The Falcons awarded 3rd round compensatory pick

The Falcons were awarded a compensatory third round draft pick by the NFL. The Falcons were one of four teams to receive a third round pick and will pick 35th in Round Three, or the 98th overall pick in the draft.

Annually, the league awards 32 compensatory draft selections to teams that lose free agents in the previous year's off-season. Only certain free agents are considered, and it's not a requirement that there is a net loss. The formula for determining it is a closely guarded secret, although there have been some attempts by outsiders to crack it. The Falcons were compensating due to the losses of Patrick Kerney, Justin Griffinth, and Ashley Lelie last off-season.

The Falcons now hold eleven total draft picks, including six in the Top 103 selections. Compensatory picks are not eligible to be traded.

Upcoming work outs with Brohm and McRae

According to Carlos "Big C" Holmes of the Dayton Daily News, the Falcons will work out Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm next week. According to Holmes, Brohm had a phenomenal pro day and performed brilliantly this past Monday. Earlier this off-season, Holmes reported that Brohm is the top quarterback on the Falcons draft board, ahead of Matt Ryan, who is the popular choice for experts in multiple mock drafts.

Also Holmes reports that the Falcons have a private workout scheduled for Ohio University running back Kalvin McRae on April 10 as well. McRae was one of the nation's top rushers this past year, with 1,434 rushing yards. For his career, McRae rushed for 4,398 yards at Ohio, while also catching 84 passes and scoring 49 touchdowns. NFLDraftCountdown.com ranks him as the 28th best running back in this year's class, making him a possibility as a late round or undrafted rookie pickup.

Falcons check out prospects at the Rock pro day

Slippery Rock University's Online Rocket reports that the Falcons were the lone NFL team represented at the Slippery Rock pro day. There they watched offensive tackle Mike Butterworth, the team's only viable pro prospect. Slippery Rock head coach George Mihalik was quoted as saying the Falcons have serious interest in Butterworth. The 6'7" 305 offensive tackle was a highly honored player in Division II football this year. Mihalik had also worked out at Duquesne's pro day last week. Butterworth, a three-year starter at SRU is ranked the 39th best offensive tackle this year by NFLDraftScout.com, and likely will be an undrafted rookie free agent.

Also, the Falcons were on hand to look at SRU track athlete Brad Mueller, who ran a reported 4.24 40 at the pro day. Mueller recently won the 60-meter dash at the Division II National Champonship. Mueller, 5'11" 175, was a reserve safety who had 17 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery as a senior.

Vick trial delayed to June

The AP reports that Michael Vick's trial for charges brought by the state of Virginia has been rescheduled for June 27. Originally the trial was set for April 2, but due to bureaucratic issues such as transportation it was delayed. Vick is currently serving time in federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Falcons to work out more QB prospects

Adam Caplan of Scout.com reports that in addition to the upcoming workout with Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco, the Falcons also plan to hold private workouts with Michigan's Chad Henne and USC's John David Booty by next week, if they already have not done so. Previous reports have indicated that the team has worked out or will do so with other top signal callers including Brian Brohm of Louisville, Boston College's Matt Ryan, and Kentucky's Andre Woodson.

It is expected that the Falcons will use one of their top four selections on the quarterback position. The Falcons hold the No. 3 overall pick, and Ryan has been a very popular choice among internet mock drafts since the fall. If not with the first round pick, it is expected the Falcons could use one of their three second round picks on any of those prospects. Those six prospects are widely considered to be the consensus top six quarterbacks in this year's draft class.

Previous reports indicated Flacco would work on Wednesday the 26th, but Scout.com is now reporting his workout with the Falcons will be on Friday the 28th.

Falcons get a look at Pitt prospects

The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reports that Falcons scouts were among more than 40 in attendance at the University of Pittsburgh's pro day workout in Monday.

No specific news on which Pitt players the Falcons were looking at, but one prominent prospect that the Falcons didn't get an opportunity to see was offensive tackle Jeff Otah. Otah decided to skip the school's pro day and will instead conduct a private workout for NFL teams and scouts on April 9. Other notable prospects working out were defensive Joe Clermond, offensive lineman Matt McGlynn, and tight end Darrell Strong. All are projected as middle to late round picks.

