Atlanta Falcons: Full Position Breakdown and Depth Chart Analysis at Edge Player

Edge player was the biggest spot that the Atlanta Falcons needed to improve during the 2015 offseason. In 2014, the Falcons were trotting out players at weak-side end and strong-side linebacker like Prince Shembo, Kroy Biermann, Jonathan Massaquoi and an aging Osi Umenyiora.

In 2015, the team has a ton of new talent as well as a couple of older veterans on the roster that should fit the new scheme much better than they fit the old one. First-round pick Vic Beasley, top free-agent signing Brooks Reed and depth signing O'Brien Schofield give this unit a much different look for first-year head coach Dan Quinn to work with.

Vic Beasley

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Role: Starting "Leo" Defensive End/Outside Linebacker

Vic Beasley was the best player for the Falcons to take in the 2015 NFL draft. He was the most polished product on the field, the most consistent off of it and one of the best athletes all-around. Sure, he had some questions relating to his motor and his size, but he's a perfect fit for Dan Quinn's defense.

Beasley will step right in and play a role where he's asked to set the edge out of either a 9-technique or a 7-technique on the weak side of the play in the running game. On passing downs, his only job will be to attack the quarterback and try to harass the him as much as possible. He should fit very well.

Brooks Reed

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Role: Starting Strong-Side Linebacker

The Falcons' biggest free-agent signing was former Houston Texans strong-side outside linebacker Brooks Reed. He's a great fit for the new defensive scheme, as the role Quinn calls for is almost the same as what most 3-4 teams will ask of their strong-side linebacker.

Reed's combination of experience, strength and intelligence will help him be a solid edge-setting linebacker for the Falcons. The only real question comes from Reed's coverage abilities, but since he'll likely play a ton of zone coverage and not much man coverage, he should be fine.

Kroy Biermann

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Role: Rotational Pass-Rusher

Kroy Biermann was a giant disappointment for the Falcons in 2014. Sure, he led the team in sacks, but he only had 4.5 in total. Sure, he played over half the defensive snaps, but that's not his ideal role. He was also coming off of an Achilles injury and didn't look to be 100 percent confident in it all year.

Biermann will compete with O'Brien Schofield for a rotational role at both strong-side linebacker and "Leo" defensive end. Should he beat out Schofield, it could be for an overall roster spot in general. Even then, expecting Biermann to play over 40 percent of the team's snaps in 2015 would be too much.

O'Brien Schofield

Scott Eklund/Associated Press

Role: Competing For a Roster Spot

O'Brien Schofield is familiar with Dan Quinn's scheme and was one of the strongest rotational players for the Seattle Seahawks while he was there. Now he comes to Atlanta to compete with Kroy Biermann for the primary rotational pass-rusher spot.

If he loses to Biermann, it's very possible that the Falcons will cut him for a younger, healthier talent like Stansly Maponga or Tyler Starr. Schofield has been battling an arthritic condition in his knee throughout his career. Hopefully the condition isn't too bad and he can produce for the Falcons in 2015.

Stansly Maponga

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Role: Competing For a Roster Spot

Stansly Maponga's career with the Falcons has been an interesting one. When he first came in, it was because Mike Nolan thought he would be a good fit for the Falcons' 3-4 defense. Now, he's competing for his job and needs to show Quinn that he can fit in the 4-3 that he runs.

Maponga isn't a great coverage player, but his abilities as a pass-rusher could make him worth keeping as a rotational "Leo" defensive end behind Vic Beasley. He's got an excellent first step and could make offenses pay for not keeping track of him. He'll have to beat out Tyler Starr, though, and hope for five edge players to be kept on the roster.

Tyler Starr

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Role: Competing For a Roster Spot

Tyler Starr was a steal in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft. His unbridled potential as a pass-rusher could be worth risking a roster spot and development time on. But right now, he's still a malleable ball of clay that is clumped together and has long hair coming out of it.

Starr's frame is great for a strong-side linebacker in the scheme that Quinn runs. He also has the athleticism to be an effective "Leo" pass-rusher should he develop into a player who sees the field. Atlanta needs to retain at least five edge players to make it worth keeping Starr, though.

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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