Falcons in Favre Sweepstakes?

In a report by David Elfin of the Washington Times about the Washington Redskins' chances of acquiring disgruntled quarterback Brett Favre from the Green Bay Packers, Elfin cites a league observer indicating that the Packers would like to see a bidding war commence between Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and Falcons owner Arthur Blank over the rights to Favre.

Favre, 39, began his career in Atlanta in 1991, as a second round pick. But was traded after the season to the Packers, where he played the next sixteen seasons, setting numerous passing records and going to nine Pro Bowls in that span. Favre is the all-time leader in passing attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions.

There has been no indication that the Falcons are actually interested in Favre. Nor have the Packers officially indicated that they are going to or willing to trade Favre. Favre has a salary of $12 million this season, which any team acquiring him will have to absorb to their 2008 salary cap barring him restructuring his contract.

Horn to Cowboys?

NFL.com's Adam Schefter reports that the Dallas Cowboys perhaps will have interest in acquiring Falcons wide receiver Joe Horn to shore up their wide receiver depth. The Cowboys are currently embroiled in a dispute with disgruntled reserve receiver Terry Glenn over an injury waiver. Horn has been linked to possibly being a candidate to be released by the Falcons since the spring, and even reportedly requested a trade from the team in May.

Horn's value to the Falcons was lessened when the team drafted Louisville receiver Harry Douglas in the third round this past April. Horn is not expected to start this season, losing his job to second-year player Laurent Robinson. Horn caught 27 passes in 12 games last season for the Falcons, but only averaged 9 yards per catch and scored 1 touchdown, less production than expected when the team signed him to a four-year $19 million contract in March 2007. As part of that deal, Horn's 2008 base salary of $2.5 million is fully guaranteed.

So far, the Falcons have indicated that they have no plans on parting ways with Horn. It remains to be seen if that will be the case as the summer progresses.

UPDATE: ESPN's Ed Werder cites a team source that confirms Schefter's report that the Cowboys have initiated internal discussion about acquiring Horn. However, Dallas Morning News columnist Brian Davis reports that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones denied interest in Horn to ESPN during an Arena Football game on Friday night.

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 could look to Denver for RB and K options

Bill Williamson of the Denver Post writes that the Falcons could show interest in Jason Elam if or when he becomes available for free agency next week. Williamson also reports on rumors that the Falcons could be curious about a potential late round swap for current Broncos backup running back Mike Bell.

Williamson cites that Elam has familial ties to the state of Georgia as potential reasons why joining the Falcons could interest him. He will turn 38 in March, and has played the last 15 years with the Broncos. He tied the league record for longest field goal of 63 yards in 1998 and currently ranks 6th all-time on the all-time scoring list with 1,786 points. The Falcons are potentially interested in replacing 47-year old Morten Andersen, who is the current all-time leading scorer in NFL history with 2,544 points.

Bell fell on the depth chart this past year after a fairly strong showing as a rookie in 2006. That year he had 157 carries for 677 yards (4.3 avg) and 8 touchdowns along with 20 receptions. This past year, he appeared in only 5 games, rushing for 3 yards on 6 carries with 1 catch. He'll turn 25 in April, and was an undrafted free agent in 2006 out of Arizona.

Falcons interested in Rogers?

As part of their Combine blog, Draft Daddy.com is reporting that the Falcons are one of several teams interested in acquiring Detroit Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. Rogers is currently being shopped by the Lions. DraftDaddy even mentions that there's a possibility of the Falcons swapping disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall for Rogers. According to the Detroit Free Press, cornerback is a position that the Lions are expected to upgrade this off-season. ESPN reports that at least five or six teams are interested in Rogers. MLive.com reports that the Lions would prefer to deal Rogers to an AFC team.

Rogers will turn 29 in March, and is coming off a season in which he recorded 39 tackles, 7 sacks, and an interception. Standing 6'4" 340 pounds, he's known both for his abilities as a pass rusher and run stopper. Rogers is slated to have a base salary of $4.25 million in 2008.

No trades can occur until February 29, the same day that free agency opens.

Falcons show interest in free agents

Draft Daddy.com reports that the Falcons could be pursuing free agents such as quarterback Billy Volek and offensive tackle Flozell Adams. They also have reported that six additonal teams are reportedly interested in cornerback DeAngelo Hall, not just the New York Giants, as reported beforehand. According to their source, the Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and Kansas City Chiefs are interested in Hall.

