O'Neal trade unlikely?

ESPN's Len Pasquarelli reports that any Falcon trade for Deltha O'Neal is unlikely at this point, mainly due to the Bengals desire to keep the seven-year veteran. This contrasts previous reports that indicated that the deal might be close.

The Bengals plan to promote second-year cornerback Jonathan Joseph into Tory James's vacant starting position, and want an experienced veteran to start opposite him. Although if a deal that ships O'Neal out of Cincinnati were to occur, the Bengals have a contingency plan of moving free safety Madieu Williams to his vacant position.

More workouts scheduled for the Falcons

Ed Thompson of Scout.com reports that Texas defensive end Tim Crowder is scheduled to visit the Atlanta Falcons on April 3.

Crowder had an impressive Combine, with a 4.69 40-yard dash, did 32 bench reps of 225-pounds and had a 30.5-inch vertical leap. He was a four-year starter at Texas, playing on their National Title team in 2005. As a senior, he shined with career-highs 59 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 18 tackles for loss. For his career, he has 47 starts, 191 tackles, 19 sacks, 40 tackles for loss, 76 quarterback pressures, 13 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and 8 forced fumbles. He is rated as the eighth best defensive end prospect by NFL Draft Countdown is often projected as a second or third round pick.

Thompson also reports that the Falcons have already held a private workout with Hampton linebacker Justin Durant. Durant has quickly moved up boards due to a strong showing at the Combine. Durant ran a 4.51 40, did 25 bench reps of 225-pounds, and had a 36-inch vertical leap, displaying his outstanding athleticism. He started 39 games at Hampton, mainly at middle linebacker, where he recorded 353 career tackles, 47 for loss, 10 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 16 pass breakups.

Many draft websites project Durant to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. NFL Draft Countdown.com rates him the fifth best prospect at that position.

O'Neal trade could happen soon

Matt Miller of New Era Scouting reports that the potential trade between the Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals for cornerback Deltha O'Neal could happen soon. Miller reports that the likely compensation for the Bengals would be a third round pick.

Earlier this month, O'Neal pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving stemming from a drunken driving arrest in December. O'Neal pleaded not guilty to the drunk driving charge. For his guilty plea, O'Neal was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence, 3 years' probation, was fined $250, and donated $1000 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. His driver's license was also suspended for six months from the date of his arrest, but is allowed to drive to and from work.

Landry will visit the Falcons

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that LSU safety LaRon Landry will visit the Falcons at some point next week for a pre-draft visit. Landry is considered the consensus top safety in the draft.

Landry impressed scouts at the Combine by running a 4.35 40-yard dash and a 37.5-inch vertical leap. The 4-time All-SEC selection has extensive experience, with 47 starts over his career at free safety. For his career, he had 315 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 12 interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and 22 sacks. He is often compared to top NFL free safeties such as Brian Dawkins, Ed Reed, and Troy Polamalu. NFL Draft Countdown considers him the sixth best prospect in the entire draft class.

Landry has been the most popular pick for the Falcons in various mock drafts around the internet the past few months.

Falcons seem intent on upgrading the free safety position, disappointed with the play of incumbent Chris Crocker. Past reports have indicated that the Falcons are tinkering with the idea of demoting him to be the backup to Lawyer Milloy at strong safety, opening up the team's need for a starting quality free safety.

Jackson still wants to play for Falcons

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC dicloses more details of Grady Jackson's law suit against the Falcons and his future plans with the team.

Included in the suit are three team officials, including head physician Scott Gillogly, head athletic trainer Ron Medlin, and director of pro personnel Les Snead. According to the suit, Gillogly's medical exam had unreliable results due to the fact that the equipment was not made for a player of his size. Gillogly then reported this to Medlin, who then reported to Snead, which then was reported to KFFL.com and The Sporting News, which then spread to other national media outlets.

It was reported that he failed his physical, which directly prevented his ability to garner a contract of fair market value until the Falcons were able to agree to a lesser three-year deal with him in August.

Jackson does however indicate that he would like to continue to play with the Atlanta Falcons.

Falcons interested in O'Neal

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that the Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals have begun trade discussions for cornerback Deltha O'Neal.

O'Neal had a down year in 2006, partly limited by injury. He finished with 37 tackles and 1 interception, a significant decrease from his '05 season in which he had 65 tackles and tied for the league lead with 10 interceptions.

