The Atlanta Falcons have cemented their secondary with the signing of veteran safety Ron Parker. With very little depth behind starting strong safety Keanu Neal, it was a great move.
The official confirmation of the Ron Parker Signing.
The Falcons had a strong interest in Parker in 2015 before he ultimately signed in Kansas City. Parker’s role will more than likely be to back up Keanu Neal, or at the very least add depth at free safety. Dan Quinn has had a strong interest in running three safety sets, Parker gives them that opportunity.
What It Means
Single high and three deep coverage has been the meta for Dan Quinn lead defenses. Typically dropping Keanu Neal into the box and running Ricardo Allen out in a deep zone. Parker, who has nine interceptions and 320 tackles in his nine-year career can easily fit that mold. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Ricardo Allen lined up in more man coverage, while Parker maintains the free safety position.
This signing solidifies an already stacked secondary, alongside a front seven that could be among the leagues best. Although the Falcons were unable to sign Parker a couple years ago, they were able to get their man now. Dan Quinn continues to quietly build a foundation in Atlanta that may catch teams off guard this season.