Debate the Atlanta Falcons offseason possibilities in The Football Fan Forum
2010 Preview:
In many ways, the Falcons and Panthers are similar teams. I touched on some of the ways in the Panthers’ write up, but both have good young quarterbacks, good running games, good offensive lines, one very talented receiver and decent depth behind him, solid defenses that lack elite pass rushes. I have the Panthers ranked higher though because their running game is that much more potent with two talented running backs, instead of one, to keep each other fresh. The Panthers’ line is also a bit better, as is their secondary.
The Falcons do have the edge in pass rush, especially if John Abraham bounces back this year, and they have Tony Gonzalez at tight end, as well as more experience at quarterback, but overall I think the Panthers are a better team, only slightly. They also have an easier schedule. So overall, I’ll say similar makeups between the two teams, but the Panthers are more talented and have an easier schedule, and I’ll give them the edge, barely.
Projection: 9-7 3rd in NFC South
Power Ranking: 13
Last season: 9-7
Draft:
#19 OLB Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri)
With the top 3 defensive ends off the board, it makes a ton of sense for the Falcons to take Weatherspoon. He fills a need and is one of, if not the best available. He’ll make this defense better and be a fan favorite from day 1.
Grade: A
#83 DT Corey Peters (Kentucky)
Peters fits the scheme, but doesn’t really fill much of a need. He’ll probably be their #4 defensive tackle next year and, unless something happens to one of the guys ahead of him on the depth chart, he’ll stay that way for a long time. Peters also didn’t play in a 4-3 in college and is probably being drafted 2 rounds too early here. How are the Falcons going to get to the quarterback? Passing on Everson Griffen for Sean Weatherspoon is one thing, but passing on Griffen again for Peters doesn’t make any sense.
Grade: D
#98 G Mike Johnson (Alabama)
He does fill a need, but passing on Everson Griffen again is stupid. I understand Mike Smith doesn’t like guys who don’t have grade A attitudes, but there’s a point where you almost have to take a guy who has first round talent at a position of huge need and value. This point is that point. Actually, 83 was that point. Still, Johnson is probably a future starter in this scheme.
Grade: B-
#117 C Joe Hawley (UNLV)
A bit of a need, but I had never heard of Hawley before draft day and I had looked at profiles of at least 400 draft NFL prospects and could tell you off the top of my head what I thought of each one of them. He’s a big reach here over Matt Tennant and Eric Olsen and even if he wasn’t, though center is a need, how many interior linemen (either offensive or defensive) do the Falcons plan to draft before they take an end? Greg Hardy? Austin Lane? CJ Wilson? Anybody?
Grade: D
#135 CB Domonique Franks (Oklahoma)
They needed a defensive end, but Franks is a 3rd round prospect in the 5th round. He is very raw and the Falcons have some decent #2 and #3 corners, but Franks has more upside than any other corner on this roster aside from Dunta Robinson and there’s nothing wrong with going BPA even when you need a defensive end if the BPA should have been drafted 2 rounds ago.
Grade: A
#165 WR Kerry Meier (Kansas)
Meier is a former quarterback at wide receiver who really lacks breakaway speed or experience in a Pro Style offense, so I’m not too optimistic about his upside, but it is the 6th round and they do need wide receivers.
Grade: C+
#171 S Shann Schillinger (Montana)
Schillinger was not on my radar to get drafted and the Falcons didn’t really need a safety, but he can push William Moore and play some special teams. But still, as they need a defensive end, I can’t love the positional value.
Grade: D
Overall:
Falcons fans can’t be happy with this draft because it means that the Falcons believe enough in Jamaal Anderson’s ability to stop being a bust or Lawrence Sidbury’s ability to pan out as something more than a nickel rusher to address the defensive end position. Going against Drew Brees and Jimmy Clausen a total of 4 times next year and for presumably the next 5 years, it’s not good if you can’t get to the quarterback. The Falcons had 7 picks and only got two guys that in my mind will be future starters and they were an outside linebacker and a guard. They started out strong, but made a bunch of weird picks and didn’t address their #1 need, a defensive end.
