The Falcons ranked near the bottom of the NFL in yards allowed (No. 28) and scoring defense (No. 25) in 2018, prompting the team to move on from defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel after the season ended. Head coach Dan Quinn has taken back over control of the defensive play-calling duties, but the problems from last year can’t fully be placed on Manuel. Injuries, player regression and poor defensive coaching all had a hand in Atlanta’s 7-9 finish.

To get back on track, they could look to upgrade their front four both in the NFL draft and in free agency. Since the draft is still two months away, we’ve been profiling some of the top edge rushers on the market, including Jadeveon Clowney, Dee Ford, Dante Fowler Jr. and Frank Clark.

Today, we’ll look at defensive lineman Ezekiel Ansah, who when healthy has been one of the most effective 4-3 ends in the game.

Ezekiel Ansah

Age: 29

Position: Defensive end

Size: 6 feet 5, 275 pounds

2018 stats: 11 tackles, four sacks, three tackles for loss

Career stats: 218 tackles, 48 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 110 QB hits

Why he makes sense: Ansah was considered a big risk when selected fifth overall back in 2013, but he’s proved to be one of the best players from that entire draft class. He is a freakishly athletic pass-rusher that could replace what the Falcons defensive line has been missing since Adrian Clayborn left. After playing just seven games last year for the Lions, Ansah doesn’t appear to be in their long-term plans as they attempt to retool their defense under Matt Patricia. Ansah has topped double-digit sacks in two of the past four years — 14.5 sacks in 2015 and 12 sacks in 2017 — but coming off a down year at nearly 30 years old, he’s not likely to get a monster contract.

Why he doesn’t: Ansah was dominant in 2015 and 2017, but he tallied just six total sacks in 2016 and 2018 combined. He probably will never be the player he once was and the Falcons probably don’t want to risk another season plagued by injuries. With little cap space to play with, Ansah could be out of the team’s price range even despite the injury concerns.

Probability: Low

As with most of these top available edge rushers, it’s going to come down to the money. Ansah could be willing to take a one-year, “prove-it” contract, but Atlanta may not be willing to risk paying him. On the bright side, he’d be a great fit as a true 4-3 edge in Quinn’s scheme.