Otah started at left tackle the past two seasons after being a JUCO transfer. He earned PFW 1st team All-American honors this past year. Clermond had 18 sacks and 36.5 tackles for loss in his Panther career, including 10.5 sacks this past season. McGlynn made 31 consecutive starts at right tackle, with a total of 40 at right tackle and 2 at right guard during his career. Strong had a career-high 29 catches last season for the Panthers in his first as full-time starter.

Elam comes aboard

NFL.com's Adam Schefter reports that the Falcons have signed Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam to a four-year deal worth $9 million. Included in the deal is $3.3 million in guaranteed signing bonus, and Elam will make $5.11 million in the first two years of the deal.

According to the Denver Post, the Broncos had offered Elam a three-year deal worth $7 million with guaranteed money of $2.3 million. Previous reports indicated that Elam was given the Broncos a chance to match the Falcons offer, but they did not revise their offer.

Last season, Elam made four walkoff game-winning field goals, the most since the league merger in 1970. He has scored 100 or more points in fifteen straight years, ever since entering the league as a third round pick in 1993 with the Broncos. The three-time Pro Bowler is fifth all-time with 395 field goals made and sixth with 1,786 points. He has made 80.6% of his career field goal attempts. He had a career high in 2006, connecting on 93.1% of his 29 field goal attempts. He is tied for the league record with a 63-yard field goal.

Elam attended Brookwood High in nearby Snellville, GA, so his signing with the Falcons is a homecoming of sorts. Elam will replace 47-year old Morten Andersen, who has kicked for the Falcons the past two seasons. Elam is ten years younger than Andersen.

Elam negotiating with Falcons

The Denver Post reports that Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam is negotiating a contract with the Falcons. Elam came to Atlanta on Wednesday for a free agent visit, but stayed over Thursday where he began negotiating a contract. The AJC also confirms that the Falcons are actively trying to sign Elam.

UPDATE: The Denver Post cites two NFL sources that say that the Falcons have offered Elam a more lucrative contract than the Broncos, but that Elam will give the Broncos a chance to "sweeten" their offer in order to retain him.

Hall deal finalized

Hall will sign a seven-year contract with the Oakland Raidrs worth a reported $67 million according to the AJC, with $24.5 million in guaranteed money per NFL.com. NFL.com and other sources report that the total worth of the contract is $70 million. The Raiders have agreed to send the Falcons their second round pick this year (34th overall) as well as a fifth round pick in next year's draft.

Per the AJC, the Falcons save roughly $3 million in cap space and already are about $12 million under the $116 million salary cap.

Falcon scout at Maine pro day

The Bangor Daily News reports that at least one Falcons representative was on hand for the University of Maine's pro day on Wednesday March 19. That rep was the team's northeast regional scout Bruce Plummer. Plummer was among a handful of NFL scouts on hand to view four prospective NFL players from Maine.

The main attraction was tight end Matt Mulligan. Mulligan measured 6'5" 258 pounds, did 34 bench reps of 225 pounds, and measured a 35.5-inch vertical leap. He also ran a 4.89 40-yard dash time. This past season, he caught 13 passes for 157 yards (12.1 avg) and 2 touchdowns. Mulligan is noted for his blocking ability and is ranked by NFLDraftScout.com as the 29th best tight end in this year's class.

None of the Maine players are expected to be drafted, but all could be pursued as free agents following the draft.

Falcons will work out Brohm

Amidst of a two-part interview with Chris Steuber of Scout.com, Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm indicates that he has a private workout scheduled with the Atlanta Falcons in the future following his pro day. Brohm is scheduled to work out at Louisville's pro day on March 24. Previous reports indicate that the Falcons may have keen interest in Brohm.

Updating another earlier report, Scout.com reports that Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco is scheduled to work out for the Falcons on March 26.

Falcons like Medder

GatorSports.com reports that the Falcons have shown interest in Florida offensive tackle Carlton Medder. Medder started the past two seasons at right tackle for the Gators. At 6'5" 319, he's known for his strength and run blocking ability, but needs to work on pass protection. He earned All-SEC second team honors this past season and is considered a potential late round selection.

