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Well after this week the Falcons will have most the starter positions and even backup positions set. Precious few personnel decisions will be made next week as it is a dress rehersal for the regular season.

Thus far I'm not overally impressed with anything in paticular. With an exception to what I'm calling the new look Vick. For the first time ever he looks comfortable from the pocket; he is scanning his receivers and not the running lanes; and he isn't taking unecssary risks. Our receivers have been the most up and down unit all pre-season. If we can't generate a pass rush our defensive backs are in trouble. It seemed any competant pocket quarterback was able to pepper our secondary like there was nobody defending them. McNair, Volek, and Manning did an effective job of deconstructing our pass defense. The linebacking unit is still far and away our best unit on the squad with as many as 6 players that could start (although not all of them could do it full-time). I also can say with confidence I'm comfortable with the duo of Bryan Scott and Keion Carpenter. Infact I'd go so far as to say this secondary needs the veteran saavy of Keion on the field. He is the field general for the secondary like Brooking is the field general for the defensive front.

Quarterback: Vick, Schuab, Detmer (Duh)
Runningback: Duckett, Dunn, Cobb (Wright gets axed and Duckett needs to get starts)
Fullback: Griffith, McCrary
Tight End: Crumpler, Beverly, Blakley
X-Receiver: Finneran, R. White
Z-Receiver: D. White, Jenkins, Manger
Slot: Price
LT: Shaffer, Omiyale
LG: Forney, Moore
C: McClure, King
RG: Lehr, Bibla
RT Weiner, Stokes

RDE: Kerney, Vaughn
NT: Lavalais, Lake
UT: Coleman, Babineaux
LDE: Smith, Davis
SLB: Platoon (Demo/Reese)
MLB: Hartwell, Beck
WLB: Brooking, Boley
FS: Scott, McCadam
SS: Carpenter, Heard
RCB: Webster, Mathis
LCB: Hall, Buhl, Rossum
K: Peterson
P: Koenen (He's really impressed me with his hangtime)
(KR/PR: Rossum/Cobb)

Practice Squad: Mitchell, Shropshire, Pruitt, Peck, Wright

Mitchell could beat Lake out of a roster spot. However, Lake is well versed in the defense and has performed admirably as a #3/4 defensive tackle.

No Jenkins?

He listed Price twice, so I think the Z-WR Price is Jenkins. A few comments:

I don't see Bibla or King either making the roster. Bibla is the #3 LT and King is the #3 RG. Herndon, Pearson, and Peck are ahead of both players on the depth chart. And because Lehr can play center and Herndon can play OT, I think we may only keep 8 OL.

I think we'll keep 5 DEs on the opening day roster because of injury, and that 5th guy will probably be Nyenhuis who is ahead of Vaughn at this point.

I think 1 roster spot is going to go to a 5th S or 7th LB to play on special teams, most likely Pruitt or Cash.

I think the battles that are lingering are:

1. Will the team keep Price. It seems like an obvious yes, but the cap situation is so tight that the $2 million in savings of cutting Price may be too good to pass up. If that's the case then I think Magner is a shoe-in for the #5 job. If Price stays, I don't see the Falcons keeping 6 WRs, and Magner will have to take his chances on the p-squad.

2. #3 TE. Although I think Blakley is still ahead, I think Mark Anelli has played well enough thus far to really be a challenge to him. Anelli is likely to stay through the final cuts because he counts as a NFL Europe Exemption, so the team has the ability to keep an extra player on the roster. Because he'll likely get more work in 2 more games, he has a chance to steal the job right from under Blakley. Although IMO, I think Beverly should be the guy to go. But he might be playing vs. the Jags and Dolphins, so that will be a big test. IMO, Beverly should be cut and the team should try to sign a veteran blocker that is much cheaper.

3. #3 OT. Bibla, Peck, Omiyale, and Stokes are competing for it. Bibla I believe is definitely out. The team saves the most money if Omi wins the job, but I'm not sure if he's outperformed Peck or Stokes at this point. Peck and Stokes seem to have the edge because they've worked at both LT and RT this summer, so they have the versatility the team wants in the position. So that may mean Omi is stuck on the practice squad.

4. #3 RB. Cobb vs. Wright. If the team is going to give CObb the kickoff job, then Cobb wins it. If Rossum is going to take over on kickoffs then Wright wins it. Despite his TD run vs. the Titans, Cobb hasn't won the job. He's still going to need to do a good job vs. Miami & Jacksonville before its his job. I recall a few years back Rondel Menendez looked good on punt returns, but still didn't make the team. If Cobb muffs any kicks between now and the regular season, he's not going to win this job. Wright can play on ST coverage, is a better blocker, and IMO a better runner at this point.

