2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Safeties

The last line of defense for the Falcons is also one of the youngest groups for the team. The oldest players are Decoud and Moore, and they are just 27 years old. Mitchell and Schillinger are the top competitors for the back-up jobs, but there are quite a few players who will compete at safety this season. 

Thomas Decoud

2011 Role: Starting free safety

2012 Role: Starting free safety

Thomas Decoud has improved every year, and under coach Mike Nolan, he will get even more responsibility to line people up and make defensive calls. Decoud will have less of the awkward zones that Van Gorder used to make him play for his responsibilities, and that was when teams beat him most.

William Moore

2011 Role: Starting strong safety

2012 Role: Starting strong safety

William Moore will be playing more of a roving Polamalu/Reed type role for the Falcons in the 2012 season. His strength will be to attack all over the field, and expect him to blitz quite a bit in the new scheme, especially on run downs.

Charles Mitchell

2011 Role: Starting strong safety for Mississippi State

2012 Role: Competing for reserve safety and special teams job

Mitchell has all the ability to come right in and compete for the third safety job. He's good in deep and intermediate coverages and is a solid tackler, but not a hard hitter. Mitchell also should be able to contribute early on as a gunner on special teams.

Shann Schillinger

2011 Role: Reserve safety and special teams ace

2012 Role: Competing for reserve safety and special teams job

Schillinger is competing for his life in the NFL this year, with Faulcon and Tuimaunei having abilities almost equal to his as both a safety or a special teams player. Schillinger has been a very solid backup the past three years and could very well get cut in the preseason of the 2012 season.

Chad Faulcon

2011 Role: Starting strong safety for Montclair State

2012 Role: Competing for reserve safety and special teams job

So how cool would it be for this guy to be good? The Falcons having a guy with the last name Faulcon would be awesome for a gimmick, and Faulcon is a solid all-around safety. He's primarily a strong safety, but he will have to earn his spot by being an ace on special teams.

Suaesi Tuimaunei

2011 Role: Practice squad safety for Atlanta

2012 Role: Competing for reserve safety and special teams job

Tuimaunei is a guy who played on the practice squad all of last year for the team. If he earns a spot on the roster, it will be as a special teams guy and someone who can end up as a solid depth option at the safety spots.