Following the 2015 season, head coach Dan Quinn said he and his staff went through a thorough evaluation process with the end goal being to find ways to improve in every aspect.
It appears that not only did the coaching staff go through this process, one of the Falcons' biggest free agency signings of 2015 did as well.
LB Brooks Reed, who was inactive for the first three games of the season due to a groin procedure done during the preseason, reflected on his first campaign in Atlanta and reset his approach for the offseason.
One could argue that after two weeks of OTAs, Reed with his renewed mindset looks to be one of the top front runners for offseason most improved from a physical standpoint.
"Just a different mindset this offseason," Reed said of what he did differently this offseason. "Going into [the offseason] with a chip on my shoulder, trying to come back this season and prove myself. I definitely put in a lot more work this offseason. I lost a little bit of weight and tried to improve my athleticism hoping to transfer it all on the football field because that's all that matters."
Reed has slimmed down and is playing noticeably faster, all improvements that will help immensely in his new role in Atlanta's defense.
In Quinn's defense, players are asked to show versatility, and Reed's certainly done that.
Several players have underwent position changes this offseason and Reed is one of them. Quinn said the Falcons will feature Reed at the LEO position this season, hoping to showcase Reed's improved speed.
"I feel good," Reed said of his new role. "I've done it before and I am totally comfortable with it. I like being down there in the trenches getting after it."
And when asked if he could explain the approach he took this offseason, he responded with just two words, "Intensity and finish."