Volek is a free agent for the San Diego Chargers. The Falcons attempted to sign Volek back in 2004, but he opted to return to the Tennessee Titans. In 2006, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers. This past season, he only appeared in 5 regular season games, completing 3 of 10 passes for only 6 yards and an interception. But had a notable performance during the playoffs when he came in against the Indianapolis Colts, and completed 3 of 4 passes for 48 yards, as he helped the Chargers secure that victory.

Adams was voted to the Pro Bowl this past season, marking the fourth time in the past five years he has achieved that. He was originally a 2nd round draft pick with the Dallas Cowboys in 1998, and has started 146 games for the Cowboys, most of which came at left tackle.

Giants could be seeking Hall

Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger reports that the New York Giants are showing interest in possibly trading for Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Garofalo cites two sources with knowledge of preliminary discussions between the two teams, and indicates that the Giants are willing to part ways with their first round draft pick, the 31st pick overall, in exchange for Hall. Previous reports indicate the Falcons are actively exploring trade options with Hall.

Frazier with Falcons at Senior Bowl?

Jay Adams of the Macon Telegraph writing on his Pro Schmo Blog reports on rumors that the Falcons have brought Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier with them to Mobile, AL for Senior Bowl practices. Frazier interviewed with the Falcons on Saturday for their head coach position. So far, this seems to be only a rumor since there has apparently been no actual sight of Frazier with Falcons officials, just unconfirmed rumors from various sources.

Shanahan rumored to be a potential target

Amidst more discussion of potential hires for the Falcons head coach, Pro Football Talk has thrown a new name into the fire: Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan. The website reports that league sources have indicated that the Falcons are currently exploring the possibility of pursuing Shanahan.

Because Shanahan is currently under contract with the Broncos, the Falcons might be liable to compensate the team. Shanahan is on the verge of finishing his thirteenth season with the Broncos. He has compiled a 137-90 regular season record and 8-5 in the playoffs, including 2 Super Bowl victories in 1997 and 1998 over the Falcons. He also coached for a little more than a year with the then Los Angeles Raiders in the late 1980s. He compiled a 8-12 record before being dismissed partway in the 1989 season.

Pro Football Talk also reports that the Falcons may hire Bill Kuharich as their general manager, replacing current GM and president Rich McKay. Kuharich currently is the Vice President of Player Personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs. Kuharich served as GM for the New Orleans Saints prior to joining the Chiefs in 2000. Kuharich was in charge of the team's personnel department during the infamous 1999 draft day trade in which the Saints parted ways with their entire draft class in order to move up to draft running back Ricky Williams.

Also on the coaching search front, the AJC reports that the 49ers assistant head coach Mike Singletary has expressed interest in becoming the Falcons next head coach. Singletary indicated to the paper that he feels he's ready to be an NFL coach right now. There has been no contact between the Falcons and Singletary as of yet, but he has thus far emerged as an early favorite.

Hall may want out of Atlanta

DeAngelo Hall has called into question his future with the team per an AP report. Hall indicates that he does not want to be part of a losing team next season, implicitly saying that he may demand a trade if he and the new coach do not mesh well.

Hall had his share of run-ins with Bobby Petrino during his time with the Falcons, and was one of the more outspoken critics of Petrino upon his departure. Hall even indicated a week ago to the AJC that with Petrino gone, he would be much more open to stay with the Falcons. Hall's contract is set to expire following the 2008 season, and he's been outspoken about his desire to receive a large contract in the past. It was rumored that Hall asked to be traded this past October, but those rumors were later dispelled.

Hall's most recent "outburst" could be linked over his displeasure at the team targetting Bill Parcells to take over football operations. In the AP report, Hall's statements imply that he would prefer a coach much more akin to former Falcons head coach Jim Mora in being much more approachable than Petrino was, and Parcells is said to be.

Falcons to target Schottenheimer?

Not to be deterred from the rebuffs of Bill Cowher and Bill Parcells Falcons owner Arthur Blank has turned to another big name option in Marty Schottenheimer per a report by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Acee's report cites league sources indicating the Falcons have made overtures at the former San Diego Chargers head coach. The report also indicates that the Falcons may target current Chargers Assistant GM Buddy Nix as their replacement for Rich McKay in that role in Atlanta.

