Falcons make some moves after market settles
Mike Peterson and Brett Romberg were added to the Birds’ nest.
The Falcons have been slow and extremely deliberate in free agency. By contrast, last season they were swift and decisive in adding running back Michael Turner, safety Erik Coleman and the rest of the group.
Peterson has played weakside and middle linebacker. He comes “cross-trained.” He was also a former captain in Jacksonville before falling out with head coach Jack Del Rio last season.
But Falcons coach Mike Smith never had any issues with Peterson. Word coming out of Flowery Branch is that their bond is still pretty tight and that allowed the deal to get done so quickly.
Despite his falling out with Del Rio, Peterson still led the Jags in tackles with 84. He missed six starts after Del Rio misinterpreted Peterson’s attempt to fire up the team as a selfish celebratory move. It was also the last year of Peterson’s contract and well, he thought he should have been extended.
But all that is in his rear view mirror.
Peterson steps into a unit that needs some direction and playmakers. Peterson and Stephen Nicholas can go at it for the weakside spot. If Peterson wins, then Nicholas could slide over to strongside and possibly play on passing downs if he can’t beat out Coy Wire. Wire started on running downs late last season for Boley.
Now, if something happens to Curtis Lofton, Peterson can also play the middle.
Romberg gets reunited with offensive line coach Paul Boudreau and gives the Falcons another solid interior lineman behind center Todd McClure and guards Justin Blalock and Harvey Dahl.
Romberg, 29, has started 18 games over the last three seasons. He started his career in Jacksonville after playing at Miami.
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308 comments Add your comment
chc4
March 12th, 2009
9:09 am
Funny how almost everyone wanted Brooking gone. Now that he is and we signed a replacement everyone’s still complaining… classic! Peterson has more game left than KB does and that’s really not disputable if you’ve watched them play the last 2 years.
DecFalcon
March 12th, 2009
9:22 am
Marko, I keep wondering the same thing; although I do not like dumb players, maybe he is just making dumb mistakes. I am always a fan of drafting lineman in the first two rounds, not playmakers. good point.
Big Mike
March 12th, 2009
9:25 am
We should have gone after Sean Jones great player who lives here and wanted to come home. We have to make smart choices and shore up our defense. I wish people would think football not race Brookings was a good player but age has caught up with him, he got beat 9 of 10 times in every passing down. Coach I am with you speed up the pace.
chc4
March 12th, 2009
11:35 am
Stop it w/ the Sean Jones stuff! We need a STRONG SAFETY and Jones is a FS. Erik Coleman had a very good year and it entrenched at the position.
Ken Strickland
March 12th, 2009
12:24 pm
I haven’t been able to read all of the posts the last few days, but you guys have been doing some serious in depth analyzing, and that’s really good to see. I like the FA signing and I understand the last 2. Peterson is known for being a physical type of LB, which wasn’t Brooking’s strength. He adds the same versatility and leadership qualities that Brooking brought, and likely at a cheaper price. C TMcClure is the senior member of the OL, by a wide margin, and having a vet replacement for the most important OL position is vital.
I still believe we will draft a CB with our 1st pick. If we resolve our DL problems, especially against the run, we won’t need a SS with LB run stuffing abilities. We’ll need a more versatile SS that can read and react. None of us knows enough about SS’s Fudge or McCloud to say neither is capable of getting the job done within our DEF scheme. There are certainly enough big, strong granite type DT’s in this draft for us to get what we need in a lower rd. The key is whether DT TLewis will be back at full strength, and/or if a stud like Jerry or Raji falls into our lap.
Except for DT and CB, I see us drafting for depth. With LB’s CWire and SNicholas already on the roster, and the signing of Peterson, I don’t see LB being a higher priorities than CB. I feel the same way about SS, with Fudge and McCloud available. The draft if filled with large, strong, hard to move DT’s like the ones Smith had when he was the Jaguars DC.
The level of talent usually drops far more drastically among CB’s, after the 1st rd, than the level of talent among LB’s, safeties or DT’s. THESE ARE MY REASONS FOR BELIEVING WE WILL DRAFT A CB WITH OUR 1ST PICK.
