How Atlanta Falcons OL Chris Lindstrom and Drew Dalman became “inseparable”

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons offensive line is eerily similar to a cult, head coach Raheem Morris joked during OTAs.

Morris said Atlanta’s line just has a different feel, from strutting around shirtless in flip-flops to holding planks while the other position groups walk off the practice field.

And it’s only fitting that two of the group’s leaders are nearly identical.

Falcons center Drew Dalman and right guard Chris Lindstrom play side by side on the field, and their synchronization is crucial for the combination and motion blocking required by Atlanta’s wide zone offense.

But their chemistry off the field is just as important. Lindstrom, 27, was a two-time team captain. Dalman, who turns 26 later this year, is one of the leading voices on the offensive line, according to Morris.

Lindstrom has a more successful resume, rising from a first-round pick in 2019 to a two-time All-Pro, but Dalman’s rise from a fourth-round pick in 2021 to a two-year starter in the middle of Atlanta’s offensive line is not downgraded by the organization.

Their lives are different, as are their upbringings. Dalman is from Salinas, California, which is northeast of Monterey and has a population of over 160,000. Lindstrom, on the other hand, is from Dudley, Massachusetts, which has a population of 11,800. The two cities are over 3,000 miles apart.

But when Lindstrom and Dalman enter the walls of the Falcons headquarters in Flowery Branch, nothing separates them.

“I have no idea how we found two guys in Chris Lindstrom and Drew that are exactly alike,” Morris said during OTAs. “In terms of demeanor, personality, determination and toughness that it takes to play right next to each other.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Lindstrom and Dalman were the Falcons’ two highest-rated offensive linemen last season. They were also the team’s best run blockers on a unit that ranked ninth in the league in rushing. Atlanta’s running backs averaged 4.6 yards per run between tackles on 107 attempts.

PFF ranked Lindstrom as the NFL’s best guard for the second year in a row and Dalman as the third-best center.

Falcons offensive coach Dwayne Ledford has seen Lindstrom and Dalman more often than anyone else over the past three years. He knows what makes them tick and what makes them tick, as well as anyone else on Atlanta’s team.

And as successful as the tandem was on the field last season, Ledford believes their similarities can already be seen off the field.

“I think it’s just the way they carry themselves, the way they prepare,” Ledford said. “They have a lot in common. There are certain things we look for and want to have in that room, and those two guys bring them to the team.”

The tone-setting habits that Lindstrom and Dalman exhibit every day have helped bring an element of uniqueness to Atlanta’s offensive line, Ledford said. It’s a fun room due to the variety of personalities, but one that remains steadfast when it comes to paving running lanes and keeping quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​upright.

Morris, who was an assistant on the Falcons’ coaching staff from 2015-2020 and played 11 games as interim coach before leaving in the spring of 2021, knew all about Lindstrom when he returned to Atlanta this spring.

But when he arrived, he didn’t know much about Dalman. Now he does. Morris said he was very impressed with Dalman’s drive for perfection and his willingness to be coached. He embodies the leadership qualities that teams often look for in centers.

The Falcons view Lindstrom as a fundamental building block in the forward defense; general manager Terry Fontenot gave him the largest contract for an offensive guard in NFL history in the spring of 2023: a five-year deal worth up to $105 million.

Dalman is entering a contract year. His future in Atlanta remains uncertain and depends largely on what he does in his third season as a starter. He must have liked what he saw in the center market this year. Lloyd Cushenberry, a less successful player than Dalman, signed a 4-year, $50 million contract ($26 million guaranteed) with the Titans.

But as the 6-foot-3, 295-pound Stanford graduate maneuvers through another offseason in Flowery Branch, he does so in an environment that allows for growth: He is tied to Lindstrom’s team.

“One of them finishes a game, the other person is right next to him,” Ledford said. “Any time they do something — if they’re in the weight room, the other person is right next to him. So they’re always together, doing things. They’re really inseparable.”

The question is whether they will get another off-season to do so – but for now, the duo are focused on turning a strong 2023 season into an even better 2024 season, and Morris went into the summer break confident that they are on the right track.

“It’s a tough time for that inner part of the line,” Morris said. “But I’m really happy with this starting lineup.”