FalcBlog

The Falcons hope that the addition of Jason Elam will bring some continuity and consistency to the kicker position.

Elam isn't a young man, but the team hopes that he has at least two more good years left in his leg. Elam should be capable when it comes to kicking indoors. The only real question is his range. While kicking indoors is ideal, it's not the same as kicking outside in the thin air of Denver. While Morten Andersen only had an effective range up to 43 or 44 yards, Elam's range may not be much better with modest estimates at around 46 or 47. While it's an improvement, it still leaves the team without a capable guy of making 50-yarders.

In the past, the team has called on Michael Koenen to perform those duties. And it's not out of the question that Koenen could continue in that role. But Koenen has made only 30% of his NFL field goal attempts, when the average NFL kicker can make 50% of his 50+ yard attempts. So relying on Koenen may be a measure in futility.

How much range Elam has will be a key question this summer. But there is little question about Michael Koenen's leg strength. While his accuracy is poor on field goals, it's top notch on punting placement. And Koenen still hasn't reached his peak yet. The only real question surrounding Koenen is when the team is goign to start working on a contract extension: this summer or after the season?

Mike Schneck was solid as a long snapper last year, and there's no reason to not expect more of the same.

The return gigs remain open. Jerious Norwood and Adam Jennings are the incumbents on kickoffs and punts, respectively. Jennings impressed last summer, but failed to live up to expectations during the regular season. He'll need to put together another solid performance this summer to keep his job. Norwood is a capable returner, but the team may want to limit his reps there due to his potential for a more expansive role on offense. Unfortunately for Norwood, his workload on offense is less determined by his skill but rather by his reps on special teams.

Pushing for time on kickoffs will be Jennings, Thomas Brown, Jamar Brittingham, and Chandler Williams. In a perfect world, Jennings could handle both duties ably, but that's a question mark as of now. Brown probably has the next best odds since his uphill battle for a regular roster spot is less steep.

Brittingham and Eric Weems are the most experienced when it come to punt returns. Either way this will be a completely open competition. Norwood and Jennings will maintain their jobs only if no one else steps up.

Posted by Aaron at 8:10 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The Falcons secondary is one of the major question marks of the defense, but the team is somewhat hopeful that any growing pains they may suffer this year will be beneficial down the road.

The Falcons dumped DeAngelo Hall in the off-season, and while the loss of his locker room presence will be beneficial, there's no doubt that the team will miss something on the field. It's doubtful any of their current corners can come close to filling even Hall's sometimes overrated defensive prowess.

The closest one is probably Chris Houston. Houston started 11 games last year, but you could argue that had more to do with the crappy play of Lewis Sanders moreso than Houston's stellar performance. Houston definitely had his growing pains last year, giving up a number of big plays. But the team hopes that he can learn from his mistakes as it will likely be counting on him to cover the opponents' top receiver most outings this year. Houston is solid in run support and should be a bit better in Mike Smith's defense due to a likely increase in the number of zone coverages the team uses this year.

Because of the increase in zone, the team signed Von Hutchins from the Texans. Hutchins would really struggle in a man-based scheme, but in the zone he's solid. He's not great, but was a capable nickel corner for the Texans for much of last season. He'll give up an occasional big play, which is why the team is more confident of his abilities as a nickel corner than a starter.

That leaves the surprise of the OTAs, Brent Grimes as the front-runner for the starting position opposite Houston. The coaching staff loves Grimes athleticism, and are high on his potential. Grimes appeared in a grand total of 2 games last year and has been off and on the Falcons practice squad the past two years.

If Grimes struggles in camp, then the starting job will likely fall to Hutchins. But another player that will be in the mix is rookie Chevis Jackson. Jackson was a very solid player for LSU last year and is a very good zone cornerback. He is a natural ballhawk, breaking up 16 passes and picking off 5 passes last season as a senior on that championship team. Jackson probably will be brought along slowly, but if he gets off to a fast start this summer, there's a chance he could emerge as a starter Week 1.

The rest of the group of corners will likely be relegated to special teams duty. Leading the way in that area is David Irons. Irons was expected to compete for the nickel job last season but didn't play any snaps on defense last year. He'll get that opportunity this summer, but unless there is drastic improvement, it's doubtful he'll be able to leapfrog the four players ahead of him on the depth chart. In fact, there stands a decent chance that Irons could be released. He'll be pushed by rookie Wilrey Fontenot and undrafted free agent Glenn Sharpe. Fontenot is a solid zone corner that was overshadowed at Arizona by Antoine Cason, but was a productive guy in his own right. Sharpe comes from Miami where injuries limited his time as a starter, but offers something few of the other corners on the roster have: size. All three will be competing for the No. 5 cornerback job, which is almost exclusively a special teams job.

