Falcons sign Blalock and QB

As an update to previous reports, the Falcons did come to terms with second round draft pick Justin Blalock on Thursday. Blalock agreed to a five-year deal. Blalock began his Falcon career on Friday taking snaps with the first team at left guard, where he will be attempting to hold off Toniu Fonoti for the starting role.

Also the Falcons signed free agent QB Lang Campbell. Campbell will fill the role of fourth quarterback during training camp as the Falcons are without Michael Vick for an indefinite amount of time.

Campbell most recently spent time with the Austin Wranglers of the Arena Football League this past spring, passing for 2279 yards and 41 touchdowns. Prior to that he played with the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe the previous spring. He has spent the past two training camps with the Cleveland Browns, but has failed to make the roster each time. He spent the final week of the 2006 season inactive as the Browns third quarterback.

He was an undrafted rookie in 2005 out of William & Mary, where he won the Walter Payton Award as a senior, given annually to the top player in Division I-AA football.

Vick trial date set for November

Michael Vick plead not guilty at his arraignment today in Richmond, Virginia. Vick will receive a jury trial which is set to begin on November 26, which will coincide with the end of Week 12 of the NFL schedule.

Vick may face up to six years in federal prison and pay around $350,000 in fines if convicted.

According to Lester Munson of ESPN Vick could face further charges down the road due to a "superceding indictment" that will be filed by prosecutors by the end of the month. Charges could be added or eliminated, but per Munson, it is likely they will be added.

Houston, Irons, and Lewis sign

Steve Wyche of the AJC reports that the Falcons have come to terms with three of the five remaining rookies. Most notable among them is second round pick Chris Houston, along with sixth rounders David Irons and Trey Lewis.

Houston agreed to a five-year contract, while both Irons and Lewis signed four-year deals. Houston is expected to compete for a starting position with Lewis Sanders opposite DeAngelo Hall. Irons and Lewis will both be competing for reserve roles at cornerback and defensive tackle, respectively.

Their signings along with the inking of top pick Jamaal Anderson means that only second round pick Justin Blalock remains as the only unsigned rookie among the Falcons eleven player draft class.

Wyche reports that Blalock is expected to be signed before the team takes the practice field at 3:00 pm Thursday.

Anderson agrees to terms

Steve Wyche of the AJC reports that Falcons top draft pick Jamaal Anderson will be signed when practices kick off this afternoon at training camp. Anderson will receive a five-year deal. Per ProFootballTalk.com, it is worth upwards of $31 million and it includes $15.36 million in guaranteed money. There are escalators in years four and five based on playing time and sacks.

This signing makes Anderson the highest first round draft pick to come to terms. He was selected eighth overall. The Falcons have had each of their top draft picks in the past three seasons miss at least one training camp practice. Anderson's signing brings that streak to an end.

He is expected to compete with third-year veteran Chauncey Davis for the starting position at left defensive end, vacating by Patrick Kerney. Not missing any time at camp will allow Anderson to get off to a better start.

Dunn out 3-4 weeks

Steve Wyche of the AJC reports that running back Warrick Dunn underwent back surgery on July 21, and will miss the next three to four weeks. In his absence, second-year back Jerious Norwood is expected to take snaps with the first team.

Dunn's injury may cause him to miss several if not all of the preseason, and might carry over into the early weeks of the regular season.

Wyche also reports that linebacker Demorrio Williams is cleared to practice on Thursday's start to training camp. Williams, who tore his pectoral muscle earlier this off-season was expected to miss some time during the regular season, but his rehabilitation is ahead of schedule.

Falcons to sign another QB

Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino indicated in yesterday's press conference that the Falcons would be in the market to sign another quarterback in the coming days due to the absence of Michael Vick, who has been ordered by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to stay away from camp.

Petrino said that a fourth passer is necessary in order for the team to go through all its camp drills. Who they would sign is unknown at this time, but there have been rumors per Pro Football Talk.com, that recently released quarterback Daunte Culpepper might show up on the Falcons radar.

Also, the Falcons had James Kilian earlier this off-season, but he was released in April in order to make room for Joey Harrington on the roster.

Vick to take leave of absence

Fox 5 Atlanta reports that according to the NFL, Michael Vick is expected to take a leave of absence, stemming from his federal indictment.

Various reports earlier today have indicated that a decision by either Comissioner Roger Goodell or Falcons owner Arthur Blank was expected to occur soon. It has not yet been confirmed if this leave of absence is the decision reached by either party.

UPDATE: Jay Glazer of FOX Sports confirms the FOX 5 report indicated that the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has decided to order Michael Vick to not attend the Falcons upcoming training camp when practices begin this Thursday on July 26. All Falcons players are supposed to report by midnight the previous evening. Vick is scheduled to be at an arraignment on Thursday at 3:30 when the Falcons first practices begin at 3:00 pm Eastern.

Glazer's report indicates that this may be the first of many actions the league decides to take against Vick. This current move is designed to buy more time for more information to be either revealed or processed by the NFL.

It seems that due to this mandate from the league office, Vick will not be found in default of his contract, and the Falcons will not seek to pursue the return of bonus money from Vick in the immediate future.