Reno 911
March 12th, 2009
2:40 pm
Good points D3, Big Ray, and Cutter. Lots of good potential players will be there at 24, all of whom we could use right away. But after that, the “immediate contributor” herd gets thin, which leaves some questions outstanding. Of these good/”safe bet” players, one or more of them will be there at 24, each of whom could be good for us and be a good fit: P. Jerry, Clay Matthews, Cushing, Delmas, DJ Moore, Alphonso Smith. But the first pick has to fit the plan for the second pick, so unless the Falcons trade one of their two 5th rounders and their 2nd rounder to move up into the early 2nd round, they’ve got to choose which ONE of these positions (DT, OLB, S, C) they can fill with a late second round pick, as well. So, in a way, who TD thinks will be around at #55 MAY drive who they pick with #24. If they go OLB with Matthews or Cushing, at #24, then they HAVE to be betting that a DT or S with starter capability will be there at #55. I’m not sure who that is, really. Maybe Ziggy Hood at DT, or Rashad Johnson at S? Looking at it “glass half-full”, we’re in a good situation, while it seems that we can get two defensive starters/major contributors in the first two rounds, with an improved pass-catching ability at TE in round 3 with Casey, Cook, Nelson, Ingram, or Coffman, all of whom I think are solid (though Nelson and maybe Casey are the only ones of the bunch who can block; the others are H-back TE’s). One note on Cushing: has anyone else watched those NFL Network behind-the-scenes hype pieces on Cushing and gotten the feeling that the guy is on something? Looking at dude’s horse-like teeth/jaws and large forehead, does it seem to anyone else like he might have been chemically-assisted up to now? And if he would have to shut it down when he comes into the league, wouldn’t he be much less of a player than he was supposed to have been? Just talking here, and not accusing, but after all the hype going into the combine, etc, he looked to me like he was the 3rd-best LB among the USC crop. If he falls all the way to 24, I’m not sure if TD won’t let him fall another slot, and I wouldn’t blame him. Another point on Cushing raised on NFL Network the other night: Cushing didn’t play 3rd downs at USC. Is it really worth spending a 1st rounder on a guy who only plays the first two downs when that guy has suspect closing speed to begin with? Just a thought.
chc4
March 12th, 2009
4:13 pm
I may be wrong here but Peria Jerry is more in the mold of Babineaux… smaller, penetrating DT. I think he only goes 285-290 or so. We need a mauler.
Weaknesses: Does not possess ideal bulk…has just average strength…too inconsistent in his technique and can get too high…just a bull rusher at this point…needs to improve his strength versus the run…struggled academically and with injuries…an older prospect…probably limited schematically…played with a top notch defensive end next to him
hawesg
March 12th, 2009
5:00 pm
I was wondering with the signing of Peterson, any chance of the Falcons changing to a 3-4? You don’t have the mauler NT that you would like, but Anderson might work better in a 3-4. Draft a guy like Sintim or Maybin and you’ve got a fair front 7. Did Smith ever run a 3-4 in Jacksonville? (i’m too lazy to look.)
chc4
March 12th, 2009
5:16 pm
hawesg — Mike Smith is a 4-3 guy all the way. No way we are going to a 3-4. Heck… we don’t have enough LBs to do it.
Ken Strickland
March 12th, 2009
5:43 pm
RENO 911-I don’t think Dimitroff and Smith will be looking for a definite starter past the 1st rd. I think they will be looking to draft a starting CB at our #24 slot. It will be possible for them to get a TE, SS and DT with the ability to start after the 1st rd. Considering the FA moves we’ve made, I don’t see them looking to draft a starting LB.
With DT’s JBabineaux and TLewis manning the interior DEF, they will likely draft a big 325lb+ roadblock to solidify the interior DEF when we’re in goalline or short yardage situations. We should be able to acquire somone like Boston college’s Ron Brace(6′3″ 326lbs, or Stillman college’s Samme Lee Hill(6′4″ 328lbs), or Howard Univ’s Chris Baker(6′2″ 326lbs). Both Hill and Baker were very athletic and had amazing times in the 40yd run for players their size. One of these type of players should be available in the later rds.