At safety, the team replaced free safety Chris Crocker with Jets free agent Erik Coleman. Coleman should be an improvement in coverage over Crocker, who was miscast at free safety due to his run-stopping prowess. But Coleman has spent much of the past two years in the doghouse of Jets coach Eric Mangini due to inconsistency, missed tackles, and being out of position too often. It remains to be seen if the change in scenery will benefit him.

Returning for probably his last year with the team is Lawyer Milloy. Milloy will ahve the tall order of leading this young bunch in the secondary. Milloy struggled through the first half of last year, missing many tackles and being out of position far too often, but really turned it on in the second half to the point that he was arguably the team's best defender over that span, surpassing even Abraham and Boley last year. Milloy isn't going to be asked to make too many plays against the pass, something that has never been his strong suit. But as long as he's making stops in the running game, the team will be happy, particularly if those stops come in the box on key third downs, something he was able to do often last season.

Neither starter is expected to be seriously challenged for their starting spot. More likely, the battle will be among three players for the dime safety spot. Antoine Harris, Thomas DeCoud, and Daren Stone are the most likely to win the gig. Harris probably is the favorite since the dime safety usually is in on passing downs, making coverage ability a must. A former corner, Harris surprised many last year when he surpassed Jimmy Williams rather swiftly on the depth chart last summer. Harris isn't an impact player, but was capable last year as he didn't make too many mistakes in coverage. DeCoud has the most upside, but is more geared towards stopping the run than the pass. His skill set is a bit more like Crocker. He's constantly around the ball in run support, but will need to show those same skills in coverage. Stone has the edge in the athleticism department, but will really be pushed this summer. A DUI this past May has his handle on a roster spot tenuous, and frankly the only way he may make the team is if he beats out DeCoud and Harris.

The Falcons signed Deke Cooper in June as insurance. Cooper will take the dime spot if none of the young guys are up to the task. He's a solid veteran with starting experience, but is better coming off the bench than anything. He'll miss some open field tackles from time to time, but he's a steady vet that isn't too mistake-prone.

Also in the mix is Eric Brock, an undrafted free agent. But Brock will really have to impress on special teams to make this roster.

The Battles

Grimes vs. Hutchins vs. Houston vs. Jackson - Grimes and Houston are the pair that most likely will win the starting spots at cornerback, but Hutchins and Jackson both have legitimate chances. The two with the best summer will win it.
Irons vs. Fontenot - The top two candidates for the No. 5 cornerback spot. Perhaps only room for one of them on the roster.
Cooper vs. Harris vs. DeCoud vs. Stone - The team wants to see one of the young guys win this spot, but Cooper may have the edge due to experience.

The secondary will be flexible with the number of roster spots allowing for injuries at other positions. The team will need to keep at least eight, but probably won't do more than ten. Grimes, Jackson, Fontenot, DeCoud, Sharpe, and Brock are practice squad-eligible.

Posted by Aaron at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The Falcons linebacker corps looks to have one major addition in the middle in rookie Curtis Lofton and hope that Lofton brings an attitude change in the locker room as well as an impact between the hashmarks.

The Falcons hope Lofton can become the centerpiece of a defense that looks to improve under Mike Smith's watch. The team also hopes it has struck gold with Lofton and he becomes like some recent rookie middle linebackers and immediately has an impact. Lofton has good aggressiveness, likes to hit. He lacks sideline-to-sideline speed, which is why middle linebacker may be the best fit for him instead of outside linebacker, but he has the versatility and experience to play all three spots on the NFL level. He is capable in zone coverage, but can be a liability when put into man situations due to his lack of ideal speed and quickness. Lofton will be pushed for the starting job, but his chief challenger will be Tony Taylor.

Taylor's only real experience last year on defense came in the final few quarters of the season finale against the Seahawks. Prior to that, he had spent the first 15 weeks of hte season on special teams duty. Taylor impressed the Falcons coaching staff last spring and summer, bouncing former 3rd round pick Jordan Beck from the roster. But it remains to be seen if he is just a nice backup or actually has real NFL potential. The latter could be showcased if he gives Lofton a real run for his money this summer.

With Lofton likely taking over the middle, that means Keith Brooking will move back outside, a position he hasn't played full-time since 2004. But while outside linebacker has always been considered Brooking's natural position, his time may have passed. Brooking's speed and quickness are becoming marginal at his advanced age, and it remains to be seen if he can hack it in coverage, areas where he has really struggled in the past even when he was quicker. Brooking has never been a hitter, but he's constantly around the ball. But the question remains does he have enough in the tank to make a difference on the field or is his only real value to the team come as a veteran role model for the young linebackers?