Williams cited for marijuana possession

According to a report by CBS 46 Atlanta, Falcons defensive back Jimmy Williams was cited on June 2 just outside Richmond, VA for misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Williams has disputed the charges. He was scheduled to make a court appearance last week, which has been pushed back to December 3.

Falcons could recover more than $28 million from Vick

ProFootballTalk.com reports that the Falcons have the ability to recover a large sum of the guaranteed money they paid Michael Vick when he received a ten-year contract extension in 2004 worth a total of $130 million. Due to his federal indicment Vick is set to be arraigned on July 26, the first day of the Falcons 2007 training camp. Missing that day of practice could leave Vick in default of his contract, and thus allow the Falcons to recover a sizeable portion of money.

According to ProFootballTalk, the Falcons could recover $28.7 million of the $37.5 million guaranteed paid in his 2004 extension. That figure is based on how many potential games are left remaining through the extent of Vick's contract, which is du to expire after the 2013 season. The Falcons may not choose to find Vick in default of his contract, by given him written permission to miss practices on July 26 and/or later dates. But the Falcons still hold the option to recover bonus money at a later date, but as time goes on, the potential money recovered will decrease.

Earlier reports suggested that because the majority of Vick's guaranteed money was paid in roster bonuses, it would be less likely the Falcons would be able to recover that money due to arbitration on a grievance filed against former Falcon and Denver Bronco receiver Ashley Lelie last summer. The Broncos sought to recover bonus money from Lelie for holding out of off-season activities, but because it was option bonus money, Lelie was not deemed liable to repay that money. Previous reports suggested that roster bonuses would be treated similarly as option bonus, although the report at ProFootballTalk suggests otherwise.

Blank issues letter to fans

In their second overall, yet arguably first official statement following the indictment of Michael Vick, Falcons owner Arthur Blank issued a letter to the fan base on Thursday evening:

A Message to our Fans:

We know you're anxious to her more from us regarding the indictment of Michael Vick and its implications to the Falcons. Please be assured that we are working diligently on exploring our options and getting the right people involved in this situation.

This is an emotionally charged and complicated matter. There are a wide range of interests and legal issues that need to be carefully considered as we move ahead, including our need to respect the due process that Michael is entitled to. Also, this situation affects everyone -- our club, our players and associates, our sponsors, our fans and the Atlanta community among them -- so we must consider all of our customers in making any decisions.

Given the differing perspctives and strong feelings around this issue, we probably won't make everyone happy, but we are committed to doing the right thing. As the owner of this club that's, ultimately, my responsibility.

In the meantime, know that I'm sadden and distressed about this -- not for myself, but for our fans and community who have been so loyal to us. We will do our very best to continue to earn your support.

Arthur M. Blank
Owner & CEO

No Vick suspension forthcoming

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that the league will exercise patience when it comes to dealing with any punishment on Michael Vick, and has no immediate plans to suspend Vick.

Schefter reports that the league would like to gather more information, particularly about the strength of evidence against Vick and a timetable of the case, before making any real decisions about a potential suspension. Schefter compares the incident to Duke lacrosse rape case, in which Duke University immediately made a decision by cancelling the lacrosse season. Eventually, all charges against the Duke players were dropped.

Any upcoming disciplinary action will likely be meted out by Falcons owner Arthur Blank instead of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Schefter reports that it is possible the Falcons give Vick a leave of absence, allowing him to concentrate on legal matters instead of football. This action was originally suggested by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News on Wednesday. This would keep Vick out of training camp where a probable media circus would occur and create far less of a distraction to the rest of the team.

Schefter also reports that it will be difficult for the Falcons to recoup the $37 million in bonus money paid to Vick, because most of it was roster bonuses instead of strictly signing bonuses.

Vick to face local charges

Tim McGlone of the Virginian-Pilot reports that it is "more than likely" that Vick will also face local prosecution from Surry County officials in tandem with his federal conspiracy charges.

Originally, when federal officials "intervened" per Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald Poindexter in early June, it was believed that any case local officials may have had against Vick was unlikely to come to fruition.

Poindexter indicates that any local case will focus on crimes committed in Surry County, instead of the interstate commerce which is where a significant amount of the federal case lies.

There has been much controversy during the local investigation, most of centering around race. Poindexter, who is black, has been criticized for leading a weak and intentionally stalled investigation due the fact that Vick is a high-profile black celebrity. Poindexter has denied these claims, and recently has indicated the speed at which their investigation has progressed has been hindered because local officials are waiting for federal officials to share crucial information.

Evidence is expected to go before a grand jury in Surry County on September 25. Another grand jury is set to convene at the end of this month, but it is considered doubtful that they will hear evidence in the Vick case then.

Vick already faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 on federal conspiracy charges. Cruelty to animals and participating in dogfight are both felonies in the state of Virginia.

Vick to be arraigned at start of camp

Per an AJC report, Michael Vick is set to be arraigned at 4 pm in a federal court in Richmond, Virginia on July 26, the same day that practices for training camp kick off for the Falcons. The first Falcons practice is scheduled for 3:00 in the afternoon, with Vick set to appear for a bond hearing at 3:30. It seems as a result, that it is nearly impossible that Vick will report on time to training camp.