Having DT TLewis, who’s quicker, faster, stronger and more athletic, with pass rushing abilities, replacing GJackson will definitely upgrade our run DEF and pass rush. Having either CDavis, or an improved JAnderson, along with KBiermann, at RDE will improve our pass rush. Having Peterson, Lofton and either Wire or Nicholas at LB will make us more physical. Having either Fudge, McCloud or a draft pick at SS, will give us more speed and flexibility at SS, and having CJackson or a draft pick at CB will definitely improve our secondary and our overall pass DEF. We just need to come up with a TE that possesses the speed, pass catching and blocking abilities we need. Man, acquiring LB Peterson, and the return of DT TLewis, has really opened up more possibilities for us in the draft.
Huh
March 12th, 2009
6:33 pm
I initially liked the Peterson signing until I checked out his stats and compared them to Brooking’s stats. Looks to me that we took a step down. All you Brooking haters, check it out for yourselves!
chc4
March 12th, 2009
6:34 pm
While I’m not completely satisfied w/ the CBs currently on the roster, they aren’t horrible. Houston had his ups and downs but overall I like him. He just needs to turn his head around quicker on those sideline “go” routes. He got torched by Antonio Bryant in the first half late in the year but came back strong late in the game. So what’s to say Chevis can’t step up in year 2 and take the other starting spot? And Von Hutchins can play if healthy. Don’t forget that last year Grimes started the first few games before getting hurt. You don’t necessarily need household names to get it done… we’ve got some young talent.
cutter
March 12th, 2009
6:38 pm
I believe you build from the inside out if not OLB then DT. If you have a choice between Hood or Matthews Jr. its tough. Jerry doesn’t fit in my opinion and yes I am a little leary of Cushing, I heard somewhere that he uses $1000 plus worth of vitamins and supplements a month…has he topped out??? I don’t see corner though I mean who stands out that will be there at 24? Either you draft a guy who can hit the field and play right now or you take someone with huge upside, Mike Peterson is here for a purpose I hope…and it is to build for the future. Matthews Jr.
cutter
March 12th, 2009
6:42 pm
Haynesworth indicted??
cutter
March 12th, 2009
6:52 pm
Huh- If anything its a step sideways Peterson leads in sacks and interceptions and Brooking did come in one year earlier. Hey they tried to sign Brook he didn’t bite Peterson did… move on.
Stephen
March 12th, 2009
7:48 pm
I am so glad that the decisions as to who gets hired and who is let go by the Falcons is the responsibility of experienced professionals as oppose to the majority of folks posting on this blog with some of these lame suggestions/ideas/comments/criticisms.
Ken Strickland
March 12th, 2009
8:13 pm
HUN-You can’t always use stats to judge the ability of certain players. If Peterson played in fewer gms, or on a DEF with a strong DL, it stands to reason he’d have fewer tackles than Brooking, who atarted every gm and played behind a very pourous DL. It’s like saying that last yr LMalloy was one of the best SS’s in the NFL because he had so many tackles. Is there anyone on this blog that would say former CB Dion Sanders wasn’t the best cover CB in the NFL during his prime? Yet, he never led the NFL in interceptions or passes defended because teams were afraid to throw in his direction. He simply got fewer opportunities.
Obviously our HC, DC and GM didn’t think signing Peterson was a step backward or sideways, and Smith has coached both Brooking and Peterson. I’ll trust their judgement in this matter.
D3
March 12th, 2009
10:03 pm
Ken,
Excellent points on DT. I guess I’ve fell in love with the fact of getting a DT like Peria Jerry or Ziggy Hood, but they may decide to wait until the 3rd or 4th and pick up a guy like Ron Brace, who a lot of tv commentators say was the main reason that Raji was able to do so well.