This would mark the second time that O'Neal would be traded in his career. He was traded to the Bengals in 2004 from the Denver Broncos after four disappointing years there. Over his career, O'Neal has appeared in 100 games, recorded 309 tackles and 31 interceptions. He has also returned 2 punts and 1 kickoff for touchdowns.

The 30-year old cornerback is noted for his ballhawking skills and speed, two traits he would share in common with potential new teammate DeAngelo Hall.

The Falcons showed interest in Detroit Lions cornerback Dre' Bly earlier in the off-season, but Bly was eventually traded to the Denver Broncos. Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino recently indicated that second-year player Jimmy Williams is slated as the starter opposite Hall as of today, but it's clear from the team's reported interest in O'Neal that they are not averse to more help.

Nelson will visit Falcons

NFL.com's Gil Brandt reports that Florida safety Reggie Nelson is scheduled to visit the Falcons. Nelson is often rated as the second-best safety prospect in this year's draft behind LSU's LaRon Landry.

Nelson at 6' 198 pounds ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at his Pro Day in early March, solidifying himself as a probable first round pick. Nelson entered the draft as a junior, namely after a solid junior campaign in which he finished with 51 tackles and 6 interceptions. In two years at Florida after transferring from Coffeyville Community College, Nelson played both cornerback and free safety, combining for 97 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 2 blocked kicks. At his only year at Coffeyville, he had 85 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 5 blocked kicks.

LB Shaw will visit Falcons

Scout.com reports that Penn State linebacker Tim Shaw is another draft prospect that will visit the Falcons prior to the draft. Shaw's visit is scheduled for April 10.

Shaw is a player that has seen his stock shoot up in the past few months, namely due to a solid workout at the Combine in February. There he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash and impressed with his vertical leap (36.5 inches) and bench press (26 reps). Reportedly, he clocked a 4.46 40 at his Pro Day last week.

The 6'2" 236 linebacker is noted for his versatility as well as his athleticism. He played a different position each year at Penn State. He started at defensive end as a senior, recording 28 tackles 4 sacks, and 9 pressures. As a junior, he was the starting right outside linebacker, finishing the year with 76 tackles and 4.5 sacks. As a sophomore, he was a starter at middle linebacker, finishing with 51 tackles and an interception. As a freshman, he was a reserve running back, rushing for 59 yards on 14 carries (4.2 avg).

NFL Draft Scout.com rates him as the fifth best outside linebacker prospect in this year's draft.

Williams, Davis will enter summer as starters

Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino told AJC writer Steve Wyche that Jimmy Williams is expected to be the starter at right cornerback and Chauncey Davis the starter at left defensive end at the start of training camp.

There has been notions that the Falcons may move Williams to free safety this summer, but Petrino seemingly erased them. Although Petrino did indicate that the team will address this position further, which could signal the release of incumbent Jason Webster later this off-season.

Davis has received a lot of playing time the past two years due to injuries to Brady Smith and Patrick Kerney. He is expected to replace Kerney in the starting lineup, who signed with the Seattle Seahawks this off-season. The Falcons are still likely to address this position in the draft, but at this point are unlikely to sign a veteran free agent.

Petrino also indicated that second-year tight end Daniel Fells would get an opportunity for increased playing time, particularly when the offense utilizes a H-back. That possibility could spell the end of Eric Beverly's tenure as a Falcon.

Jackson sues Falcons

Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson has filed suit against the Falcons according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC. The suit is related to allegations that the franchise released private medical information last spring. According to Jackson's lawyer, the Falcons released personal health information in relation to possible heart issues, which constitutes an invasion of privacy and defamation.

Last spring, the Falcons attempted to sign Jackson, but reports said he had weighed 400 pounds and failed his physical. The Falcons would later sign Jackson in August, when his weight was down.

Ledbetter writes that is rare for a player to file suit against the team that he currently plays for. Team spokesman Reggie Roberts indicated that this is part of a ploy from Jackson and his agent to get a new contract.

The Falcons have been in recent talks with free agent defensive tackles and claimed Anthony Bryant off waivers earlier today. It is unknown how this potential suit will play out down the road and whether or not Jackson plans to play for the Falcons this year with the suit pending. Thus far, Jackson has been absent from the team's off-season conditioning program.

Falcons claim Bryant

The Falcons signed defensvie tackle Anthony Bryant, claiming him off waivers. He was released by the Detroit Lions on Monday. Bryant appeared in four games last season, starting the final three for the Lions at nose tackle due to injuries. He finished the season with 8 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.