Grade: C-
Key undrafted free agents
K Garrett Lindholm (Tarleton State)
TE Colin Peek (Alabama)
WR Ryan Wolfe (UNLV)
Positions of need:
Cornerback:
The Falcons have a ton of #2 and #3 cornerbacks, but no true shutdown cornerback. They were using Brian Williams for a while, but he got hurt and let’s just say they didn’t miss him. They’ll be targeting a cornerback early this year, some are even saying that the Falcons taking a cornerback in the first is one of the most likely things in the first round. They reportedly like Kyle Wilson a lot and he should be their when they pick at 19, so barring any changes in their opinion of him between now and April, or barring a top defensive end falling to 19, Wilson looks like a likely pick there.
Signed Dunta Robinson, Drafted Domonique Franks (#135)
Defensive End:
It’s safe to say, after 3 years and 2.5 sacks, than Jamaal Anderson, the former 8th overall pick, is a bust. They need to move on at the left end positions. The Falcons only had 28 sacks last year, with their team leader with 6, Jonathan Babineaux, being a defensive tackle. John Abraham had a great year in 2008, but only had 5.5 last season and is also on the wrong side of 30. Lawrence Sidbury has promise as a 2009 mid round selection, but he’s not much other than a nickel rusher. However, unless they fall in love with a defensive end’s upside at 19, they will wait until the 3rd to address this need. After Derrick Morgan, all of the elite defensive ends this year are nothing but upside and Morgan won’t be there at 19. Brandon Graham could be the pick if they view him as a fit for a 4-3 which is uncertain, but most likely I think they go cornerback in the first, and then take a guy like Austin Lane or Brandon Lang in the 3rd. CJ Wilson and Alex Carrington would also be possibilities if they are looking for someone stronger against the run.
Outside Linebacker:
A return to Mike Smith’s system did not revive Mike Peterson’s career like was expected so they need an upgrade at the position. They may consider Sean Weatherspoon at 19, but Mike Smith is a positional value guy so I don’t think that’s very likely. More likely, they’ll take advantage of the depth of this outside linebacker class and draft a weak side linebacker like Rennie Curran or Dekoda Watson in the 4th, or a strong side guy like Perry Riley or AJ Edds, and move Stephen Nicholas to the weak side where I think he fits better.
Drafted Sean Weatherspoon (#19)
Wide Receiver:
Michael Jenkins is a decent run blocker, but a below average wide receiver. If a receiver falls to them that they like, they could pull the trigger. That makes Dez Bryant a possibility at 19.
Drafted Kerry Meier (#165)
Tight End:
Tony Gonzalez was a nice addition last offseason, but he only has one year left on his deal and, though I expect him to return, he’s also in the twilight of his career and could be getting ready to hang them up and wait for the Hall of Fame call. This isn’t a pressing need this offseason, but if a tight end they like falls to them, they could pull the trigger. They make also want to add a better run blocking tight end.
Defensive Tackle:
Both Babineaux and Peria Jerry are under tackles that weigh less than 300 pounds. They may want to add some meat into the defensive tackle rotation in the late rounds.
Drafted Corey Peters (#83)
Free agents:
QB DJ Shockley
QB Chris Redman- resigned 2 years 5 million
RB Jerious Norwood (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million
RB Jason Snelling (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.6 million
WR Brian Finneran- resigned
OT Tyson Clabo (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.5 million
G Harvey Dahl (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.5 million
G Quinn Ojinnaka (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
CB Brent Grimes (restricted)- resigned
CB Brian Williams- resigned 1 year
CB Tye Hill- signed with Titans one year
S Jamaal Fudge (restricted)
S Antoine Harris (restricted)
S Charlie Peprah (restricted)- not tendered, signed with Packers
P Michael Koenen (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.7 million
Offseason moves:
Falcons waive QB D.J. Shockley
Falcons re-sign RB Jerious Norwood
Falcons re-sign P Michael Koenen
Falcons re-sign RB Jason Snelling
Falcons re-sign G Harvey Dahl
Falcons re-sign OT Tyson Clabo
Falcons re-sign G Quinn Ojinnaka
Falcons cut CB Tye Hill
Falcons re-sign CB Brent Grimes
Falcons trade CB Chris Houston to Lions for 2010 6th-rounder and exchange of 2010 5th-rounders
Falcons sign CB Dunta Robinson
Falcons re-sign QB Chris Redman
Falcons re-sign CB Brian Williams
Falcons tender RB Jason Snelling
Falcons tender P Michael Koenen
Falcons tender G Harvey Dahl
Falcons tender RB Jerious Norwood
Falcons tender OT Tyson Clabo
Falcons tender G Quinn Ojinnaka
Falcons re-sign WR Brian Finneran
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