Atlanta Falcons: Madieu Williams picks Redskins
UPDATE: Safety Madieu Williams, who visited the Falcons on Monday and received an offer, elected to sign with the Washington Redskins on Tuesday.
He played at Maryland and returning to play near his home was a factor, according to his agent Kenny Zuckerman.
EARLIER POST:
Former San Francisco 49er Madieu Williams is deciding to accept an offer from either the Falcons or the Washington Redskins, according to his representatives.
Veteran unrestricted free agent defensive backs James Sanders and Kelvin Hayden, recently signed with Arizona and Chicago, respectively.
Williams, a safety who was a second-round pick back in 2004 (56th overall) out of Maryland by the Cincinnati Bengals, has started 86 games and has 12 career interceptions. Last season with the 49ers, he started 3 of 15 games that he played in.
Williams, 30, played four seasons with the Bengals and three with the Vikings before playing last season with the 49ers.
The Falcons only have four safeties on the roster in William Moore, Thomas DeCoud, Shann Schillinger and Suaesi Tuimaunei.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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113 comments Add your comment
Rell
April 9th, 2012
6:26 pm
Well at least they doing something I guess.
kevkat
April 9th, 2012
6:31 pm
Hi D.L. Is that the best we can do for the time being?
MrShields
April 9th, 2012
6:36 pm
Madieu Williams is who exactly?
Rell
April 9th, 2012
6:38 pm
We do need some depth but I thought they would bring in someone who would push our starters.
robertussen
April 9th, 2012
6:40 pm
good we need depth behind decoud and moore
robertussen
April 9th, 2012
6:40 pm
good, we need the depth
Mikey
April 9th, 2012
6:52 pm
Sounds like he might be some kind of defensive back since Safeties were also mentioned in the article.
txdawg
April 9th, 2012
6:58 pm
He is a safety from SF. We need more satefy depth for Nolan’s defensive scheming
Chris Eagle
April 9th, 2012
7:00 pm
Madieu would be a great ‘get’…
jay
April 9th, 2012
7:06 pm
great article
MrShields
April 9th, 2012
7:07 pm
Thanks genius… That Thought never crossed my mind… More accurate question is What can he contribute besides depth, What are his career highlights, a pro bowl, things of that nature. Clearly he is a DB
Chub Rock
April 9th, 2012
7:28 pm
Madieu Williams would be a solid veteran backup signing and will push Decoud. I have always maintained we needed a solid vet backup to keep Decoud focused. Williams is an upgrade over James Sanders IMO.
Trapper John
April 9th, 2012
7:36 pm
Whoop -pie!!!
rollow lawson
April 9th, 2012
7:41 pm
Schillinger needs to be shown the door ASAP!!! Never heard of the other guy. How about looking for some safety help in the LSU secondary? Brandon Taylor would be a nice fit in the third. I wouldn’t mind snagging the big DT/NT from the University of Washington in the second. We need a big body to play in front of Dent and Tatupu. Go ahead and sign Marcus McNeil and draft another olineman in the forth. This current group needs to either step up or get gone (Reynolds, Hawley, Jackson, Johnson).
SawThat1nce
April 9th, 2012
7:48 pm
y
khaos
April 9th, 2012
8:28 pm
Championship move…
Fire
Smitty and Dimitroff
Peter
April 9th, 2012
8:41 pm
Safety. i like him as a back-up, more of a free then strong. Decoud and I have a love hate relationship. When he misses a tackle he looks REAL bad. I love william moore’s instincts and play style, and i honestly think van gorders d held him back. in response to khaos. Im leaning more to Dimitroff then smitty, although im questioning him too. It makes you wonder why the pats cut him loose. I know he was regarded as a “whiz” with them but honestly i dont know about some of his calls. Only person i think they should of traded up for last year was patrick peterson. You dont need two number 1 wr’s. i like the dunta move more then ray edwards. honestly dunta plays well even though numbers dont show. and wait til Nolan cuts him loose on the man press. Red edwards is like a slightly better jamaal anderson. he played with The williams wall and Jared allen and most he got was 8.5.
concerned Bird
April 9th, 2012
8:47 pm
Is there a Salary Cap credit when you sign so many over the hill players? This is starting to be a trend that is not very impressive.
St Simons - we're on Island time
April 9th, 2012
8:55 pm
Well maybe Madieu can cover Madea in my granny’s knitting circle.
They’re still all wide open.
falCANS
April 9th, 2012
9:17 pm
daunte is a horrible cover. corner but woul make a GREAT free safety. And he hits hard!!!
Sterling
April 9th, 2012
9:35 pm
@Peter Patriots didnt cut Dimitroff loose. He left to take a higher role (more money) with the falcons. He was never fired. And if we were to get rid of Smith and Dimitroff, who can fill there shoes and more??
JSS
April 9th, 2012
9:59 pm
The DL and not being able to read secondary receivers in patterns are what has been killing Falcons safeties… It is called honesty!
Delbert D.
April 9th, 2012
10:15 pm
There is a Social Security offset to the salary cap, I think. The closer to age 65, the cap amount is reduced.