The massive 337-pounder was sixth round pick of the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2005. He played in four games with the Bucs as a rookie before being released prior to the start of the 2006 season. He spent half the season on the Bucs practice squad before being signed by the Lions late in the year.

This move may mean the end of the teams attempts to bolster the nose tackle position. The team had been in talks with free agents Ian Scott and Seth Payne, but seemingly broke off talks this past weekend. Bryant is expected compete with Tommy Jackson and Darrell Shropshire for a backup position behind Grady Jackson this upcoming summer.

Two compensatory picks awarded to Falcons

The Falcons will receive two more draft picks this upcoming April, bringing their total to 10. The two picks are among 32 compensatory draft picks handed out by the league each year. They are awarded to teams based off an undisclosed formula that compensates them for lost free agents from the prior year. These picks are added at the end of rounds 3 through 7 of the draft.

Although not officially known, the Falcons two picks likely correspond to the free agent losses of offensive linemen Kevin Shaffer and Barry Stokes last off-season.

The first of the two picks will be the 34rth pick in round 4, or 133rd overall. The other pick will be the 34th pick of round 7, or 244th overall. The Falcons now have a draft pick in each round, along with two picks in the second round and three in round four. The team previously had given up its seventh round pick to the New Orleans Saints as part of the conditions that netted offensive tackle Wayne Gandy last year.

By rule, compensatory picks cannot be traded.

Falcons will host Colts on Thanskgiving Night

The league announced that the Falcons will play host to Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts on Thanksgiving Night in 2007. This is the second ever Thanksgiving game for the Falcons, after playing the Detroit Lions in 2005. It will also mark the first time a Thanksgiving Day game will be played in the Georgia Dome.

It also marks the third consecutive season in which the Falcons hosted the defending Super Bowl champion, after squaring off with the Pittsburgh Steelers this past year, and the New England Patriots in 2005.

The game will begin at 8:15 EST and will be aired on the NFL Network. The remainder of the 2007 schedule will not be announced until early next month.

Interest in Scott and Rattay waning

AJC writer Steve Wyche writes that the Falcons interest in signing defensive tackle Ian Scott and quarterback Tim Rattay is waning. Wyche indicates that the reasons for this lessening pursuit is unknown currently.

Conflicting sources expected that Scott would choose to sign soon with a team, either the Falcons or his former team the Chicago Bears, but that seems unlikely at this point.

The team was in talks with Rattay about joining the team as the primary backup to Michael Vick, replacing a recently traded Matt Schaub. It is unknown if the team has lost interest in free agent passer Anthony Wright as well.

Falcons remain interested in free agent QBs

D. Orlando Ledbetter reports that the Falcons have contacted free agent passer Tim Rattay about their backup quarterback position. The Falcons signed free agent Chris Redman last week, but since he has not thrown a pass in a game since 2003, the Falcons feel like the position could be addressed further.

The AJC article also writes that the Falcons remain interested in quarterback Anthony Wright about taking over the position. ESPN has even reported that former Falcon passer Jeff George has contacted the team about joining them. Although it's doubtful that the Falcons have serious interest in George. George has not thrown a pass in an NFL game since 2001.

Rattay spent the past two seasons with the Buccaneers. He started two games last season, going 1-1. His 88.2 passer rating, 60.4 completion percentage, and 4:2 touchdown-interception ratio were the highest on the team. He began the 2005 season as the starter for the 49ers, but was benched after the team started off 1-3 under him. The 49ers traded him to the Bucs prior to the trading deadline, and he was inactive for most of the remaining season.

Over five and half seasons with the 49ers, he started a total of 16 games, going 4-12. He was an efficient passer, completing 60.8% of his passes for 3941 yards, with 24 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, and a passer rating of 81.6.

Anthony Wright most recently played with the Cincinnati Bengals. He only threw 3 passes last season, but completed all of them for 31 yards. He started 7 games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005, completing 61.7% of his passes for 1582 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. The Ravens went 2-5 in that span. In 2003, he finished the season as the starter as well, with the team going 5-2 in his seven-game span as the starter. The Falcons would mark the fifth team of Wright since joining the league as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1999. There was also a two-year span where he was a backup in Dallas.

It is likely that the team will try and add a more experienced backup such as Rattay or Wright to handle the No. 2 position behind Michael Vick. That position was recently vacated when the Falcons decided to trade Matt Schaub to the Texans. That would mean that Redman is expected to push D.J. Shockley and James Kilian for the No. 3 position on the depth chart.

