1:17 pm March 6, 2010, by D. Orlando Ledbetter

Dunta Robinson tackling against the Cleveland Browns.
Cornerback Dunta Robinson signed a six-year contract with $22.5 million in guarantees with the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday.
Robinson, who was considered the top cornerback available in free agency, formerly played for the Houston Texans.
Robinson, a native of Athens, played in high school at Clarke Central before going on to star at the University of South Carolina.
Also, quarterback Chris Redman’s contract was a two-year deal, worth $5.6 milion, with $2.5 million of it guaranteed.
Cornerback Brian Williams’ one-year contract is worth $1.6 million with a heavy roster bonus incentive as he’s battling back from knee surgery.
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158 comments Add your comment
jimmy james
March 6th, 2010
3:19 pm
great signing, it shows faith, in how great of a player dunta is. as for the now, man did the falcon organization molest you when you were a kid or somethin. take it easy champ..its going to be ok.
Cool_Runnings
March 6th, 2010
3:21 pm
The only thing thats sad is people like d.carter and NOW. I smell 2 unemployed, 40 year olds living at home with their parents who (since they are unemployed) have nothing better to do than to get on blogs and create negativity by opening their mouth and spewing the garbage that comes from it to the rest of us who read the blog.
Notso Fast
March 6th, 2010
3:24 pm
Probably better than anyone we could get in the draft so don’t be surprised if we trade down and maybe get a 2nd round picks and a 3rd to go after defense.
jimmy james
March 6th, 2010
3:24 pm
agreed
Seattle Falcons Fan
March 6th, 2010
3:24 pm
Great pickup but we still need some pass rushers. Anyword if TD is looking at anyone else in the FA market? Kampman DE is still out there and so is Joey Porter OLB. Pick up someone at DE or OLB on the FA market and then draft the other.position in the first round.
dawgfan13
March 6th, 2010
3:25 pm
Fans stop saying we over paid for someone! The money is not coming out of your own pocket so get a clue! This guy is better than any corner we have on the roster. We need him! If we didnt sign anyone, then you would complain about that. Let the guys who get paid to make these decisions worry about the money! You just cheer!
Seattle Falcons Fan
March 6th, 2010
3:34 pm
ESPN, SI, everything I read on the Net about the FA Market all agreed that Roibinson was the best FA at his position and TD went out there and grabbed him. How can anyone not like that? You want him to just sit on the players we have right now and repeat the defense of last year? GREAT JOB TD! Go get us a DE and OLB!
Chop_Champs_95
March 6th, 2010
3:36 pm
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Falcons add another LB through free agency but I’d rather not seem them go after someone like Joey Porter (if he is a FA, can’t remember). That guy makes me want to drop kick a newborn infant. Good ball player, but he’s nowhere as good as he makes himself out to be. Now, if he played football like he ran his trap, he’d be the best LB in the history of the game.
Getting back on topic, Demeco Ryans and D’Qwell Jackson are some of the top names out there. Ryans may be undersized but he play, but Jackson finished last year on IR with a hamstring injury. Curious to see if he gets back to his old form next season.
Dat Who
March 6th, 2010
3:38 pm
Who cares about money….Arthur is probably Top 5 in the NFL Owners with the biggest billfolds. It’s an uncapped year…The cap isn’t coming back (A floor might)…So who cares now about “over paying”…The possible rewards definitely outweigh the risks…Welcome home D-ROB…
“Who Dat, Who Dat?! ATLANTA FALCONS IN 2010, DAT WHO”
brucemac
March 6th, 2010
3:38 pm
Yes I know we have kickers on the roster but are they good enough to kick a 50 yard field goal with game on the line? I hope so but just would love to have “The Man”
Dirty Bird
March 6th, 2010
3:39 pm
Dunta is a good corner and of course we have paid more for less so we will see how it goes. I am very optimistic about our Falcons but I agree Seattle Falcons Fan we need just a little more help in the front of our defense.
Banned By Cindy
March 6th, 2010
3:39 pm
Judging by that photo, his tackling form is substandard. He needs to wrap and launch like Ledbetter coaches.