You’re exactly right on the possibilities that the Peterson signing has opened up. Its been a win-win, because otherwise we would HAVE to draft a OLB first regardless of who was there. Now they do have a lot of options. The only point I disagree on is drafting CB first. Not saying they’re not talented, per se, but I don’t see spending #24 on one unless Vontae Davis or Malcolm Jenkins dropped to us(which isn’t going to happen). Its a tough, tough call but the Peterson signing to me makes me feel that if we add an OLB (Cushing, Matthews, English, Maybin), DT (Jerry, Hood), or Pettigrew.
Reno,
Man, thats some good stuff on 2nd round determining 1st pick. I also tend to think that TD does expect to get AT LEAST two starters, if not three, out of the draft. I’m just not sold on drafting a CB or SS with the first pick. I could definitely see picking a CB before a SS, but do we really want to pick a DJ Moore or Alphonso Smith who are both small corners with the first pick? I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but who is more “ready” to take over: Chevis Jackson, Trey Lewis, or Thomas DeCoud/Jamal Fudge?
I may be totally wrong, but is DeCoud ready to step in @ SS? We are definitely going to be drafting a CB in the first 4-5 rounds. Hate to be a UGA homer, but Asher Allen in the 4th or 5th? Even though we signed Peterson, a Cushing or Matthews pick would/could put them in the Strong-side OLB and “put Coy Wire back in a role player mold.” Not hatin’ on Wire or Nicholas because they are players tough guys, but if we add a stud OLB, we’re set for years at LB with Lofton, Nicholas, Wire, Peterson, and Cushing/Matthews.
After listening to Ken’s arguments I’m starting to think we wait until 4th round and pick up a DT like Brace, Hill, or Baker.
Cutter, hilarious stuff on Haynesworth. There were many on here saying we should sign Haynesworth at all costs. No way. We wouldn’t subscribe to the A-Rod theory of devoting 45% of your salary to one playe, but he was a head case anyway. Think of all the possibilities we have now. Even though I was worried that we didn’t do anything, TD knows what he’s doing and its looking good.
(1-OLB)Cushing, Matthews, English, or Maybin (2-SS)Chung or Johnson (3-TE)Cook, Nelson, Ingram, Casey, or Coffman (4-DT)Brace, Hill, or Baker.
Ray, Reno, Ken, & Cutter…..good stuff guys.
falcon21
March 12th, 2009
10:12 pm
Well said Ken, there are several angles to football to look at and you seem too know all of them. Dion was the best cover I have ever seen. And as far as stats, it depends on the players around you. If you have a great D. your numbers will be limited. As far as Peterson, I think he is a good pickup and probably better than what we had and he is more aggressive.
Falcon 8211
March 12th, 2009
10:34 pm
Is English as good as everyone saying he is? Has anyone seen him play.I think we should sign Rodney Harrison to a 2yr. contract and draft a ss in the 2nd round maybe Chung. he could watch and learn for a couple of years. Rodney would be an upgrade to the lawdog and he could give us leadership in the secondary. I say get Brace in the 3rd round because he will not be there in the 4th. what do you guys think about that.
Ken Strickland
March 12th, 2009
11:21 pm
D3-your comment about CB’s reminded me of something I had forgotten about. Although we recently made the possibility of signing TE Smith a big issue, we still haven’t signed a TE. With our LB situation all but settled, and if our coaches feel confident in our CB’s and SS’s stepping up, we just might see Dimitroff pull the trigger on TE Pettigrew with our 1st pick. He seems to be the best all around TE in the draft and the best fit for what the Falcons want, with the emphasis on being equally effective as a blocker and pass receiver.
Trust me, if we get an effective and consistent pass rush, especially from our front 4, the CB’s and SS’s we already have on our roster will be more than adequate to get the job done. If we don’t get improved run DEF, and an improved pass rush from our DL, it won’t matter much who plays SS, LB or CB. No DEF can be effective against the pass if they have to constantly bring their safeties and LB’s up to defend against the run if their DL gets consistently beaten at the line of scrimmage.
