Falcons release former first-rounders Anderson, Jenkins
Jamaal Anderson got one of his 4.5 sacks last season against Seattle. (Associated Press).
FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons cleared $7.8 million under the salary cap by releasing veteran defensive lineman Jamaal Anderson and wide receiver Michael Jenkins on Friday.
Anderson and Jenkins were both former first-round picks.
Anderson taken eighth overall in the 2007 drafted and never blossomed in to the sackmaster that the Falcons envisioned when he was selected. The Falcons passed on future stars Patrick Willis and Darrelle Revis. Willis, a linebacker, went 11th to San Francisco and Revis, a cornerback, went to the Jets with the 14th pick.
Willis has been to four Pro Bowls and has been named an All-Pro three times. Revis has been to three Pro Bowls and has been named All-Pro two times.
Anderson played in 60 games and made 47 starts, but had just 3.5 sacks (The Falcons officially have him for 3.5 sacks. Pro-Football-Reference.com has him for 4.5 sacks. The Falcons gave the credit for the sack against Seattle to Jonathan Babineaux.)
Jenkins was selected with the 29th pick in the 2004 draft.
He was a mainstay in the offense, but never amassed over 100 yards receiving in a game. He had a career-high 53 catches in 2007 and a career-high in yards of 777 in 2008.
Jenkins’ future was in doubt after the Falcons traded five picks to move up 27 spots in the draft to select wide receiver Julio Jones with the sixth pick of the 2011 draft.
With the extra cap room, the Falcons will likely be able to pursue free-agent defensive end Ray Edwards.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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369 comments Add your comment
RTR
July 29th, 2011
9:08 am
My dream has come true! Anderson is gone!
RTR
July 29th, 2011
9:08 am
By the way… First
Delbert D.
July 29th, 2011
9:10 am
Addition through subtraction.
The Joker...
July 29th, 2011
9:11 am
Yes!!! They finally got rid of that bum (Anderson), we will however miss his run defense, we definitely need some dept (soon) on both the offensive and defensive lines….Going to miss Jenkins, he had some potential, was an okay possession receiver with some speed.
Nathan Darling
July 29th, 2011
9:13 am
forget ray edwards are we gonna be able to resign brent grimes if we cant i want nnamdi amougha if we do resign grimes then we can go get edwards or jenkins. beirmann still might be something though that why is say we get nnamdi.
Jordan
July 29th, 2011
9:13 am
http://isportsweb.com/2011/07/29/atlanta-falcons-free-agency/
Can't Touch This
July 29th, 2011
9:14 am
I hope Jenkins is able to land with another team…it’s tough getting cut the morning training camp opens.
section 340
July 29th, 2011
9:14 am
Forget Edwards, Go after Nnanmdi Asmogh
ghostwriter
July 29th, 2011
9:16 am
These are probably two good moves. Man, we’re going to have a new-look team this year. I hope we pick up someone big with this freed up cash.
Derrick The Great
July 29th, 2011
9:16 am
The best news of the week. Thank goodness. Truly addition by subtraction! Now get some body in here to help John Abraham.
Not going to miss Jenkins neither. He never really put fear in no opposing defense. Never was one to draw double coverage. Would rather they dumped Harry Douglas also. A Bust.
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
July 29th, 2011
9:16 am
Glad to hear that Anderson is gone….my beef….it’s just about two years later than it should have been. With the extra money, hopefully now the Falcons can acquire a great DE to compliment John Abraham.
Falcons lady
July 29th, 2011
9:17 am
Like we didn’t already know. Now bring us some power!!
IceMan
July 29th, 2011
9:17 am
Wow, finally!! I feel relieved, like I just came out the restroom after doing #2. This is way overdue.
Greg Moundine
July 29th, 2011
9:17 am
I agree section 340
BoomBoomJoe
July 29th, 2011
9:18 am
I’ve been waiting for this day for a while, Jamal Anderson won’t be missed
Former Season Ticket holder
July 29th, 2011
9:18 am
Thats great now lets do something in the Running Backs department. We need a speedy back, a change of pace kinda guy. If i see our starting running back tip thru the hole this year im turning the TV off. Go get Marion Barber.
The Joker...
July 29th, 2011
9:18 am
I wouldn’t mind having Nnanmdi as well, but without a decent pass rush, even great cornerbacks would do us no good……
Greg Moundine
July 29th, 2011
9:19 am
Go get Randy Moss before New England does!!!! We can get him for little or nothing.
Michael
July 29th, 2011
9:19 am
Good luck to Jenkins and Jamal!
Greg Moundine
July 29th, 2011
9:21 am
There is nothing wrong with 3 top receivers. Especially, when you can still one like Randy Moss. Could you imagine how this will open up the running game, Moss, Jones, White and Gonzales as threats. RB will have a field day! Go get Moss!
GeoffDawg
July 29th, 2011
9:21 am
Those “who did they pass over” stories always make you feel so stupid.
David
July 29th, 2011
9:22 am
Glad to see you are working Orlando. Lots of stuff going on last night and no posts. What’s up with that! Too bad about Jamal, like Marvin on the Hawks, I always thought he would eventually break through.
ukfalcon
July 29th, 2011
9:22 am
Forget nnamdi, we aren’t going to pay him what he wants with Robinson already on big money.
Flo=Ri-Duh
July 29th, 2011
9:24 am
A prime example of a player who should have stayed for his senior year – Jamaal Anderson and Jenkins. The Falcons blew 2 first round draft choices on these under achieving under class men. This is the difference between the ‘cons and a winner like Green Bay. We need better analyzers of talent.
Greg Moundine
July 29th, 2011
9:25 am
The past is the past..What can you do for me now is the question!
ATLol
July 29th, 2011
9:25 am
Resign both for less money.