Seattle Falcons Fan
March 6th, 2010
3:48 pm
If you look at the top 100 prospects in this upcoming draft you can see that the top 25 is very top heavy with DEs and not so much with OLBs. I think we sign a solid starting OLB and draft a DE. I don’t think we should draft a OLB or DE in the 3rd or 4th round and depend on them starting and fixing our needs. I’d much rather sign a proven starter. Chop_Champ I don’t care about Porter I was just throwing a name out there. I like the AJC to show us a list of avalible DE, OLB, and WR and how much they’d cost/ stats.
Smashmouth
March 6th, 2010
3:52 pm
Don’t hate on D-Rob too much before you consider this- front 7 of HOU D talent wise is strong yet D didn’t do much- ahem coaching. Kubiak is a joke], entire team is soft and shows it year after year. Bring him in here with Smitty, BVG & the boys and you’ve got a whole nother situation. With D improving as it did down the stretch sans Jerry & Moore, the arrow is pointing up on D in ATL. Put a pass rush on and let D-Rob do his thing…..you’ll see. Vets seem to be pretty happy when they come to ATL from losing situations and show it on the field. Being close to home can only be a plus. I am cautiously optimistic on this move, don’t let mediocre #’s from last year fool you. We are now free do rock the draft!
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
4:12 pm
No way to make some of you retards happy, we sign a legit Cb and all you losers want to do is C/O he isn’t a shut down Cb. NEWS FLASH RETARDS there are no shut down Cb in the NFL other than the dude on the Raiders and Revis on the Jets. Then the nerves of some of you to ask why we didn’t trade for Cromtia or what ever his name is. If the Chargers didn’t want him why do we, fact the guy has not played well since his Rookie year do you think he is just going to bounce back and be the 2nd coming of Deion. Stop living your lives around Madden , let the GM do his job and we will be fine, most of you are the same ones that wanted Dorsey instead of Ryan.
brian
March 6th, 2010
4:29 pm
I AGREE GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lanier
March 6th, 2010
4:33 pm
This guy while relatively young has seen his best days. look up his career stats.
how does a starting cb go a whole year without an int. because he is in decline
the falcons have better cb’s that won’t see much time on the field now. by the way Grimes had 6 ints last year
this is a bonehead move like they always used to make
David Smith
March 6th, 2010
4:33 pm
Great signing by TD and company. Dunta is well worth the money shelled out especially when TD addresses our D-line in the coming weeks. We should be more balanced and able to hang with offenses like New Orleans and with Peria, Moore, and Williams coming back healthy should make us very dangerous this season.
rob
March 6th, 2010
4:34 pm
are you kiddling me? another midget CB for 57M? He has a total of 4 INT’s over 4 seasons!!! can the falcons sign a CB that is over 6 feet??
RICHIE RICH
March 6th, 2010
4:39 pm
Dimitroff needs to ta ke a look at Will Witherspoon, he was just cut by the Eagles…..perfect weakside linebacker for our team!
Bangkapi Ajarn
March 6th, 2010
4:44 pm
Agree with Falconfan30291 , good points. A GM in the real world (much like a real world manager in a company) can not design the perfect CB, and then place him on the field. There are realistic choices and options. He got the best available rookie talent last year, and this year he got the best available, best fit CB available – and paid for it.
EVERYTHING is a risk, no sure things (Williams, Moore, and Jerry went down with season ending injuries last year with minimal time on the field), but you use when you got to give the best chance possible to succeed.
One always has limited options in reality, and TD got the best of the possible, realistic options, in my opinion – without regard to cost which is no small thing. Good job, and good signing.
TM
March 6th, 2010
4:44 pm
I’d like to get some OL depth in free agency. I hope TD realized last year that an injury or two on the o-line will quickly reduce the offense to mediocre. Resign Dahl and Clabo + one more proven lineman. Than use the draft to go after DL, LB and future OL.
But, i like the way things are going so far. Keep it up TD!
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
4:49 pm
To all of you who keep asking about TO , are you serious . TO ’s best years are behind him 1st off , 2nd he is a headache and cancer in the locker room every where he’s gone. A better option is Coles the former Redskin and Jet , he had a down year , still has some speed and could play the slot if HD is not ready or fully recovered from his injury.
rob
March 6th, 2010
4:51 pm
David Smith- Please tell me how you know 3 players who were out last year because of injury will make us dangerous? Thats just wishful thinking at best. Moore didnt even play a snap last year, who knows what he will offer and Jerry wasnt great when he played.