Rushing teams didn’t hurt us much running the edges because both DE’s JAnderson and JAbraham played the run very well. We got killed inside because DT GJackson had no quickness, lateral movememt(couldn’t chase the play down the line) or recovery ability(he couldn’t recover if he went down, or couldn’t effectively change direction). That forced both the LDE(JAnderson) and RDT JBabineaux to cover more ground than normal to compensate. The addition of DT TLewis will improve our interior DEF and our overall DEF tremendously. Our DEF gave up a lot of rushing and passing yardage, but few pts by comparison. If we cut down on the yardage allowed we cut down on opposition scoring opportunities, which correspondingly improves our scoring DEF.
D3
March 12th, 2009
11:21 pm
Yeah Falcon82, I’ve seen him play but his stats are amazing. I mean its tough because he’s from a smaller conference, but he had 31 sacks. I thought he might be a good fit, but he’s listed at 6′2 274, which is WAY to heavy for a true 4-3 outside linebacker. I could be wrong, but its now looking like Cushing, Matthews, or Maybin. Now I guess I understand why English is considered a 3-4 OLB.
D3
March 12th, 2009
11:23 pm
Meant to say I HAVEN’T seen English play, typo.
Big Ray
March 12th, 2009
11:38 pm
Reno911,
I don’t know if that’s true of Cushing or not. It could very well be, but I hope not. However, I have faith in Dimitroff and his “matrix.” This guy takes a very personal interest in scouting, and both he and Mike Smith don’t want anybody who is all hopped up on stuff, has attitude issues, or anything else like that. I think he will do whatever homework is necessary to find out if any guy they are considering, be it Cushing or someone else, is doing things the dirty way. And if they are, we’re not going to draft ‘em. Heh…and if we’re worried about “horse sized teeth”, then somebody should have checked John Elway out a long time ago, LOL! No, seriously…somebody didn’t do their homework on that line of thinking with LaVar Arrington. Same symptoms, and dude was running some freaky 40 yard dash times. He was beating running backs and receivers…easily. Something was up, man. And yet dude never turned out to be anything special. In fact, he was never even “good” in the NFL. Hmmmm.
By the way, your other points were excellent, too.
Ken Strickland,
What’s up man? You could be on the money. We may take a CB in the first round. But who do we get with that pick? Whoever we get, CB or otherwise, will have to be an impact player, that’s for certain. I hope a good CB is available at that pick. I figure that the two top-rated corners (Vontae Davis and Malcolm Jenkins) won’t be available. Antonio Smith may not be either. That leaves Darius Butler, DJ Moore, and Sean Smith (he can play either CB or Safety). And like you say, the talent level drops off dramatically after that. The question is, besides the top two, are any of these guys worth taking at #24?
I agree we could use a dynamic CB. Some say we may be able to get by ok with the guys we have at CB…or Safety…or LB…or DT. We’re all taking different views on those positions. I agree with what you say about our free agent pickups changing how we’ll draft. I also think that what Dimitroff is looking at with our 1st round pick is trying to get the most value. Whomever he picks will need to have the biggest possible impact on the position he plays, whether it’s CB, DT, SS, DT, TE, etc.
So if one of the top cornerbacks isn’t available by the 24th pick, should we just pick one of the best that’s left over, or look for higher value in another position? I don’t know. I’m excited about the whole thing, but man am I glad I don’t have Dimitroff’s job….
chc4,
I read some of the same things you’ve read. Basically what I got from that is that Peria Jerry is talented, but may not be too sharp, and may not fit into certain schemes. That ain’t good. Again though, I trust Dimitroff, Smith, and his crew to thoroughly evaluate these guys and not be blinded by sheer physical talent. If Jerry doesn’t fit what they want, he’s a no-go.
Big Ray
March 12th, 2009
11:44 pm
Ken,
Ha ha! Pettigrew has a way of screwing up your thinking all the way around, doesn’t he? Just when you think you’ve got yourself centered on defense, back you go. Pulling the trigger on this guy means gambling on a couple of things, I think. 1) That the guys you have come season’s star will step up and outperform what you ran with last year, and 2)That you’ll still be able to get quality defenders in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and 5th rounds.