Flo=Ri-Duh
July 29th, 2011
9:27 am
Unfortunately – Julio isn’t going to be the home run threat the Falcons want….. just call him”No Hands”. And now with the giving away of draft choices to get Julio the Falcons will have no O-line soon.
ASHCAN.
July 29th, 2011
9:29 am
Well said micheal,just like family and friends when we turn our back and be gone,how quickly we throw people up under the bus.Anderson and jenkins,we thank you for your services and hope you guys get to play on another team.You guys have a family to take care of also.
Ben
July 29th, 2011
9:29 am
Flo=Ri-Duh,
We do have better analyzers. His name is Thomas Dimitroff. He came in the year after the 2007 draft and his first drafts were Matt Ryan and Sam Baker.
honest_abe
July 29th, 2011
9:30 am
go back into your caves supposed falcons fans. this is why atl has such a bad rep as a sports city because you morons have no freaking clue about football.
someone suggests get a speedy back and then says get marion barber. another says get randy moss to stretch the field. when matt ryan doesn’t even throw a good deep ball. and moss can stretch the field about as well as tony g. maybe 10 years ago. numb nuts.
we need talent in the trenches! great teams have studs on the line. who do we have? we need a playmaker at corner! the falcons have so many needs its making my head spin! don’t forget lofton had to have offseason surgery on both knees!!!!!!!
Columbus Falcon
July 29th, 2011
9:31 am
Finally, Anderson is gone. He was stealing money. Sorry about Jenkins, he made some big plays.
huck from marietta
July 29th, 2011
9:31 am
LUDA!!!
Stick
July 29th, 2011
9:33 am
Green Bay will come into Atlanta and stomp you guys and order you out of your own stadium.
Flo=Ri-Duh
July 29th, 2011
9:34 am
Don’t worry Jenkins will go to a playoff contender. He is a consistent possession receiver. Jamaal will catch on somewhere and then be out of the league in a couple of years.
teamguy
July 29th, 2011
9:34 am
Now that we’ve heard from all the boys in the psycho ward, how about some real Falcons fans? Julio is “no hands”? What a dumb thing to say.
hawksfancents95
July 29th, 2011
9:35 am
the falcons are looking like superbowl contenders. the offense is gona be top 10, jacquizz rodgers was the best pick in the whole draft for taking him in the 5th, he will give us speed and versatility. will be a fan favorite by the end of the year. all we need now is a good 3rd reciever, a slot guy who has speed and can catch well. also a couple adds on defense like another CB and DE that can platoon with bierman, i like ray edwards but i dont want him if he is askin for over $5 mill, bierman is good and we can sign a cheaper DE and get about the same production. ill throw out a couple names for a WR/CB/DE when i check out some available FA later
Greg Moundine
July 29th, 2011
9:35 am
honest_abe, it’s call a scheme. This is how the Saints got a championship with Bush and yes he is gone, but he has a SB ring. Also, deep routes is not all the routes R. Moss can run.
Dan
July 29th, 2011
9:41 am
No one should speak of R. Moss anymore … Is this a comedy show or something? Lets actually write about players who make sense in our “SCHEME”
nobody
July 29th, 2011
9:41 am
What kinda deal is Ray Edwards looking for? If we got him for anything around 5 I would be happy.
FALCONS SUPER BOWL BOUND
July 29th, 2011
9:44 am
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Y YALL GONE GIVE UP MICHEAL JENKINS!!!! ANDERSON I CAN UNDERSTAND , BUT JENKINS….C’MON MAN!!!!
Old Flatulent Dawg
July 29th, 2011
9:44 am
I’m Hog Wild about dumping Anderson the Arkansas Whistle Pig…SooooEE!!!!!!!!!
This Gets Old
July 29th, 2011
9:45 am
How many days ago on this blog were we told the team had no interest in Edwards?
Bob Lee "The General"
July 29th, 2011
9:45 am
Sorry to hear about Jenkins.Did he not catch the pass from ryan during ryans rokie seaon against the bears , taht set up a field goal to win the game in the last seconds?He will land somewhere else.
Reality
July 29th, 2011
9:45 am
OK so the Falcons are even further under the cap, so DO SOMETHING!!
It’s great to have such a wonderful balance sheet but we aren’t going to pack the Dome to watch interest accumulate!
Fatman
July 29th, 2011
9:45 am
I was surprised we released Michael Koenen. I liked him. I think we are clearing space for Nnamdi….
UGA 1999
July 29th, 2011
9:46 am
Great moves Falcons….Anderson needed to go…I just want to see who they plug in the slot to take Michael Jenkins place? NO way should it be Harry Douglas.
tmc
July 29th, 2011
9:46 am
These moves were long overdue…
I think both contributed in the own way, but no where near enough for the money they made and the expectation of their draft position.
They both will help a team because they can make plays as a WR and a DT… but it will be at a greatly reduced price. They can not be 1 or 2 at their position or it will kill your team. Like it did to the Falcons.
-Go Birds!
Spud Webb
July 29th, 2011
9:47 am
honest_abe…I couldn’t agree more with your post.
Ackshun
July 29th, 2011
9:47 am
Gotta be honest. You have to make sacrifices to get to the top. The Falcons are angling to make a big splash in free agency and they needed cash to do that. So Norwood, gone Anderson, gone Jenkins, gone. I like Michael Jenkins but let’s be honest, he dropped a lot of passes. Anderson was a force defending the run but never quite found his way to the quarterback. And Norwood has great hands and blazing speed but was a gamble after the injury last year. The Falcons are getting really close to the number they need to attract a top free agent. Strange that in this “speed dating” free agency no word yet on the top players involved. Look for the birds to land at least one of them. And it will be a defensive player, the offense is loaded.
honest_abe
July 29th, 2011
9:51 am
why is this blog eating my posts?