Current Chargers GM A.J. Smith indicated in the report that he has heard nothing on the Nix front, but is aware of Schottenheimer rumors. Smith indicated that Nix and Schottenheimer got along in their shared time in San Diego. Smith and Schottenheimer had a well-documented feud which eventually led to Schottenheimer's dismissal from the club a year ago after a 14-2 season with the Chargers.

"I believe a Buddy Nix-Marty Schottenheimer team in Atlanta would be a perfect fit. ...Buddy got along well with Coach Schottenheimer. They socialized together, went out to dinner, golfed together, sat together on the plane, talked football all the time.”

-- A.J. Smith

Schottenheimer has 21 years of NFL head coaching experience, compiling an overall regular season record of 200-126-1 with four different teams. He also has compiled a 5-13 record in the postseason. His longest tenure came with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1998 where he compiled a 101-58-1 record, and made playoff appearances in 7 out of 10 years with the team. His most recent experience was five years with the San Diego Chargers beginning in 2002. His record in San Diego was 47-33, but was unable to win a playoff game in two appearances. Schottenheimer is one of six coaches to achieve 200 career regular season victories, but observers have always been critical of his less than stellar postseason achievements.

Nix joined the Chargers in 2001 along with Smith and John Butler, all of whom had spent several years with the Buffalo Bills. Nix joined the Bills in 1993 as an area scout. He joined the Chargers as Director of Player Personnel, but was promoted to Assistant GM after the death of John Butler, who served as GM prior to his death. He coached for 9 seasons at UT-Chattanooga prior to joining the Bills, where he compiled a 44-54-1 record and is tied for the second winningest-coach in school history.

Singletary a leading candidate to be Falcons next coach

The coaching rumor mill has already begun only within a few days of Bobby Petrino's resignation. Both Pro Football Talk.com and NFL.com's Adam Schefter have reported that current 49ers assistant head coach Mike Singletary will be a top candidate to take over the gig after the season.

Singletary was among several candidates that was slated to be interviewed for the head coaching position last January. Although the Falcons ultimately chose to hire Petrino before Singletary could sit for an interview.

Singletary is in his third season on the 49ers staff. He was elevated to assistant head coach prior to the 2006 season after one season as linebackers coach. Prior to joining the 49ers, he served as linebackers coach with the Baltimore Ravens for two seasons. Singletary was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998 after an outstanding twelve-year career as a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears.

Falcons to work out Leftwich

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Monday Night Countdown that the Falcons plan to meet with free agent quarterback Byron Leftwich and possibly work him out as soon as Tuesday. Leftwich was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars at the end of prseasason after having been the starter since the second half of the 2003 season. Leftwich was the Jaguars No. 1 draft choice that year. But he has battled injuries, his weight, and inconsistency over the past three-plus seasons. He's missed a total of 17 games in the past three seasons. He had entered the summer as the Jaguars starter, but was demoted in favor of David Garrard.

For his career, Leftwich has completed 789 of 1344 attempts (58.7%) for 9042 yards, 51 touchdowns, and 36 interceptions.

If the Falcons choose to sign Leftwich, it may end the stint of Joey Harrington as the Falcons starter.

Falcons claim DT Ayodele

The Falcons claimed defensive tackle Remi Ayodele off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. Ayodele is a first-year player out of Oklahoma, that originally entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2006 with the New England Patriots. He spent two weeks on the Cowboys practice squad last November and spent this past spring with the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europa.

The Falcons had an open roster spot due to the trading of Allen Rossum to the Pittsburgh Steelers. ESPN's John Clayton reports that it was in exchange for a conditional seventh round choice in 2008.

Much speculation has been that the open roster spot would be used on a quarterback. Clayton reports that the Falcons have shown only moderate interest in free agent quarterback Byron Leftwich, recently released from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Clayton also reports that the Falcons could have targetted Tampa Bay Bucs passer Chris Simms had he been released yesterday. The team certainly can still add a third quarterback, it would now just require them to release a player on the roster.

Falcons angling for QB trade?

Although it's still unknown if the knee injury that D.J. Shockley suffered on Friday night's preseason win over the Buffalo Bills will sideline him for the entire season, the AJC's Steve Wyche reports that there may have been preliminary discussion about the Falcons acquiring another quarterback before the start of the regular season.

Shockley's initial prognosis indicated a sprained left knee, but an MRI taken on Saturday (the results of which have not been revealed) and a Sunday consultation with team trainers and doctors will determine his future.