Falcons look at Langford and Hawkins

Ed Thompson of Scout.com reports that the Falcons have already conducted a workout with Hampton defensive Kendall Langford. Langford measured 6'6" 287 pounds at last month's Combine, where he ran a 4.97 40 and did 24 bench reps of 225 pounds. Langford is widely considered to be one of the premier defensive ends in this year's draft class that projects to the 3-4 scheme, but likely would play defensive tackle in the Falcons 4-3 scheme. In four years at Hampton, he recorded 236 tackles, 24.5 sacks, and 56 tackles for loss. This past year, he had 6 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 72 tackles.

Thompson also reports that the Falcons have shown interest in Toledo's Andrew Hawkins. Hawkins played both wide receiver and cornerback for Toledo, as well as returned kickoffs. He is the younger brother of NFL defensive back Artrell Hawkins, currently with the New York Jets. Hawkins is considered a sleeper in the draft, but has been garnering greater interest from NFL scouts as of late due to his impressive Combine workout last month. There, he ran a 4.34 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical leap, and 4.03 20-yard shuttle time, which would have been among the top for either wide receiver or cornerback position. At 5'7" 187 pounds, however Hawkins would be considered undersized for either offense or defense. This past season, Hawksin had 29 receptions for 246 yards (8.5 avg), 54 rushing yards on 11 carries (4.9 avg) and a touchdown, returned 21 kickoffs for an average of 17 yards, and had 14 tackles on defense.

Falcon presence limited at Ryan's pro day

Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Falcons only sent two representatives to the much-anticipated workout of Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan. Representing the team was director of college scouting Phil Emery and director of player personnel Les Snead. None of the Falcons chief representatives, including president Rich McKay, general manager Thomas Dimitroff, and head coach Mike Smith were on hand.

Robinson also reports that the Falcons are expected to work Ryan out in a private workout before the April 26 draft. Which could be a reason for the lack of representation since they will be able to get a longer and closer look at him at the later event.

Robinson indicated Ryan had a solid, not spectacular workout in front of scouts. Various reports indicate that representatives from at least 23 teams were on hand to view Ryan's workout. It's been reported that Ryan was able to complete 48 of 52 passes thrown in his workout. The four incompletions included three dropped passes and one overthrow.

Hall trade talks stall

The AJC's Steve Wyche reported that trade talks between the Falcons and Oakland Raiders over cornerback DeAngelo Hall were close in that a deal was likely to be done within a day or two. But NFL.com's Adam Schefter contrasted that report, indicating that negotiations have stalled due to Hall's contract demands.

The Falcons and Raiders have already agreed on compensation for Hall. The Raiders have agreed to send their second and sixth round picks to the Falcons in exchange for the disgruntled cornerback. But the deal won't be finalized until Hall agrees to a long-term contract with the Raiders. Hall is entering the final year of his contract and could be a free agent after the upcoming season. The Raiders are unwilling to give up such a high premium in draft picks if there is no guarantee Hall will be a Raider beyond this season. Schefter's report indicated that the optimism seen Sunday evening was completely reversely come Monday evening. Wyche's report cited an unknown source familiar with the negotiations as indicating the imminence of the deal.

ESPN's John Clayton backs up Schefter's report that talks have stalled. Clayton reports that Raiders owner Al Davis is keen to get the deal done. Schefter also reported that a possible solution to the stall in negotiates is a direct intervention by Davis. According to Clayton, the stall is based on the amount of money upfront given to Hall in his new contract. It's been reported by Clayton that Hall is seeking a six-year $50 million contract. Asante Samuel signed a six-year $57 million contract earlier this off-season with $20 million.

UPDATE: The AJC reports that word from Hall himself indicates the deal is close to being done. He will fly to Oakland on Wednesday, and the contract between he and the Raiders will be finalized on Thursday.

Chris Mortensen indicated on this afternoon's NFL Live show on ESPN, that Hall's deal will be around seven years worth $70 million with about $20 million guaranteed.

