Atlanta Falcons: Full Position Breakdown and Depth Chart Analysis at Quarterback

The Atlanta Falcons have one of the most stable quarterback situations in the NFL. Matt Ryan is a true franchise quarterback, and they have a solid competition for the backup quarterback spot between veteran T.J. Yates and third-year player Sean Renfree.

Atlanta will have a healthy competition for the role behind Ryan, and the new scheme under new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan should make it easier for the Falcons to take some pressure off of the quarterback due to the emphasis on the running game.

Matt Ryan

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Role: Starter

Matt Ryan is the unquestioned starter for the Atlanta Falcons at quarterback. He's been the franchise starter since the 2008 season. Sans a pair of games he missed due to injury in 2009, he has started every single game since the 2008 opener against the Detroit Lions.

Ryan has been performing like one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL since he was a rookie and could take some huge leaps in Shanahan's offense in 2015. With a legitimate running game to take the pressure off of the passing attack, Ryan could have a career year with his efficiency numbers.

T.J. Yates

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Role: Competing for the Primary Backup Role

T.J. Yates is a local-raised player who worked in a scheme similar to Shanahan's in Houston under Gary Kubiak. Yates has the perfect fit for the offense and should be able to win the job over Renfree due to a combination of his arm strength, size and experience.

Yates does have some downfalls, though. While he can launch it deep, he doesn't have the ideal velocity needed to thread the needle in the middle of the field. This can sometimes lead to interceptions and incompletions on the tougher throws.

Sean Renfree

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Role: Competing for the Primary Backup Role

One of the best quarterbacks to ever put on the Duke Blue Devils uniform, Sean Renfree has looked excellent holding a clipboard during the first two years of his career. In 2015, he'll have to make big strides from where he was in college to earn the backup job.

Renfree is a bit behind the eight ball in comparison to Yates because of his lack of experience in the scheme. He's a smart quarterback with a solid arm and some mobility. He just needs to show that he's better than Yates, or he could potentially find himself on a practice squad.

All stats used are from Pro Football Focus' Premium Stats, ESPN.com, CFBStats or NFL.com. All combine and pro day info is courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com. All contract information is courtesy of Spotrac.

Scott Carasik is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He covers the Atlanta Falcons, college football, the NFL and the NFL draft. He's also the Featured Draft Analyst for Pro Football Spot.

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