Dontari Poe, defensive tackle, Atlanta Falcons
Dontari Poe was reportedly asked to get his weight down, and he did just that.
“I’m where I need to be."
https://t.co/Xlh7U9axVh pic.twitter.com/THXwEdZyno— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) June 13, 2017
For a couple of seasons, it sure looked like Poe was going to be a juggernaut. Between 2014-15, he racked up 98 total tackles and 10.5 sacks — really stellar numbers for a nose tackle.
Then all the concerns some scouts expressed about Poe not giving 100 percent on every play started to show up. From 2015-16, he took a nosedive in production — 66 tackles and just 2.5 sacks.
Not surprisingly, Poe didn’t land on a gold mine this past offseason during free agency. Instead, he signed an incentive-laden one-year contract with the Falcons that might as well had the words “prove it” emblazoned underneath his signature. Included in this contract was a massive weight clause, as staying in shape had become an issue for him.
So far, so good for Poe making weight. But his play on the field is what matters most.