Wyche reports that the Falcons have had preliminary trade talks with the Philadelphia Eagles in potentially acquiring veteran Kelly Holcomb. Holcomb was a backup in Buffalo the past few years before being traded to Philadelphia this past off-season. He has been the subject of rampant trade rumors this summer due to a glut of quarterbacks in Philly.

Previous rumors proposed that the Falcons could potentially be interested in Washington Redskins backup Mark Brunell and former Denver Broncos Jake Plummer, both of whom have previously worked with head coach Bobby Petrino. Although an injury to Redskins starter Jason Campbell might end any talk of Brunell being moved. Coincidentally, Campbell suffered a sprained left knee in the Redskins preseason contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night.

Falcons not trading up?

Pro Football Talk reports that the Falcons have yet to initiate trade talks with the Detroit Lions about trading up to the No. 2 pick. The possibility of this trade has been speculated throughout the off-season, but has increased this past week with other reports. However, this latest report from Pro Football Talk certainly conflicts with a report from last week indicating the were already in discussions with the Lions about a trade.

Falcons GM Rich McKay has publicly aknowledged the connection between Johnson and the Falcons, but also stressed trading up is an unlikelihood, mainly due to the cost in draft picks.

However, it certainly should be noted that the comments and information McKay is willing to divulge to the media cannot be considered reliable. NFL teams try to create as much misinformation as possible to disguise their draft intentions at this time of year.

Blank wants Johnson

SI.com's Don Banks reports that Falcons owner Arthur Blank has commanded GM Rich McKay to go after highly coveted receiver Calvin Johnson.

Johnson is considered the premier talent in this year's draft, but is expected to be taken within the first two picks either by the Oakland Raiders or Detroit Lions. Johnson, a local product out of Georgia Tech, makes sense for the Falcons due to their issues in the passing game the past few years and that he would be an instant hit with the fan base according to Banks.

Banks speculates that the Falcons could send their top three selections to the Lions in exchange for their No. 2 overall selection if Johnson is available.

Banks also reports that the Falcons could be interested in trading up to the No. 6 selection with the Washington Redskins, in order to acquire Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, if trade plans to acquire Johnson fall through.

Banks lists the Falcons targets as Johnson first, then Peterson, followed by LSU safety LaRon Landry, Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown, and Arkansas defensive end Jamaal Anderson.

Falcons looking to move up in the draft?

Pro Football Talk indicates from an unnamed source that the Falcons are among a few teams actively in talks with the Detroit Lions above potentially swapping picks at the top of the draft. The Lions hold the No. 2 overall pick, while the Falcons hold the No. 8 pick.

The report says that the Lions are interested in moving down in the draft, and would like to get a deal done before draft day on April 28. Also reported is that the Lions could potentially select a player and then subsequently trade him away. The report indicated the most likely player would be Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Based on the widely distributed generic trade value chart, in order to properly compensate the Lions for the No. 2 overall pick the Falcons would need to include their first, both seconds, and their third round picks.

Rumored interest between the Falcons and Johnson has been speculated on and reported on throughout the off-season. But the sincerity of that interest is unknown at this time.

Falcons could trade down for Staley

TFY Draft Preview of Scout.com reports that there are rumors circulating that the Falcons are very interested in offensive tackle Joe Staley of Central Michigan, a player that has been rising on draft boards over the past month or so. According to the report and rumors, the Falcons would look to trade down from the top of the first round with a team looking for a defensive lineman, and then try to select Staley in the middle of the first round.

Although the report is somewhat iffy since they attribute the Falcons with having the tenth pick in the draft. They have not possessed that pick since making a March 21 trade with Houston to move up from tenth to the eight position in the first round.

Staley is listed at 6'6" 306 pounds and really showed his impressive athleticism by running a 4.79 40-yard dash at his pro day and jumping 32 inches in the vertical leap, athleticism that is on par with many defensive linemen and linebackers in this draft. Staley began his career at Central Michigan at tight end, a nod to his obvious athleticism. He started 4 games as a freshman, catching 11 passes for 130 yards (11.8 avg) and a touchdown. As a sophomore, he became the starter at right tackle and then moved to left tackle as a junior. Over his career he registerd 244 knockdowns, including a career-high 100 as a senior. He did not allow a sack as a junior.