Since Brooking and Lofton aren't exactly the ideal players a team would want in on passing downs, the Falcons may need to look hard at developing a nickel linebacker this summer. That task could fall on Stephen Nicholas. Nicholas was originally drafted to be Michael Boley's backup on the strongside, but due to an injury to Demorrio Williams last spring, spent most of his reps at weakside linebacker. He'll likely return to the strongside this year. Nicholas flashed ability early last year and looked on pace to potentially unseat Williams as the starter at the midpoint, but an injury halted his progress and he got sparing reps on defense in the second half of 2007. He hopes to pick up where he left off, and if he can impress in coverage might be able to earn reps in certain nickel packages.

Also pushing for that nickel job is rookie Robert James. James is undersized, but plays bigger than he is. And his lack of size doesn't hurt him in the speed department, which should make him capable at matching up with running backs and tight ends a bit better than some of hte players ahead of him. But most likely, James will be relegated to special teams duty this season as the team works on getting him in the weight room.

One player that doesn't really have to worry about his reps is Michael Boley. Despite his off-field run-in this off-season (facing battery charges against his wife), Boley will be looked upon to be a leader on this young defense. His off-field issues should give him even greater incentive to take a more active role in the leadership of this defense. Boley is solid in coverage, has excellent speed, hits hard, and is more than capable of coming off the edge on a blitz. He was one of the few bright spots on the team's defense last year, and they really hope there is a repeat performance this season.

Also in the mix at linebacker are Travis Williams, Cameron Vaughn, and Ike Brown. All three aren't likely to get much of an opportunity to impress on regular defense. Among them, the keepers will be the guys that perform well on special teams. Williams has the edge due to his experience. He tallied 7 special teams tackles in 6 games last year.

The Battles

Lofton vs. Taylor - This battle is really only nominal. This is Lofton's job to lose and if he's not ready, the team is more likely to move Brooking back to the middle (replacing him with Nicholas at the WILL spot) than starting Taylor.
Nicholas vs. James - The winner of this battle will get the opportunity to get reps on passing downs.

The Falcons will likely keep seven linebackers. There are probably only two spots really open to competition since Brooking, Boley, Lofton, Nicholas, and James are unlikely to be released. Taylor and Williams are the front-runners for those two remaining openings. Lofton, James, Williams, and Brown are the only players eligible for the practice squad.

Posted by Aaron at 12:17 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The Falcons defensive line also went through some major changes, particularly on the inside.

Inside, the team will have some serious competition for the two starting jobs. As of right now, however Jonathan Babineaux and Montavious Stanley are slated to be the team's starters. Babineaux had his moments as a fill-in over the past few years replacing Rod Coleman when he was down with injury. Now the Falcons hope that Babineaux can be able to put it all together for a complete season. Babineaux has good quickness and can put pressure on the quarterback, something that the team will need this season as it tries to replace a pass rusher like Coleman.

Stanley is slated to start at the nose tackle position. But Stanley is essentially only penciled in as the starter because Trey Lewis, the incumbent is out with injury. There has been no timetable as when Lewis may return, and that probably won't be known until a few days or weeks into camp. Lewis suffered a knee injury last year, but re-aggravated it in the off-season. More dire reports indicate he could miss several months of the regular season at the least. Stanley filled in for Lewis late last year, and like Babineaux had his moments. He's a big, run stuffer. The reason he's ahead of the other possible replacements for Lewis is because the coaching staff knows him, after he spent much of the first half of the 2006 season with the Jaguars.

Babineaux is unlikely to be pushed significantly for his starting job, while Stanley will probably be looking over his shoulder throughout training camp.

If either is unseated, Kindal Moorehead may be the one to do it. Moorehead is similar to Babineaux. He spent the past five years as a rotation player with the Panthers. He's best when putting pressure on the quarterback, and will likely get a chance to impact on passing downs. His best season came in 2004, when he replaced an injured Kris Jenkins and performed fairly well in his absence.

Joining Moorehead are two more valuable veterans in Rashad Moore and Tim Anderson. Both have starting experience, but it's doubtful either would leapfrog both Stanley and Moorehead to gain the starting position. Both will most likely compete for the nose tackle position. Anderson was signed by the team last year due to injury, and made some contributions as a pass rusher. As a starter with the Bills a few years back, he was a disappointment. Meaning, Anderson's best contributions are probably off the bench.

