Should the Falcons sign Marcus McNeill?
San Diego Chargers offensive lineman Marcus McNeill (73) is loaded onto a cart after being injured in the second quarter against the Oakland Raiders in an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Should the Falcons pursue left tackle Marcus McNeill if he is waived by the San Diego Chargers?
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the McNeill, who played at Cedar Grove High and Auburn, is expected to be waived by the Chargers in March over health concerns about his neck.
For one, they will likely clear the books of $10 million by waiving left tackle Marcus McNeill. McNeill has to be cleared by a team doctor by the third day of the new league year, which begins March 13, or his 2012 salary is not guaranteed. McNeill is not expected to get a clean bill of health from the Chargers.
When healthy, McNeill has been one of the best left tackles in the league. He’s been selected to two Pro Bowls.
One of the Falcons’ main objectives is to improve their offensive line this offseason. Will Svitek and Sam Baker started games at left tackle last season.
The Falcons have medically passed players with neck concerns in the past. Kevin Mathis, Coy Wire and Kelvin Hayden have all been cleared by the Falcons after suffering neck injuries.
Last season, six teams flunked Hayden before the Falcons cleared him and he signed a one-year deal. He ended the season on injured reserve with a dislocated/turf toe.
McNeil, who turned 28 in November, is massive at 6-foot-7 and 336 pounds. His neck and back injuries have led to him playing in just 20 of 32 games over the past two seasons.
Over the first four seasons in the league, McNeill started 62 out of a possible 64 games. He was selected in the second round (50th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft.
The Falcons’ athletic performance staff will have to make sure McNeil is healthy and then try to get a functional movement screen on him. There might be a simple weight or muscle imbalance that can be corrected to alleviate his neck and spine issues.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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248 comments Add your comment
Samuel
February 8th, 2012
6:36 pm
If healthy it seems he would be a step up……..
ohhhhYEAH
February 8th, 2012
6:38 pm
some of you “fans” and “know-it-alls” apparently seemed to be forgetting that Baker wasnt even playing at the end of the season. Svitek took his job at left tackle. Baker was on the bench. So to say Mcniell is better than Baker is absolutely correct, but he isn’t competing with Baker, He’d be competing with Svitek, who looked pretty good last year. Svitek, Blalok, and McClure from the left to center are pretty solid, Something needs to be done about our RG and RT (we over paid for Clabo BIG TIME)
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
6:41 pm
from ricky this how money atlanta falcons have 100,227.174 go two salary cap projections on falcons life its on there falcons fans
ohhhhYEAH
February 8th, 2012
6:44 pm
@ ricky neal
The fact that your screen name is “RICKY neal,” I think we all get the fact that anything you post is going to be “from ricky,” so maybe if you could just ease up a little bit on that…….thanks
Roger
February 8th, 2012
6:47 pm
If healthy yes~~ no if not..thanks DOL for info..keep up the good job!
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
6:48 pm
falcons free agents jason snelling rb brent grimes curtis lofton sam baker mike peterson kirk chambers harry douglas kory biemann kevin hayden reggie kelly todd mcclure qb chris redmon ovie mughelli brent romberg vance walker joe zelenka 1 player unlikey player two be resigned return is rb mike peterson channing maybe coming two atlanta falcons for mike peterson
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
6:51 pm
falcons dont know what there going do about bringing back bent grimes or curtis lofton they dont know witch player there going francish yet
mountainman
February 8th, 2012
6:55 pm
I don’t care anymore. GO BAMA!
tom
February 8th, 2012
7:05 pm
no
FalconJim
February 8th, 2012
7:21 pm
No….please…..NO!!!!!! Not another washed-up has-been.
I mean, he played 20 games out of the last 32??? Why would we want him, for Christ’s sake?!?!?!
Does this franchise never learn? Geeesh!!!
Matt
February 8th, 2012
7:26 pm
Couldn’t be worse than Sam Baker the Sack maker.
Tom G
February 8th, 2012
8:08 pm
Sorry, the man is injuried too much for that kind of money. Go get Harvey Dahl back from Rams, he would have cost us about 5 million a yr to have kept. Bad move guys! He has a bad attitude which is good for OL!!