According to the Scout.com's report, many now grade Staley as a better left tackle prospect than Penn State's Levi Brown, who has been a somewhat popular choice for the Falcons in several mock drafts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 interested in Horn

The New Orleans Saints released four-time Pro Bowl receiver Joe Horn on Thursday, making him a free agent. According to the Fayetteville Observer, the Falcons are one of four teams that have expressed interest in Horn, per his agent Ralph Vitolo.

A groin injury limited Horn to only ten games and nine starts. His absence allowed the emergence of seventh round pick Marques Colston. Horn still managed 37 catches and 4 touchdowns last year.

Colston's emergence, coupled with Horn's age (35) and 2007 base salary ($4.45 million) caused the Saints to look in a new direction at that position.

The Falcons wide receiver woes are no secret, and a veteran of Horn's would not only add a set of reliable hands, but also add a solid veteran presence to help tutor young wideouts such as Michael Jenkins and Roddy White. Despite missing about half the season, Horn was still nearly as productive as the Falcons leading wideout Jenkins who caught 39 passes and 7 touchdowns.

The other teams mentioned by his agent as being interested are the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, and Green Bay Packers. The Falcons could have an advantage in landing Horn over those teams as it would allow him to face the Saints twice per year, and is much closer to his homes in Louisiana and North Carolina.

Falcons may be interested in Bly

Recent reports indicate that the Atlanta Falcons may attempt to acquire two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Dre' Bly. Bly has spent the past four seasons with the Detroit Lions, and he and his agent were given recent permission by that organization to seek a trade.

Over the weekend, NFL.com's Adam Schefter reported that Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall had begun lobbying the team's front office in order to acquire Bly. Hall and Bly are close friends that grew up in the same hometown of Chesapeake, VA.

Lee Rasizer, of the Rocky Mountain News has reported that the Denver Broncos may be another team interested in Bly. Rasizer's report suggests that the Lions could be seeking a third round pick as compensation for Bly.

Bly will have a $4.2 million base salary in 2007. Any team that acquires him would have that salary added to their 2007 salary cap. Various sources have reported on the status of the Falcons cap space in 2007. John Clayton of ESPN.com has reported that it may be as low as $3.8 million. If that is the case, then it means that if the Falcons were to attempt to acquire Bly, they would need to restructure contracts and/or release veterans.

A veteran of eight years, Bly was originally a second round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 1999. After four years in St. Louis, he signed a lucrative contract with the Lions in 2003. He has 33 career interceptions, 5 of which he has returned for touchdowns. Last season, he finished the year with 54 tackles and 3 interceptions.

Falcons deny trade rumors

Not surprisingly, the Falcons released a statement on Tuesday denying any possible rumors of trading starting quarterback Michael Vick.

In the report by WXIA-TV, a spokeswoman for the Falcons said, "There are no plans to cut or trade Vick. Michael is our quarterback. He has a new head coach who is anxious to start working with him this season. Everyone has high expectations for Michael, including Michael."

The statement was released likely in contrast to recent internet rumors that the Oakland Raiders are preparing to make the Falcons an offer for their recently maligned quarterback. No such press releases or statements have been heard from the Raiders, whose recent attention has been centered on their new coaching hire, Lane Kiffin.

The Falcons own new coach, Bobby Petrino, gave Vick a vote of confidence during his introductory press conference, declaring that Michael Vick was currently the team's starter.

Vick's first meeting with Petrino occurred this weekend, following his infamous incident in Miami International Airport.

Vick traded to Raiders?

Foxsports.com's Ben Maller first reported in the NFL Rumors section of the website on Monday that the Oakland Raiders are interested in trading for Michael Vick. According to that report, the Raiders would part ways with receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter along with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft in order to acquire Vick.

The timing of this rumor is interested in the sense that it comes shortly after it was first reported that Vick would be exonerated of any wrongdoing in his infamous incident at Miami International Airport, in which he was accused of carrying a concealment device in a water bottle. And it also comes shortly before the Raiders announced that USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin would take over the team as the NFL's youngest head coach at age 31. Any such move, would likely involve the Raiders new coach being on board.

Trading Vick would invoke an approximate cap hit of over $20 million in dead money for the Falcons if such a deal would be made.

Also, the Falcons had an opportunity to acquire Moss back in 2005 when he first landed in Oakland. Falcons owner Arthur Blank indicated personally to Moss that his proclivity for negative attention from the media would cause the Falcons to not pursue him.