Moore would probably be able to contribute more as a run stopper. He started for the Seahawks in 2004, but like Anderson works best in a rotation rather than as a starter. He's familiar to Thomas Dimitroff due to his time with the Patriots last year.

Also in the mix is David Patterson. The team thought very highly of Patterson a year ago as an undrafted free agent, that he was one of the highest paid undrafted free agents. But he missed the entire season with injury. Patterson offers some versatility as a guy that could potentially play end or tackle for the Falcons. But they will be looking mostly for him to provide some pressure from the interior this year.

The competition at end won't be as heavy. One starter's job is very safe, and that is John Abraham, the team's leading sacker last year. Abraham has been nicked up in the past, and that is always a concern for arguably the team's top player on either side of the ball. Abraham is adept as a speed rusher and forcing turnovers and is an obvious difference maker when he's healthy.

The other end is not so secure, although incumbent Jamaal Anderson will likely be given numerous opportunities to retain his job. Anderson struggled last year as a rookie, going the entire season without a sack. The team is hopeful that with a year's experience, being a few pounds lighter, and the added tutelage of new defensive line coach Ray Hamilton, Anderson can make huge strides this year.

If anybody is going to push Anderson it will be Chauncey Davis. Davis clearly outplayed Anderson last year, and he's not known as a pass rusher. Davis is an ideal third defensive end due to his ability to play the run and rush the quarterback, although he's better at the former.

The team also added ex-Brown Simon Fraser. Fraser may also get work inside at defensive tackle. Like Patterson, he's an Ohio State alum that offers the versatility to play multiple positions and could be a valued commodity in the rotation.

The team also tried to upgrade the speed it had on the edge with fifth round draft pick Kroy Biermann, undrafted free agent Brandon Miller, and Willie Evans. Biermann was an impact player at Montana and is known for his motor. Both he and Miller are undersized, so even if they made the roster their reps would be limited. Both would probably be ideal practice squad players where they can use the year to get stronger and bigger before they are put to the test. But if both show some ability as a situational pass rushers this summer, they will get chances during the regular season. Evans has bounced out the league on several teams since entering in 2006 as an undrafted free agent. Like Miller and Biermann, he lacks ideal size but will be given a chance to impact as a situational pass rusher.

The Battles

Stanley vs. Anderson vs. Moore vs. Moorehead - Stanley has the edge, but all will be given the chance to win the nose tackle job as the fill-in until Lewis is healthy.

The Falcons will likely keep eight lineman as part of their rotation, not including Lewis. Abraham, Anderson, and Davis seem unlikely to be released. But who the other five are is a toss-up. Stanley, Fraser, and Moorehead may have the inside track to three of those jobs. Biermann, Evans, Miller, and Patterson are all eligible for the practice squad.

Posted by Aaron at 7:58 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The Falcons offensive line could be one of the more interesting positions during the course of training camp due to its greatest potential for roster turnover.

The starting positions remain unsettled at four of the five positions. The only player that is sitting pretty as far as job security goes is center Todd McClure.

McClure has been the team's starting center since midway through the 2000 season. McClure in physical terms is far from an imposing blocker, but with his wealth of experience comes ample intelligence. He does a good job spotting the blitz and making adjustments, and probably had a significant hand in keeping the line relatively steady last year despite the numerous injuries.

Who will flank McClure remains unclear at this point. On his left, the early favorite is Justin Blalock. Blalock began last year as the team's starter but was benched towards the end of the year, after several months of struggling as a rookie. Blalock, considered one of the top guard prospects in the 2007 Draft hopes to make his debut season an aberration. He has good strength, size, and athleticism, but was overpowered and outmatched too many times last year. He's going to have to improve both as a run blocker and pass protector.

If not Blalock, then it will most likely be Quinn Ojinnaka. But Ojinnaka is currently penciled in as the starter at left tackle. But in truth he's been splitting reps with first rounder Sam Baker. The Falcons hope Baker can handle the left tackle spot as a rookie as it would allow Ojinnaka to move inside to his more natural position of guard. Ojinnaka started 7 games last year at left tackle, filling in when Wayne Gandy, Renardo Foster, and Todd Weiner were lost to injury. He struggled at times, but proved he wasn't a major liability. He doesn't have the athleticism or footwork to work out on the edge. Baker has excellent footwork and technique for pass protection, but offers little in the ground attack. But he was criticized in the months leading up to the draft due to his short arms, which could prove troublesome for him in pass protection out on the edge. But Baker is a smart, heady technician type of player, and he wouldn't be the first short-armed left tackle to play in the NFL. Others have preceded him and done well, and the Falcons hope he can repeat their success. If he's not up to the task, the Falcons will plug in Ojinnaka and Blalock should land the guard spot. If Baker shows enough early on, then Ojinnaka could move inside before the end of camp and push Blalock there.

