2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Defensive Linemen

The Falcons' biggest weak link on defense was the third down defense and the pass rush. The biggest key to the pass rush is the defensive line, and Mike Nolan is coming in with a new heavier blitzing scheme that will allow the defensive line to be better at pass rushing.

The improved rotation on the defensive lines will only help the team win the battle of third downs they lost too often in 2011 and should allow the Falcons to win more games in the 2012 season.

Jonathan Babineaux

2011 Role: Starting defensive tackle

2012 Role: Starting defensive tackle

Jonathan Babineaux has been a starting defensive tackle for the past five years for the Falcons. He has had quite a few solid years for the Falcons collapsing the pocket in the middle of the line and has just turned 30 this past season.

He's the leader of the Falcons' defensive line with Abraham and helps make sure everyone gets lined up correctly.

Corey Peters

2011 Role: Starting defensive tackle

2012 Role: Starting defensive tackle

Corey Peters has started every game he has played in his career with the Falcons and while he started out as purely a run stuffer as the one technique nose tackle. Peters has started to develop even more as a pass rusher and his instincts in the passing game led him to a game clinching interception against the Panthers last year.

Vance Walker

2011 Role: Rotational defensive tackle

2012 Role: Competing for a role as a rotational defensive tackle

When it's an obvious running situation, the Falcons have been rotating in Vance Walker as a run-stuffing tackle. Walker has limited pass rush set but can still generate pressure in the middle when called upon.

He will be competing primarily with Jerry and Robertson for his job this season.

Peria Jerry

2011 Role: Rotational defensive tackle

2012 Role: Competing for a role as a rotational defensive tackle

Jerry was the first-round pick of the Falcons in 2009 and has since been essentially a bust due to his injuries leading to low production. Jerry was expected to give the Falcons a great push in the middle but has been underperforming both there and in terms of run stuffing.

His two sacks over three years is completely disappointing, and Jerry will be competing for his job this season.

Travian Robertson

2011 Role: Starting defensive tackle for South Carolina

2012 Role: Competing for a role as a rotational defensive tackle

Travian Robertson has been a good read-and-react nose tackle for the South Carolina defense.

He was a leader on the defensive line at South Carolina that featured Kelcy Quarles, Melvin Ingram, Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor as well. 

Micanor Regis

2011 Role: Starting defensive tackle for University of Miami

2012 Role: Competing for a role as a rotational defensive tackle

Micanor Regis is an undrafted free agent who can penetrate well and will be competing for a role as a rotational tackle.

However, he has a deck stacked against him and will have to beat at least two others in order to gain a spot on the 53-man roster this year.

John Abraham

2011 Role: Starting defensive end

2012 Role: Starting defensive end

John Abraham has been one of the best defensive ends in the NFL since the Falcons traded for him in 2006 allowing the team to have a top pass-rusher off the edge every season averaging 10 sacks a season.

Abraham has also shed the injury-prone label he had with the Jets, missing only two games over the past five years.

Ray Edwards

2011 Role: Starting defensive end

2012 Role: Starting defensive end

Ray Edwards was a great defensive end for the Vikings but wasn't the top pass-rusher whom people think he was in 2011. Edwards will never be the 10-sack guy whom some think he will be, but he could very well end up having the six to eight sacks a year that the Falcons believe he will once his knee is fully healed, and he has the fully offseason to understand the new scheme.

Kroy Biermann

2011 Role: Rotational defensive end

2012 Role: Competing for rotational defensive end spot

Kroy Biermann is a good rotational defensive end and has been the bull rusher in the sets when the Falcons go into their run defense packages and get the bigger defensive linemen out there.

Biermann is a great run defender and could end up as a defensive tackle in a 3-4 defensive end personnel package.

Lawrence Sidbury

2011 Role: Rotational defensive end

2012 Role: Competing for rotational defensive end spot

Lawrence Sidbury has been a solid pass-rusher for the Falcons, and while he didn't play much in the 2010 season, he provided four sacks in very limited snaps in the 2011 season.

Sidbury will come in during the 2012 season and should be able to provide pass rush not just as a defensive end, but also as a linebacker in some sets.

Cliff Matthews

2011 Role: Reserve defensive end

2012 Role: Competing for rotational defensive end spot

Cliff Matthews is a strong bull rusher from his days at South Carolina, but he spent last year as one of the guys who was on the inactive roster all year.

The team is expecting big things from him this year, and he should be able to compete for playing time on the defensive line this year.

Jonathan Massaquoi

2011 Role: Starting defensive end for Troy

2012 Role: Competing for rotational defensive end spot

Massaquoi is the Falcons fifth-round pick from the 2012 draft. Massaquoi was a top pass-rusher in 2010 with 13.5 sacks that year, then he gained weight to look better for NFL teams.

At 275, he was too big to apply pressure to the other teams' quarterbacks. He has since lost weight and is now at 255-260 pounds and should be a contributor as a pass-rusher for the Falcons.

Louis Nzegwu

2011 Role: Starting defensive end for Wisconsin

2012 Role: Competing for rotational defensive end spot

Nzegwu was a very good fit for a defensive end at Wisconsin, and he has one of the best athletic profiles in the draft.

Nzegwu will compete for a spot but should be able to make the practice squad easily despite not being a good fit for the 53-man roster yet.