Falcons work out Forte

NFL.com's Gil Brandt reports that Tulane running back Matt Forte will perform in a private workout with the Falcons today. Forte has been one of the more impressive running backs since the end of the collegiate season, earning Senior Bowl MVP honors and performing well in drills at last month's Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. There, Forte ran a 4.46 40-yard dash time and did 23 bench reps of 225 pounds. That only caps off a great final year at Tulane, where he finished second in the nation with 2,127 rushing yards and third with 23 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes. Forte measured 6'1" 221 pounds at Tulane's pro day last week.

Forte was one of several prospects that Falcons showed interest in at January's Senior Bowl.

Hall to be traded to Raiders

ESPN reports that the Falcons have agreed in principle on a deal to ship disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for their second round pick. The deal is dependent on Hall agreeing to a contract with the Raiders. Hall is expected to sign a deal worth just under the six-year $57 million contract that free agent cornerback Asante Samuel signed with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month. Samuel received $20 million in guarantees as part of that contract. The Raiders hold the 34th overall pick in the draft. Currently, the Falcons already hold two other second round picks (Nos. 37 and 48).

UPDATE: The AJC reports that the Falcons may also receive the Raiders sixth round pick as part of the proposed Hall trade. Hall denied that any trade was imminent in the AJC's report, indicating that contract negotiations between he and the Raiders are not yet completed.

Elam will visit on 19th

Eric Goodman of Denver's FOX affiliate KDVR reports that Broncos kicker Jason Elam will meet with the Atlanta Falcons on March 19 and 20 for a free agent visit. It's been reported previously that Elam would likely show interest in the Falcons if he did not re-sign with the Broncos.

Hall deal could be in works

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that cornerback DeAngelo Hall is expected to be traded prior to the draft. Two unspecified teams are reportedly showing interest and have begun discussions with the Falcons. Schefter indicated that one of the teams is "very interested."

Falcons will look at Long

Adam Schefter of NFL.com reports that the Falcons plan to meet with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long on March 28 for a private workout. Long was one of the more impressive players at the Combine last month, measuring in at 6'7" 313 pounds and lifting 37 reps on the 225-pound bench press. His 37 reps were tied for the most of any prospect at the Combine. According to Schefter, it seems very likely that Long will be taken at some point in the top 3 picks of the draft. The Falcons pick third following the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams.

Harrington re-signed

The Falcons re-signed quarterback Joey Harrington today. According to the AJC, he signed a two-year contract worth just under $4 million. NFL.com reports that it is a one-year contract worth $1 million. Harrington was released last week for salary cap purposes, and his new contract will relieve the Falcons of some of the cap burden.

UPDATE: The NFL Players Association website confirms that Harrington signed a one-year contract with a 2008 base salary of $700,000.

Falcons like Brohm?

Carlos "Big C" Holmes of the Dayton Daily News writes that a reliable source within the Falcons organization indicates that Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm is the highest-rated passer on the team's draft board. Holmes reports that owner Arthur Blank has been "sold" on Brohm for some time and will be able to improve the team's questionable receiving corps.

Holmes indicates that Brohm is much more highly thought of by several NFL teams such as the Falcons than much of the media would lead you to believe based on various reports on a multitude of internet draft sites. Holmes also reports that Brohm met with the Falcons during the Combine.

This past season, Brohm finished sixth in FBS rankings with 4,024 passing yards. He also completed 65% of his passes and threw 30 touchdowns. For his career at Louisville, Brohm passed for 10,775 yards, 71 touchdowns, and completed 65.8% of his of 1,185 attempts, while throwing only 24 interceptions. Brohm played under former Falcons head coach Bobby Petrino for three years at Louisville. He entered this past season as the No. 1 quarterback prospect according to a number of draft sources, but his stock dipped somewhat due to the Cardinals struggling to a 6-6 record.

Brohm is scheduled to work out at Louisville's pro day on March 24.

Falcons might bring back Harrington

The AJC is reporting that the Falcons may bring back recently released quarterback Joey Harrington if he agrees to restructure his contract. Harrington was released this past Wednesday. The Falcons currently only have two quarterbacks on the roster: Chris Redman and D.J. Shockley.

Harrington signed a two-year contract last April with the Falcons. He was slated to earn $2.5 million in base salary in 2008 and $3.875 million against the team's salary cap. If the Falcons re-sign him with a much lower base salary, it could save them money. Redman, who is currently the starter, only has a base salary of $1 million.