Scott now expected to sign with Falcons

AJC writer D. Orlando Ledbetter projected that Scott would re-sign with the Chicago Bears today. However, John Mullin of the Chicago Tribune and Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald both write that due to the Bears signing of free agent Anthony Adams, free agent Ian Scott is now expected to sign with the Falcons.

It's unknown which of the conflicting reports is more accurate. There has been no formal timetable for Scott to make a decision.

Falcons negotiating with Scott

Several sources, including the AJC, indicate that the Falcons are in the midst of negotiations with free agent defensive tackle Ian Scott, of the Chicago Bears.

Scott, a run stuffer, has been key to the success of Bears Pro Bowl linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs the past few seasons, since he is able to keep blockers off them. He entered the starting lineup in 2004, which was his best season in which he recorded 44 tackles and 2 sacks. He only started 8 games last year, partially due to the emergence Tank Johnson. He finished the year with 22 tackles.

Scott would play the nose tackle positon, a move that could potentially push starter Grady Jackson off the roster. ESPN's Len Pasquarelli writes that the Falcons brass may be weary about potential looming weight and contract issues with Jackson, and the Denver Post even mentions him as a potential cap casualty later in the spring or summer.

Scott visited the Minnesota Vikings last week, and the Bears are still reportedly interested in retaining Scott due to Johnson's four-month jail sentence.

Falcons sign kicker

The Falcons signed free agent kicker Aaron Elling. Elling's addition may mean the end of Morten Andersen's brief comeback to the NFL.

Elling has not been successful on a field goal attempt since the season opener in 2004. He was released by the Ravens this past summer. His last stint in the league was in 2005 with the Ravens, where he served primarily as their kickoff specialist. He had a single field goal attempt that season, missing a 54-yard attempt.

Elling's most extensive experience came in 2003 with the Minnesota Vikings. He connected on 18 of 25 field goals (72%) that season, finishing with 102 points. Over his career, Elling has kicked off 148 times, averaging 61.6 yards per kick, with 3 touchbacks. He also has experience as a punter. He has punted the ball a total of 7 times for 304 yards (43.4 avg) with 2 placed inside the 20-yard line.

He originally entered the league in 2001 as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins. He failed to catch on in Miami, as well as with the Seahawks the following summer before finally landing in Minnesota in 2003.

Currently, the Falcons are without a kicker on their roster. With Elling signed, the Falcons won't be pressured to add a kicker in the draft, but it's likely they will bring in some competition for him.

Barbre also on Falcons pre-draft lists

Scout.com reports that Missouri Southern State offensive tackle Allen Barbre is another draft prospect scheduled to visit the Falcons in the coming weeks.

The 6'4" 300 Division II All-American impressed at last month's combine. His 4.84 40-yard dash time was the fastest among all offensive linemen, and his 32-inch vertical leap and 28 bench reps of 225-pounds also were among the tops at his position, displaying his excellent all-around athleticism.

Barbre was a fixture at left tackle for Missouri Southern since midway through his freshman season and recorded 2254 knockdowns over his career.

He is rated as the tenth best offensive tackle by NFL Draft Countdown, and is considered a second day prospect by NFL Draft Scout. However, there is some debate on whether Barbre will begin his NFL career at tackle or guard.

Falcons sign Redman

NFL.com's Adam Schefter reports that the Falcons agreed to a one-year deal with former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Chris Redman.

Redman, 29, was a third round pick by the Ravens in 2000. He struggled with injuries through four years with that team. During his tenure, he started 6 of 10 games, passing for 1111 yards, completing 53.5% of his 198 attempts, and throwing 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He has a career passer rating of 71.3. He began the 2002 as the Ravens starter, before being replaced near midseason by Jeff Blake due to a back injury.

Redman's last stint in the league was in the summer of 2005 with the Tennessee Titans.

This is not the first time the Falcons have pursued Redman, as they sought him back in 2004 to potentially serve as a No. 3 to Michael Vick and Ty Detmer. However, any pursuit of Redman ended when the team decided to draft Matt Schaub.

Redman adds valuable experience, due to his time at Louisville where he played under Falcons coach Bobby Petrino in 1998. That season he passed for over 4000 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Vick says water bottle concealed jewelry

Michael Vick, speaking on the subject of the incident that occurred at Miami International Airport in January for the first time, indicated that the confiscated water bottle he carried was used to conceal jewelry.

Vick indicated that it was used to protect jewelry, after having previous incidents in which jewelry had been stolen out of hotels.

