nonetheless, there's promise. We'll see the start of how this roster plays out with NFL training camps beginning on July 27.

The Atlanta Falcons have a better roster in 2023

For the last several seasons, the Falcons have been financially handcuffed, dealing with bloated contracts to aging players that weren't even on their roster any longer. This left little cap space for Atlanta to make any dealings on the free agent market to improve their team. They where then forced to basically sign the scraps of what was left over on the market, taking either aging players or those unwanted, or both. It wasn't until this offseason that the Falcons were finally able to hit the market with real conviction thanks to a heftier checkbook that allowed them to sign better players that fit their systems.

While the Falcons look to be better, even being considered by some to compete for the NFC South Division title this season, there's still tons of unanswered questions about this team that training camp will hope to answer, starting with a few key position battles.

Running back

One of the most intriguing battles to watch at this year's Falcons training camp might be the running back position.

The Falcons surprised a few when they took Texas Longhorns' star running back Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Considering the way that running backs are viewed now with their market value steadily declining, Robinson was seen by some as a bad pick being drafted in the top-10. However, in Smith's type of offense, running the ball is essential, going back all the way to his days with the Tennessee Titans. Of course, Smith had the best running back in the league at his disposal in Derrick Henry. That's what he's hoping with Robinson.

Robinson's pick was also surprising because last year's starting running back, Tyler Allgeier, showed he can be a reliable starter at the position. He rushed for just over a thousand yards on 210 attempts, averaging 4.9 yards-per-carry while playing in 16 games.

But who can forget about Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson has been one of the lone standout players for the Falcons over the last couple seasons due to how Smith has effectively used him. He's taken on more of the running back role since joining Atlanta, but can also be an asset at his known position at wide receiver.

For Smith, it's unlikely he sees having Robinson, Allgeier and Patterson as a problem, and even if it is, it's a good problem to have. At this year's training camp, the battle might be interesting, but not necessarily to see who starts. The interest will be to see how this three-headed monster in the three backs might be used throughout the season.

Linebacker

One of the worst positions for the Falcons last season was at linebacker. And even now going into 2023, their ranked in the bottom four (No. 28), according to Pro Football Focus.

The Falcons defensive staff will be coming into this year hoping the former New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss will be able to replicate the standout year he had last year. It will help that he has some familiarity with the Falcons new defensive coordinator, Ryan Nielsen, who also came from New Orleans.

Elliss is the highest-graded (81.5) out of all the current Falcons linebackers on the roster. He had a career-high year last season where he accounted for 78 tackles, seven sacks and 13 quarterback hits. Where the Falcons end up placing him will be the most intriguing part, as with the Saints he over 200 snaps as an edge rusher but has played some at the interior position as well.

Behind him is where the real battles will lie, in the form of Mykal Walker and Troy Andersen.

Last season, Walker played in 16 games for the Falcons, starting in 12 of them and recorded a 107 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, and two interceptions. Although his statistics were fairly noteworthy, he only received an overall grade of 58.7, which was the second-highest among last season's linebackers on the team.

Despite Walker's experience advantage over Andersen, the Falcons coaching staff holds a strong belief in the potential of the former second-round pick to become a starting linebacker in the league. Apparently, Coach Smith seems pretty high on him, noting his football IQ, instincts, and powerful hands. However, a training camp battle with all three should tell us more who has the edge on the starting jobs.