Elam could visit next week

The Rocky Mountain News reports that Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam has scheduled free agent visits for next week. It has yet to be confirmed if the Falcons are one of those teams, but it seems likely considering they do not have a kicker currently on the roster and have previously been linked to Elam. The Falcons were in pursuit of free agent kicker Josh Brown before he decided to sign with the St. Louis Rams.

Elam despite becoming a free agent on February 29, has yet to visit any teams, having spent much of the past week on vacation in Israel.

Falcons add 3 defensive linemen

The Falcons announced they have signed three free agent defensive linemen, including Kindal Moorehead, who was previously reported to have agreed to a deal with the team. The team also signed defensive tackle Rashad Moore and defensive end Simon Fraser.

Moore, was a reserve nose tackle for the New England Patriots this past season. He only appeared in 1 game and recorded 1 tackle. His most extensive playing time came in 2004, where he started 12 games for the Seattle Seahawks, and recorded 46 tackles and 2 sacks. At 6'3" 325 pounds, Moore gives the Falcons much needed size in the middle due to the health concerns surrounding incumbent nose tackle Trey Lewis.

Fraser played defensive end in Cleveland's 3-4 scheme and adds depth both inside and outside for the Falcons along their defensive front. In 2006, he started 6 games, recording 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks. This past season, he had 14 tackles in 16 games. He was originally an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2005.

Flacco will workout; Moorehead will visit

Adam Caplan of Scout.com reports that the Falcons are expected to schedule a private workout with Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco. The Falcons already plan to workout Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson next week. No word on exactly when Flacco's workout is supposed to be. The Falcons showed particular interest in Flacco during the Senior Bowl week.

Flacco passed for 4,263 yards last season with 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He completed 63.5% of his 521 attempts. Flacco was a two-year starter at Delaware, after transferring from Pittsburgh. He is widely considered to be among the top quarterbacks in this year's upcoming class, ranking as the third-best quarterback on Mike Mayock of NFL.com's rankings.

Also included in the report is that the Falcons have scheduled an upcoming visit with Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kindal Moorehead. No date was mentioned. Moorehead has spent the past five seasons as a reserve with the Panthers. With the Falcons, Moorehead would likely get the chance to compete for a starting position. He recorded a career-high 5 sacks in 2005. His most extensive playing time came in 2004, where he filled in for an injured Kris Jenkins, starting 12 games, and finishing the year with 38 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery. For his career, Moorehead has appeared in 75 games, starting 13 of them, and recorded 104 tackles, 9.5 sacks, forced 1 fumble, recovered 3, 1 interception, and 1 touchdown. He was originally a 5th round pick by the Panthers in 2003.

UPDATE: The Rock Hill Herald reports that Moorehead has agreed to a two-year contract with the Falcons. He will travel to Atlanta on Thursday to take a physical, and if he passes the deal will be finalized on Friday or Saturday.

Woodson to work out for Falcons

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the Falcons will conduct a private workout of Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson next week. Woodson participated in his school's pro day workout today in front of several scouts from 25 teams. The Falcons were not among them according to the Courier-Journal.

Woodson measured in at 6'4" 229 pounds at the Combine two weeks ago. He did not participate in any drills due to injury issues. He was still battling a slightly pulled hamstring today, but managed to still run a 40-yard dash time of 4.8 according to both reports. He also managed to complete 16 of 20 passes in his workout.

Woodson, once perceived as one a potential first round pick, has seen his stock drop in recent months due to a less than stellar performance at the Senior Bowl in January. He's been criticized for his slow release, something that he reportedly has only modified slightly since. This past season, Woodson threw for 3,709 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Harrington cut loose

The Falcons released quarterback Joey Harrington today. Last month, the Falcons also released Byron Leftwich. Harrington was signed by the Falcons last spring to replace Matt Schaub as the backup to Michael Vick. But due to Vick's legal issues, was promoted to the starting position in July.

Harrington started the first six games of the season for the Falcons, leading them to a 1-5 start before being benched. He was replaced by Leftwich for one game, but then would start four of the next five games before losing his job once more to Chris Redman. The Falcons won two more games in that four-game span. Harrington finished the season with 2215 passing yards and completed a career-high 61.8% of his 348 attempts. He threw 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions as well.