5. PUnter. I think it's pretty even at this point. The Jags game will be very important.

Typically I do a balanced roster when it comes to my 52 man lists. It is pretty rare an NFL team carries a balance of players at each position though. I do agree the O-Line will carry 8 players and I do believe Bibla has a good shot because Atlanta has a love affair with him.

I've read good reviews on Omiyale. One, I believe it was from the AJC, noted that Omiyale has played so well the Falcons will have a hard time keeping him off the roster.

Anelli & Blakley are pretty close but I think Blakley is a bit more versitle then Anelli is.

Koenen I'm also bias on since he's from Eastern Washington (I'll live in Washington). But he has had some pretty amazing hangtime. I liken him to Mohr, although, he has had some accuracy issues.

Wow, I attend Falcons training camp every year and don't know this much about the offensive line. Maybe I should start paying more attention

MF1

I think Gowin will lose out on the punter battle. Aside from the first game Koenen (if that's how you spell ot) has look great. The Jax will settle it but I think he'll win it. I think we will find a way to carry 6 wr's. I don't think with the way our WR's have been playing that they will let Manger go to the practice squad. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dez get cut. It's not like he's done anything well. I'd like to see Manger get a chance to play with our first team at some point this pree-season just to see how he plays against starting caliber CB's. The front office does have a lover affair with Bibla for whatever reason, but they'd better not play him at tackle. When he got a chance to play there Fri he looked like a guard struggling to play outside. I wouldn't be surprise to see McCadam get cut either. He's only a ST player and regardless of how well he does that we do have other players that can step in and do that job well enough. I think the days of ATL keeping 2-3 players around just to play special teams are over.

I didn't realize Magner was 6-2, that puts him as our third tallest WR. That is another bonus for him in cuts as a power special teamer and downfield blocker in the running game. I would be nice to see him play some at corner if Mora was at all serious, BTW does anyone remember how tall J. Bolden is, I know he was tall for a corner and actually managed to frustrate Randy Moss when we played the Vikings.

MF1

I think Bolden is about 6'1...

HT: 6-2 WT: 207

Scouting Report
Assets Great size. A good bump-and-run defender. Solid in run support. Has some ball skills.
Flaws Mistake prone. Lacks catch-up speed. Will get lost in zone coverage.
Career potential Fading veteran.

I doubt Dez gets released after a solid camp.

Yeah, I don't like Dez, but sadly I have more faith in him at this point than I do in either Roddy or Jenkins.

Knapp said it himself, the Falcons aren't going to use more than 3 WRs on the field very often. It will be seldom if the team lines up 4 wideouts because it takes Crumpler off the field usually. They'd rather split Dunn wide than bring in the 4th guy.

That's why I don't think the team will keep more than 5 receivers. With the assumption being we'll keep 3 wideouts that will actually play on offense, a 4th guy that will play special teams, and a 5th guy just to have as injury insurance.

Now based on this preseason, if it were me calling the shots, I see Finneran, Dez, and Price as the 3 guys that will play. Jenkins is the 4th guy that will play on ST, and Roddy is the 5th backup. But you could have Jenkins in the top 3, and Finneran as the 4th guy. No real room for Magner. Yes, he can play ST, but I think the coaching staff is going to prefer to give that roster spot to a more proven ST player like a McCadam, Pruitt, or a LB.

But then again, I don't see Magner clearing waivers, so cutting him is risky. He'll likely get picked up by a team that is looking for a #4 or #5 wideout to play special teams. So then, the team could keep 6 WRs just to save Magner on the roster although he really doesn't have a chance to play.

The only reason I don't think Magner gets released is because of a comment from Vick. I believe it was off of CBS Sportsline. But Vick was singing his praise for Magner and even noted he'd probably make the squad. Methinks if Vick wants him he will stay and so far Vick wants him.

Manger's spot may be in jeopardy if he can't get back out on the field and play. If he can't have at least one more good game then I don't know that he makes the 53 man roster. I'd love to see him make it though...and dirty has a point if Vick really wants him on the team he'll probably be there, (that is if he's not hurt)

DBNW: I've missed reading your posts! Great to have you here!

:: scratches head ::

hhmmphh

:: Pokes cap incesively until he surrenders his old ESPN SN ::