D3,
English is listed as a DE/LB. He’s a big fellow. Yeah, that’s why he’s considered a 3-4 guy if looking at him as a ‘backer. However, they’re also hinting that he may be able to play some DE on a 4-3…perhaps. I mean, at 274, he’s got enough size…
Big Ray
March 12th, 2009
11:51 pm
Stephen,
Well, you’re certainly welcome to add YOUR lame ideas/suggestions/concepts/etc. Gee, I guess that’s why they call this a blog, not a “General Manager and Subordinates Only Forum for ideas/Suggestion Box”…..lol…
Cutter,
I think you summarized the way of thinking that I agree with in the latter part of your 6:38 pm post. With that first pick, you’re definitely either getting somebody who can start/play right away, or somebody with great upside. Makes sense to me. Either way, you have to balance getting the most value with meeting the most need.
Big Ray
March 13th, 2009
12:21 am
We may have some good sleepers around in the middle rounds. Found this on Football’s Future.com-
DT Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.
Gilbert as a solid defensive end for the Spartans during his first two and a half years in the program, but his game took off with a shift inside to tackle. He had 20 tackles for loss and 12 sacks through his junior year, while playing as a good sized end. His shift inside full time as a senior led him to a breakout season in which he finished with an amazing 22.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Gilbert has tremendous first step quickness and can just leave the offensive lineman standing as he blows by him into the backfield. He is good athlete, with quick feet, and the speed to finish the play off. He is active and uses his athletic talents to consistently wreak havoc in the backfield. Gilbert has very good natural strength but he may need to pack on some more pounds to better handle engaging players that currently outweigh him by nearly 30 pounds. That light build and not facing the best talent on a game to game basis may keep Gilbert in the middle rounds but he could have an impact much greater than that once he gets on to the field in the NFL.
See Also: CB Jackie Bates, Hampton
DE Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond
clthurman
March 13th, 2009
9:53 am
Anybody who says we take a CB at 24 is not realistic. There are no corners that will be there worth taking that high and pay first round money to. As for someone who stated that our LB situation is settled must be living on a cloud. 2 Middle Linebackers and 2 Special Teamers(although good) is not settled. We need a serious playmaking OLB with speed and nasty disposition. None of the corners we have on the roster are proven and to expect much from them is taking optimism to an extreme.
cutter
March 13th, 2009
12:06 pm
Jarron Gilbert is the youtube guy, nice measureables on him possibly a 3-4 end. I for one have never been crazy about the smaller corners out there the 5-8 and 5-9 guys just seem to be a liability in the run game and I believe it all starts with the run game, I think cover 2 schemes like the bigger corners i.e. Foxworth, Jackson.
VICK SUPPORTER 2
March 13th, 2009
12:17 pm
SEASON TICKETS – EARLY MARKETING CAMPAIGN?
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/printedition/2009/03/11/falconstix0311.html
ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, THIS IS THE SECOND SEASON IN A ROW THAT THE FALCONS HAVE THOUSANDS OF UNSOLD SEASON TICKETS. SINCE MV7 LAST SEASON ON THE ROSTER, SALES HAVE DROPPED 12 PERCENT, EVEN WITH THE CAMPAIGN FOR “THE FACE OF THE FRANCHISE”.
ANOTHER COINCIDENT? I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT SURELY, THE FACE OF THE FRANCHISE WOULD HAVE OUT SOLD A TALENTLESS MOBILE QUARTERBACK
INTERESTING INDEED
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
12:39 pm
Interesting point, VS2. Has anyone looked to see how season ticket sales have done for the Leavenworth Penitentiary Intramural Flag Football team the last two seasons? If they’ve spiked, then you’ve got confirmation for your implied hypothesis. Well done.
