As the Falcons continue to restructure the front office, personnel department and coaching staff, their most important objective of the winter has become clear: To develop a shared vision throughout the franchise—one that ultimately brings Atlanta back to playoff contention in 2016.
For proof of how important it is to have a cohesive mentality from top to bottom, look roughly 200 miles up I-85 North, where the Panthers are getting ready to compete in Super Bowl 50. As its closest rival, Atlanta has paid close attention to Carolina's recent upswing; Quinn even mentioned on Thursday that gaining an edge on division opponents is at the front of his mind.
To accomplish such a goal, the Falcons know they have to get the right people in place and make sure they're all on the same page—from the general manager to the head coach to each and every scout.
"The vision is very, very clear," GM Thomas Dimitroff said. "Success is contingent on continuity. We know that in this league over many, many years. David Gettleman has done a heck of a job (in Carolina) as a general manager along with Ron (Rivera) building a football team. They've been very consistent with their approach, and it's something we believe in here and we're going to continue to be consistent. That's where we think we can make a difference."