DC Dirty Bird
April 9th, 2012
10:39 pm
This is a solid pick up. I’m not sure what fans expect TD to do. You can’t just go out and sign a big name free agent for every position. Now is the time of year that you sign established veterans for depth such that you have flexibility on draft day.
Jonas
April 9th, 2012
11:01 pm
khaos you must have a high ranking custodial job
Jonas
April 9th, 2012
11:07 pm
peter
concerned bird
khaos
fire smitty and the comrade? to hire who? how bout petrino? might be avail soon. you guys would probably love that.
picking on smitty and the comrade is ASININE….anyone actually in football knows what a good job they have done…..i love the birds but you guys are an embarassment to the base
please respond so i can pick you apart with statistics and facts rather than opinion
ghost of charles dimry
April 9th, 2012
11:17 pm
Decloud will be tested in the new scheme by the D.C.Make or break year for him.IMO another wasted draft pick by the yuppie G.M.In a cap driven league you can’t keep wiffin on tallent p jerry is p poor.
Dan
April 9th, 2012
11:57 pm
Hey D what ever happen to Channing Crowder?
lowdownjj
April 10th, 2012
12:28 am
Never heard of ‘em…
Atlanta Falcons | Skinny Post
April 10th, 2012
12:31 am
[...] Mac’s Football Blog Falcons | Have made offer to Madieu Williams 04/09 – kffl.com Atlanta Falcons: Madieu Williams has offer 04/09 – ajc.com Falcons Blog Falcons | Will work out two Clemson players 04/09 – [...]
Greg
April 10th, 2012
6:00 am
Paid too much money to the wrong people. Our hands are tied.
G. Tanner
April 10th, 2012
6:30 am
He’s a backup DB. What’s to criticize? Not every player signed is going to be all world. Geez.
G. Tanner
April 10th, 2012
6:31 am
And, in fact, he ain’t even signed yet.
Paddy
April 10th, 2012
6:53 am
Peter……..explain how did NE Pat’s turn loose of TD? How could they have stopped him from accepting a GM job?
Paddy
April 10th, 2012
6:55 am
Enter your comments here
Whopper Dawg
April 10th, 2012
7:07 am
Well, they gotta do something, the current lineup of safeties just made me throw up in my mouth.
I despise DeCoud, he makes one play every two games and regardless of circumstance, we could be down by 17, he dances all over the field.
The Real Falcon
April 10th, 2012
7:49 am
the real question is why would a player with a chance to play for a team that has 4 winning seasons in the last 4 years still be considering Washington? It can only be money, again!
AlanFalcon
April 10th, 2012
8:14 am
Enough already, lets see what direction the Falcons take in the draft
NFC South Morning Jog: Sean Payton Can’t Speak with Saints During Suspension | :: Sparxxrx LLC ::
April 10th, 2012
8:31 am
[...] agent safety Madieu Williams has an offer in hand from the Falcons, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter. Williams is weighing that offer with one from the [...]
NFC South Morning Jog: Sean Payton Can’t Speak with Saints During Suspension | Football Betting
April 10th, 2012
8:34 am
[...] agent safety Madieu Williams has an offer in hand from the Falcons, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter. Williams is weighing that offer with one from the [...]
Gumbo
April 10th, 2012
8:37 am
Still can’t believe we re-signed DeCoud…..Offseason looks like the Braves offfseason – How’s that workin out so far?
NewYork1
April 10th, 2012
8:47 am
If you guys are so unhappy with the Falcons moves,just start rooting for the Saints.
NewYork1
April 10th, 2012
8:51 am
you guys are a bunch of cry babies
Sid
April 10th, 2012
9:10 am
Best article ever written. See me kissin’ ur butt DLed…..? Lol…………….!!!
PMC
April 10th, 2012
9:11 am
Good Choice for Big Nickel.
PMC
April 10th, 2012
9:15 am
Last year I was pretty convinced they would do something at DE prior to the season and they signed Ray Edwards…. it didn’t work out but they clearly noticed the problem.
This year I’m almost certain they will do SOMETHING about left tackle prior to the season. Like Svitek (even more as a person) but if they truely want to progress they need big help there. I seriously doubt they will go into a football season wanting to pass more without improving that position.
joewhite
April 10th, 2012
9:59 am
Good pick up if we can get him was a hell of player at maryland can hit and cover solid move.
Jeff B
April 10th, 2012
10:05 am
Why do some of you guys think he could push DeCoud? The guy barely got on the field last year. He hasn’t had a great season since his rookie contract with CIncy! We do need depth at safety, but let’s not get too excited. Tatupu was a huge signing by comparison to this!
Reggie
April 10th, 2012
10:25 am
There’s another pro sports team in Atlanta who decided to bring back the same players from the previous and added a few bargain veteran players…hows that working out for ya Bravos?
PMC
April 10th, 2012
10:29 am
But reggie, they added TWO NEW HITTING COACHES!
you’re glossing over that huge change at hitting coach and what it’s done for that talent that they had.