At right guard will be a very interesting battle between Harvey Dahl and Kynan Forney. Dahl made a name for himself in OTAs by getting into two scuffles on the same day. That sort of nasty attitude has endeared him to the coaches and he's been working with the first team for much of the off-season. A former tackle, Dahl has spent the last two seasons mostly on the practice squads of the Falcons and 49ers and playing in NFL Europe.

However, if Dahl is not up to the task, then the incumbent Kynan Forney is likely to keep his job. Forney struggled last year, but has been relatively steady for the Falcons on the right side for much of the past six seasons. Forney in the past made a name for himself with his superior work ethic and feisty persona, so essentially he and Dahl could be considered very similar players. With a cap hit approaching $4 million this year, Forney however will have to win the starting job to retain his roster position.

At right tackle, there really won't be much of a battle. It will mostly depend on Todd Weiner's health. If he's healthy, then he'll win the job. If not, then Tyson Clabo will get the job. Clabo performed well last year as a fill-in for Weiner for most of the season. Weiner is coming off serious knee surgery and is expected to be healthy for camp, but if he's slowed in any way, then the job will go to Clabo. Weiner offers the team some versatility as he could be a capable insurance policy at left tackle in case Baker or Ojinnaka struggle there. He lacks ideal quickness for that position, but he's a long-time veteran with superior technique that can make up some of the difference. Clabo is strong, and probably is best suited to play inside, but is versatile enough to play every position except center.

Outside those eight, it's doubtful anybody else would get a serious shot at winning a starting job barring injury. The remaining six players on the roster may be competing for two or three remaining roster spots.

Renardo Foster and Terrance Pennington are competing for a possible reserve tackle position. Foster performed relatively well for an undrafted rookie tackle last year in his two starts at left tackle. However, his opportunities last year were partly helped by Bobby Petrino's staff's familiarity with him from college. He's unlikely to get the same benefits with the new coaches, but would make a solid third tackle due to his potential to play either side. Pennington started at right tackle for the Bills in 2006, and showed good potential. He's got intriguing size and the ability to play either spot.

On the inside, D'Anthony Batiste and Pat McCoy will be vying for reserve guard spots. Both players have played tackle in the past but will likely stay at guard. They have good size and potential, but neither player has done much to impress in their limited time.

At center, Alex Stepanovich has a good shot at making the roster since he was one of the few linemen that isn't a holdover from previous regimes. He can play all three interior spots although has struggled when asked to start in the past despite being a highly rated center coming out of Ohio State a few years ago. Ben Wilkerson is the third option at center, and will be hard-pressed to leapfrog Stepanovich on the depth chart. He's a bit more physical a center than McClure, but is not as athletic.

The Battles

Sam Baker vs. Quinn Ojinnaka - This is basically Baker's job to lose. If the coaches think he's ready, then the job is his.
Kynan Forney vs. Harvey Dahl - Should be an interesting battle. You could say this battle is a microcosm of the whole overarching theme that the organization wants to present: "out with the old, in with the new."

Unless the Falcons need the extra space elsewhere due to injury, it's likely they will keep nine blockers. But the coaching staff has talked big about versatility, so that they could potentially afford to keep only eight blockers. Baker, McCoy, Foster, and Batiste remain eligible for the practice squad.

Posted by Aaron at 5:48 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The tight end position has been revamped since last year. Gone are the teams' top two tight ends: Alge Crumpler and Dwayne Blakley. Being replaced with free agent pickup Ben Hartsock.

Hartsock is a blocker first, receiver second. But in Mike Mularkey's offense, that is the way it should be. But Hartsock does possess soft hands and drops rarely have been an issue with him. But he likely won't be a very big factor as a receiver since he lacks ideal speed or quickness. But he's a smart, hard-working player that may not see his impact in the stat sheets, but certainly can contribute significantly as a blocker.

The battle for the backup tight end position will be interesting. Martrez Milner is the incumbent, but his season was cut short due to injury. A fourth round pick last year, Milner has good potential as a blocker and receiver. He's had issues with drops throughout his collegiate career, but they weren't that much an issue last year as a rookie. He needs to keep that trend alive this summer. Milner gives the offense a bit more of a threat as a receiver, but also shouldn't lose much as a blocker. While his draft pick status offers him some protection, it won't save him from being purged if he's clearly outplayed by other players on the roster.