Brother Mark
March 6th, 2010
4:53 pm
This is a solid pickup at a fair market price. So Ga boy in the ATL I agree with you on the gauranteed $.
Dunta is a cover corner folks…he can man up with the best. d.carter…just because he played zone doesn’t mean he isn’t a cover man. He is 27 in his prime…not a 33 year old…but speaking of 33 how about the job Darren Sharper did for the Aints? Not bad! The Birds have a stocked pantry in the secondary now and their will be a fierce competition in camp, which I think is what TD, Smitty and B. want. Owens and Dunta, Williams and Dunta, Grimes/Williams at Nickel…lots of possibilities. CH and CJ could be trade bait. Moore coming back, Jerry coming back. Let’s finish off the D with a Spoon or a Graham.
Coleman is one of the leaders of the D…but are you guys sold on him? Taylor Mays could be there….
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
4:59 pm
D.R. isn’t 5′7 he is 5′10 , bet you cant name 3 Cb over 6′0 in the league right now. and the Taylor Mays thing , I dont know about him what did he do at USC , sure he had a nice 40 time but the Raiders are built with track stars and what has that done for them.
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
5:04 pm
D.O.L. I hated your mock draft with us taking a center, although our center is getting old he is still decent and with us being a win now team I dont see how a developmental player at center would help us. Maybe if we drafted one later in the draft but a 1st round pick on a center is rare.
BravesFan79
March 6th, 2010
5:10 pm
Why are poeople complaining!!?? We just got the top corner in free agency…. go Falcons.. .great move!
Tosin
March 6th, 2010
5:16 pm
Why are people suggesting that CJ be traded? He has only completed two seasons and his rookie season was good.Although he didn’t repeat the same accomplishments, he still is young and can develop.John Abraham didn’t have as great of a season as his 2008 season, does that mean we should trade him? Plus, Chevis didn’t get as much playing time as he did his rookie season.
Tosin
March 6th, 2010
5:17 pm
@ BravesFan79
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ATLJBO
March 6th, 2010
5:21 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRrSsAbNaXU
The Answer?
March 6th, 2010
5:33 pm
I believe Dunta had only 6 interceptions over 4 his last four seasons and had none last year but good tackling stats. Maybe teams avoided him to some degree. He’s only an inch or so taller than Grimes who everyone complains about being so short but Grimes had 5 interceptions last year alone. I’m guessing this is is bad news for Houston and Jackson. I’m not sure Robinson can be considered a shut down corner but he got paid like one. He is our #1 CB now and certainly adds experience and depth to our CB group but is he a major upgrade over Grimes, Owens, Tye Hill, or Brian Williams? He certainly adds experience and depth to our CB group and that’s a good thing. I trust TD knows what he’s doing and now we can focus on OLB and DE with our 1st and 3rd picks. With Jerry and Moore coming back, if we stay relatively healthy, next year should be a great one for the Falcons.
*Sunshine*
March 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Falcons;-)Falcons:-)
*Sunshine*
March 6th, 2010
5:46 pm
Falcons
Falcons
Dominic Hughes
March 6th, 2010
5:58 pm
Robinson was never going to come cheap and I think the pricetag, certainly the guaranteed money, could have been even worse. One thing the Falcons have in their favour is that whatever moves they make don’t have the smell of desperation about them like, say, the Bears.
D-LED: Now the Falcons have wrapped up their No.1 priority signing in FA I’m wondering what other moves, if any, might be on their radar. Any whispers around?
hiramsaint
March 6th, 2010
5:59 pm
smoove move… heh heh heh heh heh.
IBH
March 6th, 2010
6:01 pm
Great job home boy just come in and shut things down like you know how to don’t worry about all the haters we got them. Just like when use to play basketball on your go me you and swade.
Michael Connor
March 6th, 2010
6:09 pm
You guys have fun with Dunta. I’ve been watching him since his rookie year. Myself as a Texans fan is so relieved he’s gone. Each year in the league he has gotten worse. He gets burned all the time and is just too small. I have no beef with the Falcons or the fans this move just left me scratching my head to why you would give such a big contract to a guy that can’t make a pick anymore, can be a cancer to the team because he does not know how to shut his mouth sometimes, and he’s getting old. Good luck with that Falcons.