David
February 8th, 2012
8:29 pm
Of course……
cdog
February 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
the infamous dk,good one you are so right.there are plenty of good offensive linemen out there to had. why get someone who is injured?
Big Crimson 75
February 8th, 2012
8:38 pm
We want this guy????
No wonder we can’t win a friggin’ play-off game. The boy wonder can do much better than this!
Sign Carlo Nicks from N.O. — you know the guy that was shoving our D-Line 10 yards down the field every snap! Svitek is a better option than McNeal.
Nativebird
February 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
Heck yes….you can’t do much worse than what we have. Baker has unbelievably reached the
Hartwell – Anderson level of bust in an Atlanta uniform, and Svitek is not the answer.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 8th, 2012
9:08 pm
Should Hawks stop losing in the playoffs? Yes, although the Hawks are still better.
Wow
February 8th, 2012
9:37 pm
@ ohhhhYEAH 2/8/12 6:44pm
Wow!!!! Thanks ohhhhYEAH…….ricky neal actually was not aware of that……
@ ricky neal ………. keep supporting though, its needed
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
9:52 pm
from ricky owner of the falcons coach smith said that in offseason there sit down with channing crowder and see what role he will play for the falcons and they will talk and than go dinner figuer out how many downs hill play for atlanta and than they will offer him a contract
Fan
February 8th, 2012
9:52 pm
RUN from this guy, avoid at all costs. There is no risk reward return when trust is involved. As in you can’t trust this guy to be on the field. Please say no. LT’s are not relievers that can be resurrected.
john
February 8th, 2012
9:55 pm
Signing Carl Nicks from NO won’t happen. He wants to get paid 56.7 million dollars, just like the Saints other Pro bowler Jarhi Evans. We can’t spend that kind of money on him. If we spend that money on Nicks, what about Lofton? I think Grubbs is a better because he’s cheap. Plus, I heard the Saints won’t sign Colston back because he wants top wideout money. The Saints still haven’t signed Brees and after they sign him they’ll start talking to Nicks. Colston looks like he won’t be back in New Orleans, and D.Bowe has come out and said he would take a discount to play in New Orleans with Drew Brees. So it’s looks like if Colston doesn’t come back, Bowe will take his spot. That’s back new fellow falcon’s fans.
JoFo
February 8th, 2012
10:00 pm
We did get solid play out of same situation with Coy Wire. If he passes the physical, I agree that we have top notch doctors and a cutting edge analysis and exercise program that can diagnose specific problems that can be corrected and give an athlete the best physical performance years of his life. I say, “Go for it!” (look at what we have now!)
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:04 pm
from ricky i heard that ovie mughelli also suffered a season – ending injury but he got in 13.1 percent of teams offensive plays replacement mike cox was on the field 11.9 percent of the falcons offensive plays looks to be about 25./; so it souds like the falcons mit end up keeping mike cox
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:15 pm
falcons need change two the team like lawrence sidbury i did not see play good at all the season for falcons including ovie mughelli mike peterson he turned the ball over two many times this season sam baker did not play good at all the falcons reggie kelly did not do nothing for the falcons this season kirk chambers did not do nothing for the falcons this past season brent romberg did not plays any 3rd downs this season but if harry douglas and brent grimes and curtis lofton is let go im share going miss not seening them play next september joe zelenka ls did nothing for the team this year including vance walker guy we got from georgia teach
Ronald Millsaps
February 8th, 2012
10:23 pm
Sign him, yes.
The Falcons simply aren’t that good at either line of scrimmage and won’t be Super Bowl contenders until they are.