The most likely candidate to unseat Milner is this April's seventh round pick: Keith Zinger. Zinger was almost exclusively a blocker at LSU. But he has decent hands. But if he does win the No. 2 job, it's unlikely he'll do anything more than serve as a blocker when the team utilizes double-tight end sets.

The Falcons also signed Jason Rader, who was with the team a few summers ago in 2004. Rader is an impressive blocker and will also be in the running. He has the experience factor over Milner and Zinger, and also played for Mularkey in Miami in 2006.

A dark horse candidate is undrafted rookie Brad Listorti. Some reports in the spring indicated that the team really likes him and his chances are a bit better than your typical "camp body." Listorti arguably is the team's best receiver at this position. He caught 38 passes as a junior at UMass before a back injury cost him his senior season. Although he probably won't be used as anything more than a No. 3 and H-back, he's the ideal type of player that the team could stash away for a year on the practice squad as he gets stronger and improves his blocking.

The Battles

Milner vs. Zinger vs. Rader - Battling it out for the No. 2 position behind Hartsock.

The Falcons could keep anywhere from two to four tight ends on the roster. But most likely it will just be three. Hartsock is the only player among this group that isn't eligible for the practice squad, so there are a number of combinations the Falcons could use if they want to keep an extra guy there. How many tight ends they keep will depend largely on how capable a blocker whoever wins the No. 2 job is, and also if they feel some of these guys will clear waivers.

Posted by Aaron at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

A position that only a few years ago was considered one of the weakest groups in the league, has now transformed into an area of strength for the Falcons.

A big part of that is the emergence of Roddy White as a legitimate No. 1 receiver. White has an excellent combination of size, speed, and has improved his hands and concentration by leaps and bounds in the past year. Always considered to have a strong work ethic, the team hopes that White can continue his high level of production in 2008, as he is the most proven weapon on offense.

While there may be a competition for the other starting spot opposite White, it is most likely to land in the lap of Laurent Robinson. Robinson impressed as a rookie, catching 37 passes. Robinson has good size and speed and has flashed good hands at times. He needs to improve his concentration and work on his ability to make plays after the catch. If he can do those two things and basically become more consistent overall, he should be come a solid starter in this league.

Pushing him for playing time most likely will be Michael Jenkins. Jenkins technically was not a starter last year, but was thrown to the second most behind White last year, and finished with second on the team in receptions (53). Jenkins has had issues with his hands in the past, and that's an area that continues to plague him. But Jenkins big frame makes him a valuable asset on third downs and in the red zone. Jenkins is unlikely to start, but even if he's the third receiver on the depth chart, he'll likely get a lot of playing time. He represents a capable veteran insurance policy in case Robinson doesn't make the necessary leaps.

Likely filling the fourth role on the team is rookie Harry Douglas. Douglas was the prime target in Louisville the past two seasons. He lacks ideal size for a starter, but should fit in nicely in the slot. Douglas has a golden opportunity as a reserve to build a rapport with Matt Ryan. If and when Ryan is elevated to the starting position, increased opportunities for Douglas to impact will likely follow. Douglas also was a productive player on special teams at Louisville, which should keep him active on game day come the regular season.

This foursome probably won't leave much room for veterans Joe Horn or Brian Finneran. Horn started 12 games last year, but was a disappointment. When the Falcons signed him last spring, they hoped his veteran presence would rub off on the young receivers and also give the team a steady set of hands. They also hoped that the decline in his production over the past two years in New Orleans was due to his rocky relationship with the coaching staff and injuries rather than age. But from his play last year, it seems that age has caught up with the former Pro Bowler. Horn requested a trade from the team in May due to declining playing time behind the four young guys. It's possible the team could move him before the regular season, but the interest in Horn will likely be low. More than likely the team will cut Horn when they feel young guys like Robinson and Douglas are ready to fill the void.

Finneran has missed the past two years due to a knee injury, and hopes he can be healthy this year. If he is, then he stands a decent shot at making the roster due to his ability on special teams. But it's unlikely with four younger, quicker, and improving receivers ahead of him, he'll get too many reps on offense.

Adam Jennings flashed potential last summer as a slot receiver, and will need to do so again if he wants to stick. Jennings is the front-runner at the punt returner position, and how he performs this summer there will most likely impact whether he makes the roster. But it also wouldn't hurt if he can produce as a receiver. He has good speed, but due to his lack of size, he's going to need to show that he can get open and consistently catch the football.