The Grinch
March 6th, 2010
6:13 pm
Love this signing. If Williams and Moore come back strong and Owens/DeCoud continue to develop, we’ll have a strong secondary. Huston, Jackson and Coleman ought to net us some picks from someone (I think we should keep Grimes for nickel/dime). Let’s not forget we got a new secondary coach too, for all we know he may be able to teach Huston to turn his damn head and make a play on the ball. If Jerry comes back strong and we get Spoon, I see this defense looking a lot better this year.
Now, if someone could just remind Jenkins he’s a receiver and not a corner, we’d really be in business.
The Grinch
March 6th, 2010
6:18 pm
Michael Connor, if I’m not mistaken we just paid him less than what he turned down from y’all to stay there. Maybe being happy is important to him, as is playing for a rising young team (no offense, but he’s probably tired of going 7-9 every year). And old at 27? The only sport that’s old in is women’s college gymnastics. He may not be the greatest corner in the game, but he’s solid and a definite boost to the young core secondary we have here now. We had a major need and we filled it.
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
6:21 pm
Enter your comments here
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
6:27 pm
Solution to all of you who want a Cb height, move Jenkins to Cb than we could have the biggest , softest Cb in the league , he is excellent at deflecting passes as prof just watch any of his high lite tape the guy has been knocking down passes since his Rookie year.
Anderson
March 6th, 2010
6:29 pm
That is a BIG contract.
However,(1) I don’t look at the contract in terms of $57 million but as $22.5 million guaranteed. I highly doubt the Falcons will honor all six years of the contract. Probably three years…maybe four.
(2) Since ‘10 is not a cap year the first year salary of Robinson’s contract is probably very high. It will not hurt the Falcons in regards to the (non)salary cap. I’m guessing the yearly salary is high for the first two years ,lower in the middle two,and high for the last two years. Again, it is highly unlikely DR collects on the final two years of the six year contract.
Michael Connor
March 6th, 2010
6:36 pm
The Grinch, don’t know where you are getting your information but we offered him less. and yes he’s at that age where he’s considered old because of his blown out knee he suffered a few years ago he’s playing like he’s already in his 30’s and last time I checked the Falcons took a step back last year while we continue to move foward, think before you talk.
Overpaid
March 6th, 2010
6:38 pm
The falcons paid $57 million for a 5′9″ corner with attitude issues??? I read things but still don’t believe them. Another dumb move—the Texas were glad to rid of this thug and the falcons bit on a terrible deal. Brilliant people down there at falcons headquarters!!!!
Falconfan30291
March 6th, 2010
6:39 pm
Have you ( TXNS ) made the playoffs yet, you guys are a bunch of softies.
MadMax
March 6th, 2010
6:50 pm
Grinch you are mistaken. The Texans offered a guaranteed $22M deal in 2009 which he turned down, so they franchised him. He didn’t want to be be franchised so he sat out all of training camp, even though he was going to be paid as a top 5 NFL corner. This year his agent went looking for the same deal from the Texans but it wasn’t there because it became clear last year that his play has significantly declined since the major knee injury (blew out all his ligaments). Falcons overpaid.
florida falcon
March 6th, 2010
6:53 pm
@chop-champ- That line about drop kicking an infant was f-ing hilarious. I haven’t laughed so hard! Thanks!
Michael
March 6th, 2010
6:59 pm
This signing gives us a very good starting secondary (Dunta Robinson, Brian Williams, Erik Coleman, and Thomas DeCoud). Now the Falcons can focus on depth when it comes to this secondary. Maybe we will pick up another quality DB in the draft. Very good move Falcons!
JJ
March 6th, 2010
7:17 pm
Pat Yasinskas: I’ll guarantee you right now you’re not going to see Owens (or Michael Vick) in Carolina.
DOL, Robinson will avg. 7.5m give or take for the first 3 yrs. That is about right for a player of his caliber taken 10th overall in the 1st rd in 04 I think. He will get burned, they all do, but he’s instantly the best CB we have. His first yr back from ACL surgery may not have the stats, but typically the 2nd yr back from that injury they return to form. Int are very misleading, look at pass defensed for ex. As most informed fans know, TD used to be a specialist in scouting DB’s. He must like Mr. Robinson. I just hope has matured from the ‘pay me rik’ immaturity. Bottom line: good pick at decent price.
Ken talked about C. Houston possibly moving to FA. That is possible with his speed and agility and he doesnt have to turn his head, it’s all in front of him. Thought? Kapp?