The Falcons already issued a preliminary statement Tuesday evening, but may release a second statement later today.

Falcons sign 3 draft picks

The Falcons signed three of their eight remaining draft picks today: WR Laurent Robinson, TE Martrez Milner, and OL Doug Datish. All three players received four-year contracts. Terms of their contracts were undisclosed, although based on previous contracts given to their 2007 draft class, all three will receive minimum base salaries through the next four seasons.

Robinson was selected in the third round out of Illinois State. He is expected to compete for a reserve role with the Falcons, especially now that Brian Finneran has been ruled out for the entire year.

Milner was the second fourth round pick selected by the Falcons out of Georgia. He will be competing for the backup spot behind starter Alge Crumpler along with Dwayne Blakley and Daniel Fells.

Datish was the third of the team's four sixth round draft choices out of Ohio State. He's expected to fill the reserve role behind Todd McClure at center.

Previously, fourth round pick Stephen Nicholas, sixth rounder Daren Stone, and running back Jason Snelling signed four-year deals.

Falcons begin training camp practices on July 26, 2007.

Vick may be suspended

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that Vick is expected to be suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league's new player conduct policy due to his federal indictment.

Cole reports that Vick's suspension will likely be as a result of lying to the commissioner in April when the two met face-to-face during the first day of the NFL Draft, only days after the allegations of dogfighting first broke. Vick denied having any involvement and knowledge about the issue to Goodell.

The NFL released a statement yesterday when news broke of the indictment:

We are disappointed that Michael Vick has put himself in a position where a federal grand jury has returned an indictment against him. We will continue to closely monitor developments in this case, and to cooperate with law enforcement authorities. The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Michael Vick's guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts. The matter will be reviewed under the League's Personal Conduct Policy.

The league's statement implies that the commissioner will give Vick due process before meting out any punishment. Various sources have also reported that the goal of the new stricter player conduct policy is to deal with repeat offenders. All players that have suspended up to now, including Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, Tank Johnson, Jared Allen, among others have had more than one offense. Despite some precarious incidents, Vick has had no previous formal legal issues to qualify him as a repeat offender.

Vick indicted

An 18-page document details the federal indictment of Falcons quarterback Michael Vick by Grand Jury on charges of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to aid in unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture.

Vick is named along with three others: Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips, and Tony Taylor for purchasing and developing property to serve as the main staging area for housing and training pit bulls for dogfights and for also hosting such fights. This property of course is the 1915 Moonlight Road address in Smithfield, VA that has been searched by both local and federal authorities beginning on April 25, 2007.

According to the documents, Vick purchased this property in late June 2001 for $34,000, after the four collectively decided early that year to start this venture. Vick was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Draft in April of 2001. Between 2002 and 2005, the group under the name of "Bad Newz Kennels" developed the property at Moonlight Road, by building a house, fence, sheds, and kennels for housing and training the dogs.

The documents also detail several incidents where dogs were executed, most of which as result of faring poorly in" testing" exercises. As recently as April of this past year, Peace, Phillips, and Vick are named in executing 8 dogs by various methods including hanging, drowning, and slamming one dog's body into the ground. It is the only time in which Vick is directly named in the execution of any dogs. Although in March 2003, after consulting with Vick, Peace electrocuted a dog. According to the documents, Peace also executed 3 other dogs by shooting, with Phillips doing the same for one dog, and Taylor killing two dogs by shooting and electrocution.

Fights were detailed as well in the documents, beginning in 2002 and running through 2005, in which purses ranged from $1,000 up to $26,000 for the sponsors of the victorious dog.

A PDF version of the file is viewable and downloadable via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's website.

Vick unlikely to be indicted

ESPN reports that Vick is unlikely to be indicted according to sources cited by Chris Mortensen. According to the report, authorities have indicated a lack of evidence that can tie Vick to the dogfighting ring.

Earlier today, federal investigators executed their second search of the property, which coincided with the released of papers they had filed earlier in the week indicated that dogfighting did occur on the property. However, Vick was not named in these documents and no charges have yet to be filed.

According to the ESPN report, at least three people are expected to be indicted, none of whom have been identified, but none are expected to be Vick.

Feds: Dog fighting occurred on Vick's property

According to an Associated Press report federal investigators filed papers earlier this week indicating that the former property owned by Michael Vick in Surry County, Virginia was an area where dogfighting occurred.

The documents filed on Monday say that the property was a "main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved." However, Vick nor any other individuals were listed in the documents and no charges have been filed. However, Bad Newz Kennels is listed as the entity that was sponsoring dogfights at the property since at least 2002. The documents list that dog fights linked to this property and that group were staged in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

The documents list collected evidence from the property from the initial April search, in which fifty three pit bulls were recovered, a rape stand, an electric treadmill modified for dogs, and a bloody carpet. Federal investigators became involved in this case when they executed a search of the property in early June. During that search, they recovered the bodies of seven dead pit bulls.

State investigators have been accused of stalling the investigation, and according to a spokesperson for the Virginia State Police are serving in an assistance role with the federal investigation.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has linked to the documents (PDF file).