Horn on the bubble

Pro Football Weekly writes that a second round of cuts could be coming for the Falcons in early April. Then, the Falcons will hold a mini-camp in which new head coach Mike Smith will get to see many of the team's current players and newly added free agents in action for the first time.

PFW specifically mentions veteran wide receiver Joe Horn as being on the bubble, and may have to prove he is worth keeping around in this mini-camp. Horn's status is questionable due to the presences of Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and Laurent Robinson at wide receiver. Horn was one of the team's higher-profiled free agent additions in 2007, but finished seventh on the team in receptions last year with 27 and 1 touchdown in 12 games. Horn, 36, has a base salary of $2.5 million in 2008, which may or may not be guaranteed. The mini-camp will be voluntary, but Horn is expected to be in attendance for obvious reasons.

Lewis has setback in recovery

The AJC reports that Falcons defensive tackle Trey Lewis has re-injured his already recovering knee in a "freak" accident in falling down stairs. Lewis suffered a torn ACL in his right knee this past November and had been rehabbing it. This latest injury is considered a major setback in his recovery from that initial injury. According to his agent, Richard Katz, he is scheduled to have more surgery this week.

This latest setback will likely prompt the Falcons to make a move at defensive tackle prior to the draft. Various reports indicated the Falcons interest in veteran defensive tackles Marcus Stroud and Shaun Rogers, both of whom have been traded within the past week. Currently still available on the trade block is New York Jets defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, who recently had a trade to go to Cincinnati nixed. Although it's unknown if the Falcons will show any specific interest in Robinson, defensive tackle likely becomes a major need for the Falcons either via free agency and/or the draft.

Dunn is done in Atlanta

As expected, the Falcons released running back Warrick Dunn today. Dunn's release was prompted by the team's signing of running back Michael Turner yesterday to a six-year contract. Dunn had been one of the leaders and more visible playmakers on the Falcons since 2002, but his production dropped sharply this past season.

Dunn became the 22nd running back in NFL history to surpass 10,000 rushing yards this past season. Nearly 6,000 of those coming with the Falcons during the past six seasons. Dunn came 8 yards shy of surpassing William Andrews as the team's second all-time leading rusher with 5,979 yards. Dunn was the team's leading rusher in 5 of the last 6 seasons, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2005 with 1416 yards, a career high. Dunn, 33, is expected to continue playing and previous reports indicate that several teams may be interested in his services.

Falcons pick up Turner

The Falcons announced the signings of two free agents today, running back Michael Turner and tight end Ben Hartsock. Turner comes from the San Diego Chargers where he spent the past four seasons as a backup to Pro Bowler LaDainian Tomlinson. Hartsock is a reserve tight end for the Tennessee Titans this past year.

NFL.com reports that Turner signed a six-year contract worth $34.5 million, including $15 million in guaranteed money. Turner made a name for himself making the most of sparse opportunities behind Tomlinson. In his career, he's carried the ball 228 times for 1257 yards (5.5 avg) and 6 touchdowns. He's had three 100-yard games, all coming in the reserve role. Most recently, he had a 10-carry 147-yard performance against the Denver Broncos in Week 5 of this past season. The Falcons expect Turner to be the lead back in their offense, taking over the role of Warrick Dunn. It's now expected with Turner's addition, Dunn will be released. Dunn has been the team's leading rusher for 5 of the past 6 seasons, and currently ranks third all-time on the Falcons rushing list with 5,981 yards.

Hartsock was originally a third round pick in 2004 for the Indianapolis Colts. He played two seasons for the Colts until he was released in 2006. He was picked up by the Titans, and has served a valuable role as a blocker. For his career, he has started 15 game of 45 games, catching 24 passes for 247 yards (10.3 avg). His best season was this most recent one, where he started 9 games, caught 12 passes for 138 yards (11.5 avg). While not expected to replace Alge Crumpler's production in the passing game, he gives the Falcons an established blocker from which they can build in the future. The terms of Hartsock's deal have not been announced.

UPDATE: The AJC reports that Hartsock signed a four-year deal worth $9 million, including $2.25 million guaranteed.