Rounding out the depth chart are Chandler Williams and Eric Weems. Williams and Weems both have a chance to produce on special teams in the return game. Both are long shots to make the roster, but could push for a practice squad position. Particularly if either show ability as a gunner on punt coverage or as a returner.

Also on the roster is Japanese player Noriaki Kinoshita. Kinoshita is an international player and will be automatically added to the practice squad this season. He cannot be cut or elevated to the active roster as such, but still this marks a golden opportunity for him to impress the team with his quickness, speed, and work ethic. Kinoshita flashed ability last summer as a return specialist, and any gains he makes this summer will be counted for him in 2009 if/when he is brought back.

The Battles

Horn vs. Finneran vs. Jennings - They will be battling it out for the likely fifth and last roster spot. Jennings may have the edge due to his special teams value.
Jenkins vs. Douglas - They will be battling it out for the third receiver position. If Douglas wins, he'll likely be the slot receiver. If Jenkins does, Robinson is likely to move inside to the slot when the team goes three wide. Jenkins has the edge.

The Falcons will probably keep five receivers. They may keep six, but that will likely be dependent on one of their top four being injured heading into the regular season. Horn's $2.5 million base salary is guaranteed, meaning that whether the team keeps him or dumps him, they are still on the hook for that matter. But it's unlikely the team will keep him if they don't plan on playing him.

Posted by Aaron at 8:22 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Unlike quarterback, running back doesn't feature any prime time battles. The first two spots on the depth chart are pretty secure barring injury. Michael Turner will open the season as the team's starter, with Jerious Norwood serving as a reserve.

Turner was paid $34.5 million to come here from San Diego as LaDainian Tomlinson's backup to be the Falcons starter. Turner has a solid blend of size and speed. Able to hit the homerun with his impressive straight-line speed, as well as run over tacklers due to his low center of gravity and strong lower body. In that way, he is similar to a blend of a young Warrick Dunn in Jamal Anderson's body. The Falcons hope that Turner can be a workhorse in Atlanta. He had very impressive numbers in San Diego, but played mostly in garbage time there. The team hopes that Turner can now translate that production into a bona fide NFL feature back.

By all accounts, Norwood has been underutilized by the two previous coaching staffs. Norwood is a top speed back, able to bust loose for a big run anytime he touches the ball. Those types of players aren't very numerous in the NFL, and many believe that the past coaching staffs have not taken advantage enough of this ability. One of the issues has been Norwood's durability. His lanky frame hasn't shown an ability to hold up to the punishment of the NFL. Too often last season he lingered on the turf after a hit from a defender, and a hit that wasn't perceived to be that big of a deal at the moment. Norwood has polished hands, and has really improved his pass blocking in recent years, making him an ideal option on third downs. But it remains to be seen if the coaching staff will give him more opportunities besides passing downs.

The only real battle of significance this summer will be between rookie Thomas Brown and second year man Jason Snelling for the third running back position. Brown was a sixth round pick this year, and Snelling a seventh rounder last year. Snelling had a very impressive summer and even showed some ability late in the season. He's a big back that showed he has potential as a short-yardage runner. Brown is smaller and has home run speed, and essentially the pair form their own little power-speed combination like Turner and Norwood deeper on the depth chart. But more than likely only one will stay. And not only will their rushing success this summer determine that, who can contribute the most on special teams will also help. Snelling was effective in special teams coverage at Virginia, while Brown showed some ability as a return threat.

After them, there really isn't much expectation from the rest of the backs. Jamar Brittingham is the only other runner on the roster and isn't expected to make the team. However, Brittingham does have an opportunity to be a potential practice squad player. He's a smaller back with a similar frame to Norwood. He was highly productive in Division II, rushing for nearly 5700 yards in four seasons. He also may get a chance to work as a returner on special teams.

At fullback, in relative terms the roster seems pretty much set. Ovie Mughelli will be uncontested as the starter. One of hte legue's top lead blockers, the Falcons hope to get him more involved offensively increasing his reps.

Behind him is last year's special teams captain Corey McIntyre. Due to his ability in that area, it's a long shot that the team could cut McIntyre, although a slim possibility. The Falcons may try to move Snelling to this position. And if Snelling can show some potential as a lead blocker this summer, he has a slim chance to unseat McIntyre. McIntyre is a solid blocker in the mold of Mughelli, but Snelling offers a much more versatile offensive weapon due to his running and receiving skills.

The Battles

Brown vs. Snelling - This will likely get the most press during the summer.
Snelling vs. McIntyre? - It remains to be seen if this battle becomes real, but could be one of the more interesting ones all summer.