Vick indicated that upon meeting new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino for the first time after departing Miami, Petrino simply brushed off the incident.

An AJC article by Steve Wyche disputes the notion that on that particular day whether or not the bottle was concealing jewelry.

Falcons move up in draft as part of Schaub trade

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that not only will the Falcons receive the Texans second round pick in this year's draft, but also their second round pick in 2008, and the teams will swap first round picks. The Texans currently pick 8th in the draft, while the Falcons pick 10th.

Although the trade has been agreed upon by both teams, it will only be finalized once the Texans reach a contract agreement with Schaub. Currently, Schaub is under a one-year restricted free agent tender of $2.35 million.

The acquisition of two draft picks, gives the Falcons a total of eight this year, and eight next year. The Texans second round selection is the 39th overall, and the Falcons still have the 44th overall pick in that round. The possibility now stands that the Falcons could potentially package those two second round picks with their first round selection to move up as high as the third overall pick, based off the generic trade value chart found on many draft sites.

It has been rumored that the team is interested in moving up to acquire Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson.

Schaub dealt to Texans

In today's Houston Chronicle, John McClain reported that the Texans were in the midst of working out a deal to acquire Matt Schaub. NFL.com's Adam Schefter adds that the deal will be done by the end of the day, and the Texans will surrender at least a second round pick for the fourth-year passer.

Rumors of Schaub being traded have persisted since last off-season. Despite only starting two games thus far in his NFL career, Schaub had performed relatively well. It has been rumored that several teams have been interested in his services, including the Texans, Browns, and Raiders this off-season.

Schaub will have the opportunity to replace Texans passer David Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in 2002. Carr has struggled since entering the league, and has a record of 22-53 as a starter and a career passer rating of 75.5.

Schaub's departure makes way for backup D.J. Shockley to assume the No. 2 spot. Shockley was a seventh round pick last season, although it's been rumored by various sources that the Falcons may also seek to add a veteran between now and the summer.

This trade also shows a vote of confidence from new coach Bobby Petrino to incumbent starter Michael Vick. Rumors of a potential quarterback controversy have been brewing in Atlanta since Petrino took over. It was said that for that reason, it was unlikely that the Falcons would trade Schaub.

Wright scheduled to work out for Falcons

NFL.com's Pat Kirwan reports that UNLV cornerback Eric Wright will work out for the Falcons on April 17.

Wright has recently been said to be climbing many draft boards this off-season, and some draft sites have indicated him as having one of the better off-seasons of any prospect.

At the Combine, Wright ran a 4.36 40-yard dash, tied for second among players at his position. The Falcons interest in Wright is somewhat surprising consider past off-field incidents involving Wright at USC, which caused him to transfer to UNLV. In 2004, Wright was charged with rape. The charges were later dropped, when the alleged victim failed to testify. The Falcons are considered one of teams that most thoroughly scrutinizes players and prospects such as Wright with "character concerns."

His sole season at USC, he recorded 33 tackles and 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups. This past year with UNLV, his only with at school, he recorded 29 tackles, 1 interception, and 8 breakups.

Falcons will work out Irons

According to Scout.com, the Falcons will schedule a private workout with Auburn cornerback David Irons.

The 5'10" 190-pound, corner earned All-SEC honors the past two years. He combined for 88 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 23 pass breakups in that span. At the Combine, Irons ran a 4.44 40-yard dash.

He is rated as a mid-round prospect by NFL Draft Countdown. He is the brother of Auburn running back Kenny Irons, another prospect in this year's draft.

Falcons to work out Black

John Murphy of Yahoo! Sports reports that New Mexico linebacker Quincy Black is scheduled to work out for the Atlanta Falcons at a future date.

Last year, Black recorded 114 tackles, 1 sack, and 3 interceptions, playing a hybrid linebacker/safety position that was famously played by Brian Urlacher during his career at New Mexico. Most experts believe he will play outside linebacker in the NFL, and is rated as a middle round prospect by NFL Draft Countdown and NFL Draft Scout.

At the Combine in Indianapolis, Black measured in at 6'2" 250 pounds and ran a 4.42 40-yard dash, the fastest among all the linebacker prospects. He also had a 41.5-inch vertical leap and 10'4" broad jump, also bests among linebackers, showing he is one of the best athletes at that position in this year's draft.

According to Murphy, Black also has private workouts with the Buccaneers, Bears, Panthers, and Rams.