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
12:50 pm
D3- yes, and as much as I settle on the thought of the Falcons going defense in rounds 1, 2, and 4, and TE in 3, I keep getting hung up on Pettigrew, too, just like Ken. He’s going to be good. So I go between thinking of how the offense would look with a versatile, dangerous TE like Pettigrew, who can play three downs, block DEs and OLBs, but who can also rack up YAC’s, go down the seam, or pick on small DBs….and then I think of how much damage a TE can actually do, vice the necessity of having a solid run defense. Is it better to have a game where your TE catches 8 balls for 100 yds and a TD, while the defense gives up 250 on the ground, or is it better to have a TE who catches 3 balls for 50 yards and a defense that gives up 150 on the ground? Now I’m not saying there’s a defensive player out there at #24 that will make that hundred yard rushing difference on defense, but I do think that, if that Falcons want to put themselves into position to win a championship in two or three years, a stout, experienced (at that point) run defense is essential. Like Ken (I think) and others have said, maybe we’d be fine taking a Safety in the 2nd, waiting until the 3rd round to grab a space-eater like Ron Brace for the middle, and living with the current LBs for a season. As someone else said: I’m glad that I don’t have TD’s job (and I’m sure everyone else is, too, especially Stephen who, while reading blogs, doesn’t like blogs. okay.)
hawesg
March 13th, 2009
1:13 pm
If you’ve made the decison to go with a DB with your first pick, why not trade down a few notches into the late 1st or early 2nd? Delmas or Sean Smith will still be there. Then you might move up enough to grab a better player in the 3rd round. Also, I don’t think Ron Brace will last out of the second round. I’d rather pick Shawn Nelson in the 2nd Rd than Pettigrew in the 1st, providing you can really fill a need on defense with that first pick.
cutter
March 13th, 2009
1:27 pm
Another part of this process I would imagine is to look ahead to 2010 draft also… how deep is TE next season? How deep is OLB?
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
1:48 pm
Interesting question, cutter. There’s an OLB out of BC, Mark Herzlich, who looks like he can play and will probably be a late 1st or 2nd rounder in 2010. THe Walterfootball.com site has him going to the Falcons in at #25 their 2010 mock (I think the Falcons will go 8-8 or 9-7 and pick earlier, though.) It’s a possibility, if the Falcons have a season like that and pick around the middle of the pack (14-18), then TE Jermaine Gresham might be there (out of Oklahoma). Not sure if he can block at all, but he’s a great pass-catching/YAC athlete. Anyway, back to Herzlich, I couldn’t help but notice him last year when, with some help from BJ Raji, he seemed to singlehandedly kill my team (Wake) with one (maybe two??) INT for TD’s. He paints his face a la John Randle, does the mo-hawk “look at me, I’m scary” thing, but he’s a good player.
cutter
March 13th, 2009
1:49 pm
Keep in mind Thomas Decoud was one of the three best FS coming out of last years draft. He did well on special teams in 09 and while I think you still draft a safety in the middle rounds, I think they drafted him to start sooner than later. We still have alot to learn about just how good last years draft was I think it will turn out to be a great one.
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
1:57 pm
Right on. I plead complete ignorance on all things DB (as opposed to partial ignorance on everything else), and have never been able to see when DBs are doing the right thing or not (maybe I was scarred at an early age when I watched in horror while the 49ers threw five TD’s in ONE game on, around, and over Charles Dimry, possibly the worst-played game by a Falcon DB in history.) I hope that the Falcons’ young DBs have a lot of upside (DeCoud, Fudge, Hutchins, Grimes), but I honestly have no idea. I always tend to think that if we have a great front seven (or even a great front four), then DBs start to look better and better. well said, though.
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
1:59 pm
Does anyone else remember that game, by the way? Or was that just my own nightmare, starring Charles Dimry?
cutter
March 13th, 2009
2:12 pm
Reno 911- I like Mark Herzlich OLB he’s a big kid 6′4 240. Depth wise I don’t see alot though as far as 2010. And Gresham already has more TD’s than any other TE in OU history and stayed in school which says something if he had come out this year he would be a 1st round pick. I keep thinking about those compensatory picks for next year they will come in handy to move up.