The Falcons will likely keep five running backs. Normally, they would keep three runners and two blockers, but Snelling's versatility could make it so that he counts as both a runner and blocker. Snelling, Brown, and Brittingham are all eligible for the practice squad.

Posted by Aaron at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

I've compiled the final rankings. When I set out to do this, I was hoping it was going to show that the Falcons weren't as bad as the experts think. But unfortunately, that didn't prove to be the case. And frankly, I feel like a jackass since they finished only 2 points (out of 500) out of last place, just barely ahead of the Miami Dolphins.

I started this to break the doldrums of summer, and now that I've finished, like most things I don't know if there is anything important here. I wouldn't sit here and propose that the team that finished at the top (the Chargers) will have the best record in football. The top four teams: Chargers, Patriots, Cowboys, and Colts all finished so closely, that I wouldn't contest an argument of anyone to claim either of those teams as the league's best.

I guess at the end of the day all this shows is who is the best team on paper according to me. And I guess the Chargers win that honor by a hair. And I guess the Dolphins win the dishonor of being the league's worst team, but again by only a marginal degree. My guess would be that the eventual Super Bowl winner is probably going to be one of the top four teams, and probably the team picking first in the draft next year is probably going to be one of the bottom four teams.

I'd like to believe that the rankings will be somewhat accurate. If all twelve playoff teams are represented in the Top 18 or so teams by the end of the year, then I'll be happy.

Let's just get to the final rankings. I also factored in special teams which counted for up to 36 points. I also factored in the schedule as well, with the teams with the easier schedules getting more points. That was worth up to 80 points, which made the absolute maximum for allowable points 500. No team got close to that. But here they are:

RNK TEAM        PTS GRADE
 1  Chargers    359   A-
 2  Patriots    358   A-
 3  Cowboys     357   A-
 4  Colts       357   A-
 5  Jaguars     332   B+
 6  Vikings     325   B+
 7  Buccaneers  325   B+
 8  Steelers    317   B
 9  Eagles      313   B
10  Saints      312   B
11  Giants      307   B
12  Packers     298   B
13  Seahawks    296   B
14  Panthers    290   B
15  Rams        288   B
16  Broncos     286   B
17  Redskins    286   B
18  Titans      285   B
19  Bengals     284   B
20  Ravens      283   B
21  Bills       281   B-
22  Jets        281   B-
23  Bears       277   B-
24  Browns      275   B-
25  Cardinals   271   B-
26  Texans      271   B-
27  49ers       268   B-
28  Raiders     255   B-
29  Lions       244   B-
30  Chiefs      241   C+
31  Falcons     230   C+
32  Dolphins    228   C+

Why are the Falcons so low? If you've been reading throughout this thing, you'll know exactly why. It's because so few of the Falcons are proven playmakers. The team doesn't lack talent, but in order for it to be good this year it will need contributions from a lot of guys that have been backups here in Atlanta or elsewhere, and improvement in a number of young, talented players. Guys like Chris Redman, Michael Turner, Laurent Robinson, Justin Blalock, Sam Baker, Jamaal Anderson, Chris Houston, Curtis Lofton, Erik Coleman, Jonathan Babineaux, etc. offer a lot of potential, but it remains to be seen if any of them will actually be what many term "good" this season. The potential is certainly there. It wouldn't surprise me at all if most or all of these guys play up to their potential. But it also wouldn't surprise me if they flame out. And given that, it's hard to sit here and say the Falcons players will be better than expected and play up to their potential, while another young team like the Dolphins or 49ers their young players will crash and burn.

Final Thoughts
Now some of you are scoffing at this, and will cite this as evidence that I think the Falcons stink and hate them or whatever and question my fanhood. But whatever. Jamaal Anderson, in my eyes, represents a perfect analogy for this. Starting 16 games in the NFL at defensive end and not recording a single sack is a rare distinction. It happens, but not very often in the NFL. And as such, if asked to rank all 64 defensive ends in the league, Anderson must be near the bottom for that reason alone. Let's say 60th for the sake of argument. Now, most of us believe Anderson will show improvement this year. If pressed for a prediction, I'd toss out 4.5 sacks for how many Anderson will have this year. And maybe that figure would rank him 36th as far as production goes among starting DEs this season. But even with that in mind, I'm not about to bump his rank up from 60th to 36th based off that projection if you're still asking me to rank the DEs in the league. Rather, I'd still probably rank Anderson around 60th, but make a distinction that I believe he could show significant improvement by year's end. I'm basically doing the same with the Falcons.

Posted by Aaron at 12:33 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post