Falcons bulk up OL with Fonoti

The Falcons signed Miami Dolphins offensive guard Toniu Fonoti to a one-year contract according to Scout.com's Adam Caplan.

Fonoti, listed at 6'4" 350 pounds is a massive interior blocker that will likely have the chance to earn a starting position with the Falcons at left guard. The Falcons released the incumbent starter, Matt Lehr, more than a week ago.

After a promising start to his career in 2002 where he started 14 games for the San Diego Chargers as a second round pick, injuries and weight concerns have hampered Fonoti since. He missed the entire 2003 with a foot injury. He came back to start every game for the Chargers in 2004, but was traded the Vikings midway through the 2005 season. He managed only 3 starts in Minnesota before a groin injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year. He failed to make the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster last summer, but was picked up by the Dolphins in November and appeared in six games.

Reportedly, Fonoti's weight ballooned up to over 400 pounds last spring with the Buccaneers, but he managed to bring the weight down to 370 by the start of training camp. Previously, he had signed with the Oakland Raiders, but had failed his physical due to his excessive weight, freeing him up to sign with the Buccaneers.

Falcons looking at Mare

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Falcons are potentially in talks with the Miami Dolphins to acquire kicker Olindo Mare via trade. Other teams that may also be potential destinations for Mare are the Browns, Saints, and Giants according to Harvey Fialkov's article.

The Dolphins signed kicker Jay Feely a week ago, which made Mare's departure a sure thing. However his departure from Miami has been expected for some time after coming off a career low season in which he connected on only 72.2% of his 36 field goals. He missed a career high 10 field goals. He's a career 80.9% field goal kicker, but has only matched or exceeded that total once since 2001, which came in 2005 when he connected on 83.3% of his field goals. Despite being unspectacular as a field goal kicker, Mare is one of the top kickoff guys in the league. He led the league in touchbacks last season.

Although kickoffs has not been much of an issue with the Falcons since Michael Koenen took over those duties in 2005. Koenen finished fifth in the league in terms of touchbacks last season.

Although Mare's field goal kicking has been ordinary in recent years, he has managed to connected on nearly 90% of his kicks indoors throughout his career, making 24 of 27 indoor kicks.

How serious the Falcons are in acquiring Mare is unknown. Last year, kicking duties were handled by 46-year old Morten Andersen. Andersen proved successful, making 87% of his field goals. But he had an obvious lack of leg strength, and the team deferred to Michael Koenen often when kicks were beyond 45 yards. Mare, however has the leg strength to kick from beyond 50, having made half of his 20 attempts from that range over the past five seasons. Currently, among the teams in potential trade talks, the Giants and Falcons are the only ones without a proven kicker on the roster.

Falcons come to terms with Horn

It's official, the Falcons have agreed to a deal with free agent receiver Joe Horn, according to AJC writer Steve Wyche. It was reported earlier Wednesday afternoon by ESPN, but denied by Falcons officials.

Terms of Horn's contract are not yet known, although Wyche reports it is believed to be at least three years long with guarantees worth around $2 million. That would mean the deal could be similar in size and structure to the two-year deal the 49ers gave former Falcons wideout Ashley Lelie. Lelie signed a two-year contract worth $4.3 million, including a $2 million signing bonus.

It could be considered a bargain, considering Horn is a four-time Pro Bowler that still has been productive even at age 35. However, Horn's production has tailed off the past two seasons, partially due to injuries. The past two seasons, Horn has missed a combined 9 games, but still managed to catch 86 passes for 1333 yards and 5 touchdowns. In his previous five seasons with the Saints, Horn averaged 87 catches for 1258 yards and 9 touchdowns per year.

Falcons close to signing Horn

ESPN's Michael Smith reported that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn had reached an agreement with the Falcons. However, team spokesman Reggie Roberts indicated no agreement had been reached, and Horn remains unsigned at this point. But they are close.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that Horn was planning to visit the Green Bay Packers at some point later this week. If this will complicate matters is unknown at this point.

Horn first arrived in Atlanta on Monday to talk to team officials and take a physical. Horn has a chance to contribute immediately as a starter. Ashley Lelie, who started ten games last season at wide receiver, signed with the 49ers over the weekend.

Falcons sign Sanders

The Falcons signed Houston Texans cornerback Lewis Sanders to a two-year contract.

Sanders started seven games for the Houston Texans, before a broken hand forced him on the injured reserve in November. He finished the year with 37 tackles and 6 pass breakups. He's started 19 of 73 career games, and tallied 5 interceptions in that span.

