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LB: At this point, I'd be surprised if Draft, Duncan, and Stewart are Falcons after this off-season. None were essential pieces to the defense. Williams is a better fit at SLB (and/or MLB) in terms of what the team is trying to do on defense, and I do think the team will draft a guy to replace the other starter, depending on where Williams is plugged in.
OL: I don't expect much change, I think all the starters will remain, but the team will probably add as you say, a Gibbs protege like Ben Hamilton or Cooper Carlisle to bolster it. And then we'll see at least 1 rookie added here as well.
WR: I do expect our Top 4 guys to remain, but I think we'll add a rookie in the draft, which I think spells certain doom for a guy named Jimmy Farris rather than anybody else, since Jenkins and Finneran are both excellent ST players, and the team hopefully will have 5 receivers that are capable on offense.
TE: Crump and Blakely will return, but doubtful on Beverly. I suspect we'll see this potential see some of the change we saw last off-season when it seemed to be a revolving door of players we brought in. Maybe the team brings back Jason Rader?
S: I don't think we should hold onto McCadam, since we have Shabazz and Pruitt. Shabazz is likely to return since he's only a EFA, but I think Hall is gone, and Beasley or Carpenter may be re-signed to replace him, with a strong possibility of a rookie coming in and competing for a starting job as well. I think Scott is the only one guaranteed to have a roster spot at the start of 2006.
DL: I think 3 of the starters remain, with Lavalais taking over another spot. Almost all the players that were backups this past year (Lake, Vaughn, Riley, etc.) probably won't be next year, so we may see 4 new guys here, some of whom will come in the draft others in bargain basement free agency.
CB: The starters are the only ones guaranteed to return. Rossum could get a very lucrative offer elsewhere, and we'll be unable to match, while Mathis and Beasley are also free agents. A rookie and some low-level FAs will probably be added to bolster depth here too.
RB: I think Dunn, Duckett, adn Griffith will all return, but I think as far as the bench is concerned, we could see a lot of changes. I think the team wants Pritchett or McCrary back, but both could get starting jobs elsewhere, and I think that will open the team up to find another #2 FB and a new #3 RB since Wright doesn't look special.
I really expect that we'll see lots of shakeup of the roster this year. Much of it may not happen in the off-season, but once we're through traning camp, I think we'll see a lot of "Reeves holdovers" will be sent packing. I think the starters will mostly remain, but the backups will probably be all new as the team tries to improve there.
_________________ "Vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria uti nescis" -- Maharbal, 216 B.C.E.
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