Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman missed just about all of the 2018 campaign due to knee and groin injuries, the latter of which resulted in surgery.
Now, Freeman seems ready to go for 2019, and the Falcons are getting a critical piece of their offense back in the process.
But with Freeman having played just two games this past season and coming off of a rather major injury, just what should Atlanta expect from the 27-year-old going into next season?
Well, all indications are that Freeman is healthy, and when he is right, he is a pretty solid weapon out of the backfield.
No, he isn't Saquon Barkley or Ezekiel Elliott, but he is still a fine and versatile running back capable of making things happen both as a rusher and as a receiver, as evidenced by his 2015 campaign in which he racked up 1,056 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground while hauling in 73 receptions for 578 yards and three scores as a receiver.
Can the Falcons expect Freeman to get back to posting those types of numbers in 2019?
What we need to do is look at the whole picture with Freeman. While he had really nice years in 2015 and 2016, posting similar numbers in both seasons, he was just okay in 2017, finishing with 865 yards and seven touchdowns as a rusher and catching 36 passes for 317 yards and a score.
To be fair, Freeman missed two games that season, but overall, his production just was not where it was in 2015 or 2016, and his dip in both rushing yards per game and receptions per game reflected that.
It is important to note that Freeman was also sharing a backfield with Tevin Coleman in 2017, and with Coleman now playing for the San Francisco 49ers, he won't have that same type of competition in 2019.
Second-year back Ito Smith will now assume the role of the Falcons' No. 2 back, and Smith did not exactly have a great rookie campaign, registering just 3.5 yards per carry.
So, it's safe to assume that as long as Freeman is healthy, he will get the bulk of the work in the backfield and could be in for another 1,000-yard season.
The key is obviously how Freeman recovers from surgery, and while it's good that it wasn't a knee operation, it's still notable, and we'll have to monitor Freeman throughout the year to see if he is his old self.
It would not be surprising to see Freeman get off to a bit of a slow start before ramping it up as the season progresses, which could mean he will not post the type of production he did in his best years.
Regardless, Atlanta is surely just happy to have Freeman back, and with Coleman now playing elsewhere, his production becomes all the more important and could make all of the difference in determining whether the Falcons are a surprise playoff team or a mediocre 7-9 club again.
This is an Atlanta squad with potential. We know what Matt Ryan can do, and Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu represent one of the NFL's deepest receiving corps. But the X-factor is Freeman.
Follow Us
Subscribe