Originally, a fourth round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2000. Sanders contributed mostly as a nickel back and on special teams as a Brown. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2004, but was cut in training camp. He returned to the Browns that season before joining the Texans in 2005.

Sanders likely will be asked to play a reserve role with the Falcons. His addition to the roster could mean that the team will think about cutting cornerback Jason Webster. It's likely that either Webster, the incumbent, or second-year man Jimmy Williams will be the starter at right cornerback this year. Sanders will challenge Allen Rossum for a reserve role.

Kerney chooses Seattle

Patrick Kerney signed a six-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks. According to his agent, the deal was worth $39.5 million and included $19.5 million in guaranteed money. Kerney joins Ashley Lelie as the second Falcon free agent to seek greener pastures outside Atlanta.

Only linebacker Keith Brooking has been a Falcon for longer than Patrick Kerney, who came to Atlanta as a first round pick in 1999. Kerney rejoins former Falcons head coach Jim Mora in Seattle. Mora coaches the Seahawks secondary.

Kerney's career 58 sacks rank third all-time on the Falcons list behind Claude Humphrey and Chuck Smith. This past season, Kerney missed his first action since joining the Falcons. He had played in 121 consecutive games for the Falcons, but that streak ended when he tore a pectoral muscle. Kerney finished the season, making 9 appearances, with 4.5 sacks and 18 tackles. It marked the lowest sack total of Kerney since his first year as a starter, which was 2000.

Kerney voided the last two years of his contract that he signed in 2002, allowing him to hit the free agent market. The Falcons had been in negotiations with him to give him a new contract since December, but an agreement was not able to be reached. Kerney himself, indicated that any changes to the coaching staff would weigh heavily on his decision to return to Atlanta.

Kerney's departure leaves a void at the defensive end spot. The most likely candidate to fill his job will be Chauncey Davis. Davis started the final seven games of the season at left defensive end in Kerney's absence. Davis also started seven games in place of John Abraham at the right end spot. He finished the season with 43 tackles and a sack. Defensive end also figures to be a target early in the draft by most accounts.

Kerney to choose between Seattle and Denver soon

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that Patrick Kerney is expected to decide between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks by Tuesday morning.

Kerney visited both teams over the weekend. It would seem unlikely at this point that he has any interest in returning to the Falcons.

Lehr released

The Falcons cut guard Matt Lehr. It was far from an unexpected move. Lehr was the player most likely to suffer in the change in offensive philosophy under new coach Bobby Petrino. Petrino stressed bring in a power-oriented offense, that featured more size and physical play up front, as opposed to the blocking schemes employed by the Falcons under Jim Mora, where blocking guru Alex Gibbs preferred smaller, quicker players for his zone-blocking scheme.

Lehr's departure opens a hole at left guard now. Tyson Clabo could fill in for him. Clabo started 10 games last year, most of which came as replacement for Kynan Forney at right guard. But he did start in place of Lehr versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, which was the first game that Lehr missed due to a midseason four-game suspension.

The team visited with Seattle Seahawks guard Floyd Womack on Saturday. Womack played left guard mostly for the Seahawks in 2006, but has experience starting at all line positions except center during his six-year NFL career. Dolphins guard Toniu Fonoti is also a guard that the Falcons have expressed interest in.

The timing of Lehr's release may indicate that the Falcons are close to signing his potential replacement.

The Falcons also released long snapper Gavin Tarquinio. Tarquinio, an undrafted rookie last year missed the entire season due to injury.

Kerney a goner?

Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney may quickly follow wide receiver Ashley Lelie, as the second Falcon free agent to move on to a new team. Kerney had a busy opening weekend to free agency. He visited the Denver Broncos on Friday, a team that has long been rumored to be interested in him. The Broncos hired former Falcons defensive line coach Bill Johnson in January, and Kerney has indicated that would play a role in where he decided to sign.

On Saturday, Kerney flew from Denver to Seattle to visit the Seahawks. Reportedly, former Falcons head coach Jim Mora was on the flight that carried Kerney away from Denver. Mora took over as secondary coach for the Seahawks after being fired by the Falcons at the end of the season.

The Falcons havebeen interested in retaining Kerney, but he was expected to be a hot commodity once he became available on the free agent market. The Broncos already offered him a contract. Whether he leaves Seattle with a contract offer in hand is not yet known, but could be expected. It may be difficult for the Falcons to match any offer that either the Broncos or Seahawks submit.