VICK SUPPORTER 2
March 13th, 2009
3:44 pm
2011 NFL LOCK OUT PROPOSED
MAN THE “UFL” IS LOOKING BETTER ALREADY, WELL ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE “GREATEST ATHLETE” EVER WILL BE THE FACE OF LEAGUE
BUT YOU GUYS STILL HAVE YOUR BULL DAWGS
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
4:25 pm
Stellar point, again, VS2. And since you brought up dogs…
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
5:08 pm
Oh, hello. Anyone interested in Samari Rolle? Just released by the Ravens.
Ken Strickland
March 13th, 2009
5:13 pm
Every mock draft that has us taking a CB has us taking the CB out of Vanderbilt, so I checked him out. He’s listed at about 5′9′ which, in my opinion, makes him a virtual replica of what we already have in CB Bret Grimes, who started for us last yr until he was injuried. As important as acquiring a complete TE is to our OFF, if we’re going to take a CB, he’s got to be head and shoulders above what we already have in BGrimes, CJackson and VHutchins. I don’t know enough about what’s available to say that’s the case. I haven’t heard anyone say there’s a Dominique Rogers-Chromarte type in this yrs group.
It’s not inconceivable that Dimitroff might feel a TE upgrade at #24, would be easier, and more beneficial in the long run, than trying to upgrade at CB in this yrs draft. After all, Dimitroff might feel that the return of both BGrimes and VHutchins is the equivalent of drafting a CB in this yrs draft, except they’ll be less of a risk since they have NFL experience.
I’ll tell you one thing, I hope the other GM’s around the league are as uncertain as most of us are about who we’ll draft at #24. I believe we’ll draft either a TE or CB. It will be very interesting to see what we do if DT PJerry is available at #24. One things for certain, with MLB Lofton, OLB’s Peterson and Nicholas all but assured of starting, it’s highly unlikely we’ll draft a backup LB with our 1st pick, especially with other pressing needs. None of us can lose sight on the fact that all of this is just SPECULATION, AND LITTLE ELSE.
VS2-Like you, I was also a MVick fan, but his self created demise changed all of that. I’ve never been, nor will I ever be, a fan of selfishness, stupidity, and a total disregard for common sense. I guess that’s where we differ when it comes to MVick. As a long time, and long suffering Falcon fan, I’D MUCH RATHER SELL FEWER TICKETS AND SEE THE FALCONS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS WITH A 11-5 RECORD, THAN SELL OUT EVERY SEAT AND MISS THE PLAYOFFS WITH AN 8-8 OR 7-9 RECORD, LIKE WE DID MVICK’S LAST 2 SEASONS. HOW ABOUT YOU?
Reno 911
March 13th, 2009
5:43 pm
Huzzah, Ken. On point, across the board.
Zup
March 13th, 2009
5:49 pm
Sign Rolle from the Ravens TOMORROW!
ray
March 13th, 2009
6:52 pm
ROFL @ Reno911…from 12:39 post…
ray
March 13th, 2009
6:59 pm
ROFLMAO…AGAIN @ Reno911…12:50 post
Too funny.
I agree, we can probably live with our linebackers (I’m guessing). But I wouldn’t be sad if a very good one fell to us and we took him.
I have to admit, I’m like the rest of you: I want that monster DT or that dynamic CB (which we won’t get, but what do I know..), but I can’t look past Pettigrew.
And it was me that said I’m glad I don’t have Dimitroff’s job. I’d be more wishy-washy than a cheap laundromat…
Falcon 8211
March 13th, 2009
9:13 pm
I think we need to go after Samari Rolle. He has always been a good corner even @ FSU. What you guys think.
falcon21
March 13th, 2009
10:02 pm
I’m not a big ACC fan and don’t follow the Ravens. How old is Rolle and how good is he? I guess I’m stupid, I don’t know that much about him. Help me if you can but I know I can’t do anything about the stupid part.
Soulman45
March 13th, 2009
10:03 pm
The Birds will be o’k with a up gread in the DB field with the picks they have can be done.