Dunn requests release

Jim Trotter of SI.com reports that Falcons running back Warrick Dunn has requested his release from the team in lieu of them signing free agent running back Michael Turner. Dunn's departure, as previously reported, has been expected due to Turner's signing. According to the AJC, releasing Dunn will save the Falcons up to $3 million in 2008 cap space.

Dunn's departure could come as early as Monday, and he is expected to sign with a contender according to reports. Houston, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, and Tampa Bay are reportedly teams that might be interested.

Falcons add Hutchins

The AJC reports that the Falcons have signed Houston Texans cornerback Von Hutchins. ESPN reports that the contract signed is a four-year deal worth $9 million, including $2.35 million in guarantees.

Hutchins split time at cornerback and safety last year, starting 15 games. He could compete for a starting cornerback spot here in Atlanta if disgruntled corner DeAngelo Hall is traded at some point. He finished last season with 94 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 6 passes defended. He joined the Texans in 2006 after two season as a reserve corner in Indianapolis. He was originally a sixth round pick by the Colts out of Ole Miss in 2004.

Hutchins joins safety Erik Coleman as the Falcons first two free agent signings, and a clear sign of changes and hopefully improvements to their secondary.

Falcons ink Coleman to 4-year deal

NFL.com's Adam Schefter reports that the Falcons have signed New York Jets safety Erik Coleman to a four-year contract worth $10 million, including a $3 million signing bonus. Coleman is expected to replace Chris Crocker, who is also a free agent, at free safety.

Coleman entered the league as a fifth round pick by the Jets in 2004, and had a strong rookie season with 100 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4 interceptions. But over the ensuing years has had a bit more struggles, and was finally benched after the first four games this past season for the Jets. He finished the year with 51 stops but no interceptions.

Falcons eye LB Bentley

Adam Caplan of Scout.com reports that the Falcons are showing interest in Seattle Seahawks linebacker Kevin Bentley. According to Caplan's report, Bentley is expected to visit the Houston Texans on Sunday, and is receiving interest from the Titans, Bengals, and Broncos as well as the Falcons.

Bentley has served as a reserve in Seattle the past three seasons, but has started 5 games as an injury replacement. He was once a starter in Cleveland in 2003, after being a 4th round pick by the Browns in 2002. For his career, he's started 22 games, tallied up 279 tackles and an interception. With the Seahawks, he has recorded a total of 33 stops on special teams the past three years.

The Falcons are in need of depth at linebacker, since they released Marcus Wilkins, and starter Demorrio Williams is not expected to return due to free agency.

Falcons pursue Mo Williams

Michael C. Wright of the Florida Times-Union reports that Jaguars offensive tackle Maurice Williams is in discussions with the Falcons, but other teams are also in the mix in pursuing his services.

Williams started 2 games at left tackle last season, as well as eight at right guard. Prior to that, he served as the Jaguars starting right tackle for six seasons. He played under current Falcons offensive line coach Paul Boudreau for three seasons (2003-05) as well as head coach Mike Smith. It's likely that he'll be a candidate to replace Wayne Gandy at left tackle.

Bills show interest in two Falcons

Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports that the Buffalo Bills have expressed interest in Falcons restricted free agent fullback Corey McIntyre. The Falcons own the right of first refusal with McIntyre, meaning they can match any potential offer sheet the Bills sign him to. But since McIntyre was an undrafted free agent and extended the lowest restricted free agent tender of $927,000, the Falcons will receive no compensation if the Bills' offer exceeds what the Falcons are willing to pay. McIntyre was a special teams captain for the Falcons last year, and ended the season with 8 stops there.

The Bills are also showing interest in another Falcons free agent, this time tight end Dwayne Blakley, who is an unrestricted free agent. Blakley joined the Falcons at the start of the 2004 season, and has served as the primary backup to Alge Crumpler since then. With Crumpler's release earlier this month, he is atop the Falcons depth chart at the position. In his four-year career with the Falcons, Blakley has started 9 of 59 games, caught 21 passes for 189 yards (9.0 avg) and 1 touchdown. He had a career high 7 catches last year, despite missing 4 games due to injury.