The Falcons other major free agent, fullback Justin Griffith, visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday. But no deal seems imminent.

Lelie signs with 49ers

Ashley Lelie became the first of the Falcons several free agents to depart for another team, signing a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Lelie was acquired by the Falcons last August, in a three-way trade which sent running back T.J. Duckett to Washington, and Lelie was sent over from Denver. Lelie would eventually earn the starting job opposite Michael Jenkins after the first month of the season. He finished with 28 catches for 430 yards (15.4 avg) and 1 score.

He was originally a first round pick by the Broncos in 2002, but had been a disappointment for the most part in his four years in Denver. Lelie will likely have a chance to start for the 49ers in 2007, after they release their leading receiver Antonio Bryant this off-season.

Lelie's role on the Falcons may be replaced by veteran receiver Joe Horn, who could be visiting the team at some point this weekend. Also the team could promote 2005 first round pick Roddy White into the starting lineup permanently. White started the five games early last year, before losing his job to Lelie.

Falcons add Wilkins

The Falcons reached a three-year agreement with linebacker Marcus Wilkins on Friday. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Wilkins signed a three-year contract worth $3 million including a $500,000 signing bonus.

Wilkins's addition lessens the loss of linebacker Ike Reese. He is a five-year veteran that has spent the majority of his time in the league performing on special teams. He has recorded a total of 6 tackles on defense in his career. In 2006, he recorded 14 special teams tackles, with 17 and 24 recorded respectively in 2005 and 2004.

The 27-year old free agent pickup began his career with the Green Bay Packers in 2002 and has played the majority of his career at the weakside linebacker position. He joined the Bengals in 2004.

Falcons sign Mughelli

Needing to upgrade the blocking at the fullback position, the Falcons targeted the player widely considered the best blocker in the free agent class.

Mughelli's signing likely ends the tenure of Justin Griffith as a Falcon. Mughelli and Griffith were considered top fullbacks in the 2003 draft class. Mughelli was drafted by the Ravens 13 spots behind where the Falcons took Griffith.

In his first season as the starting fullback, Mughelli was touted for his hard-hitting and fierce blocking style. He caught 21 passes with 2 touchdowns, and also rushed 12 times for 50 yards (4.2 avg). He started 5 games in 2005, but mostly as a replacement for injured Alan Ricard.

Petrino's offense prefers a more physical lead blocker than Griffith would provide. Mughelli gives the Falcons that. He is also a skilled special teams player, having recorded 30 tackles on special teams the past two seasons.

John Clayton of ESPN.com reports that Mughelli received a six-year contract worth $18 million with a $5 million signing bonus. It makes him the highest-paid fullback in the league.

Falcons release Hartwell and Reese

The Falcons released linebackers Ed Hartwell and Ike Reese today. Both players were significant free agent signings for the team in 2005, but for various reasons did not live up to expectations.

Hartwell, a pickup from Baltimore, was attempting to emerge from the shadow of Ray Lewis in Atlanta. But injuries and merely adequate play prevented that. Hartwell missed a total of 19 games the past two seasons due to several different injuries. In his 13 appearances, he recorded only 62 tackles. It was a notable drop from his production as Lewis's teammate in Baltimore, having recorded at least 94 tackles in each year as a starter with the Ravens.

Hartwell signed a six-year contract worth $26.25 million in 2005. According to Steve Wyche of the AJC, the Falcons opted to release Hartwell under a new rule in the CBA, which allows teams to cut players prior to June 1, with the same cap ramifications as a post-June 1 release. That means, the Falcons can defer the majority of his remaining signing bonus (roughly $5 million) as dead money in 2008, as opposed to 2007. Although by the same rule, the Falcons will have to carry the weight of Hartwell's $2.88 million base salary until June.

Reese was originally signed to compete for a starting job at strongside linebacker and upgrade the teams' special teams unit. Reese earned a Pro Bowl bid as a special teams player with the Eagles in 2004. However, he lost the starting job to Demorrio Williams in 2005. In two seasons with the Falcons, he recorded a total of 23 tackles on special teams.

These moves open up roster space at linebacker, which now could become an area of focus in the draft or free agency. It's likely that the starting trio of Keith Brooking, Demorrio Williams, and Michael Boley that has been seen for the majority fo the past two seasons will remain intact for 2007. Hartwell's release opens up opportunity for 2005 third round pick Jordan Beck to earn more playing time. However, the team will likely look to upgrade depth on the outside with Reese gone.