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:24 pm
this coming march 13th i belive atlanta falcons will release lawrence sidbury sam baker reggie kelly both free agents joe zelenka jason snelling rb ovie mughelli bret romberg harry douglas mike peterson unlikely two return kirk chambers kory berimann chris redmon qb he wants return two falcons todd mcclure wants two return cory wire does anybody know if his staying with the falcons this year
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:25 pm
falcons fans do think the falcons should resign chris redmon back
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:29 pm
from what iv heard falcons free agents unlikely two return is harry douglas sam baker joe zelenka mike peterson kirk chambers reggie kelly brent romberg jason snelling rb ovie mughelli
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:34 pm
the only players that want two come back dunta robinson todd mcclure chris redmon mike cox but we have wait and see if falcons can francised brent crimes curtis lofton
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:46 pm
falcons 2012 free agents unlikely two return kory berimann mike peterson joe zelenka jason snelling could be headed also where kirk chambers reggie kelly brent romberg harry douglas ovie mughelli sam baker this means channing could be heading two atlanta falcons this off season
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:48 pm
falcons i cant wait two see if we pick up channing crowder from florida
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
10:57 pm
falcons said on kffl that they dont know thomas decoud future with uncertain thomas decoud will be a free agent this off season but its know if the team is interested inresigning him does not look for thomas decoud mike peterson unlikely two be resinged jason snelling headed also where ovie mughelli kirk chambers harry douglas joe zelenka brent romberg reggie kelly
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
11:01 pm
falcons said on kffl that they dont know thomas decoud future with team uncertain thomas decoud will be a free agent this off season but its know if the team is interested inresigning him falcons fans it does not good for the team if they lose thomas decoud
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
11:03 pm
ha falcons fans if they release 9 players we have 109 million under salary cap this year
ricky neal
February 8th, 2012
11:14 pm
so come march 13th will see if dunt robinson returns john abraham brent grimes and curtis lofton
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
12:06 am
from ricky i share whan nfl free agecy comes up march 13 falcons can find some help
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
12:30 am
from ricky theses are falcons 2012 free agents including eric weems jason snelling curtis lofton brent grimes thomas decoud reggie kelly kirk chambers ovie mughelli brent romberg mike peterson joe zelenka qb chris redmon sam baker harry douglas they have 8 to 10 free agents 3 they want two return weems curtis lofton brent grimes todd mcclure vance walker from georgia tech kevin hayden
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
12:33 am
espn confirmed that falcons unlikely resign mike peterson due two him turning 35
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
12:39 am
falcons kevin hayden wants two return john abraham wants return but he has two take big pay check todd mcclure wants return vance walker wants return falcons could resign thomas decoud before free agency james sanders might be brought back chris redmon hopes two return
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
12:46 am
and from iv heard they say lawrance sidbury days in a informe maybe numbred could he be next in a few more weeks
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
12:47 am
could lawrance side bury days be numbred in a falcons jeresy in a few more weeks
J-Man
February 9th, 2012
12:47 am
@ Ricky Neal…….Why don’t you like to use commas. Generally if you are including a number of individuals in a sentance you will use a comma to separate and acknoledge their individuality. Ex. Sam Baker, Todd McClure, Curtis Lofton, and Kevin Hayden………
See commas can be a good thing
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:01 am
falcons 2012 free agents i forget one more falcon free agent antone smith sam baker kevin hayden curtis lofton eric weems todd mcclure vance walker brent grimes james sanders mike peterson ovie mughelli thomas decoud kirk chambers qb chris redmon brent romberg harry douglas jason snelling rb joe zelenka vance walker georgia tech kory biermann mike cox
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:04 am
theses are falcons players unlikely returning sam baker mike peterson ovie mughelli jason snelling headed also where harry douglas joe zelenka brent romberg kirk chambers
Sid
February 9th, 2012
1:14 am
Hell yeah, sign him, seems like our entire O line has turf toe ……………………………
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:21 am
from we lose these 8 players sam baker mike peterson ovie mughelli jason snelling harry douglas joe zelenka brent romberg kirk chambers falcons will have 108 million under the salary cap
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:33 am
from ricky i just for get another falcon free agent get this micheal palmer brent grimes brent romberg joe zelenka thomas decoud mike peterson reggie kelly kirk chambers harry douglas john abraham ovie mughelli curtis lofton kory biermann sam barker kevin hayden
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:35 am
falcons now have total of 17 free agents espn said it could go up to total of 20 free agents
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:37 am
espn coniformed that falcons unlikey two resign mike peterson this off season duw two him turning 35
ricky neal
February 9th, 2012
1:38 am
falcons mike peterson unlikely two be resign by the falcons this off season