Atlanta Falcons: Lofa Tatupu released; 2 signed
Here's Mike Peterson (53) stretching as the Falcons opened their 2009 minicamp in Flowery Branch. He was signed after Tatupu was injured. CURTIS COMPTON / ccompton@ajc.com
The Falcons cut their losses at $600,000 and released linebacker Lofa Tatupu on Wednesday.
Tatupu suffered a pectoral injury while lifting weights last Thursday. Because his weight-lifting injury did not occur on the team’s premises, the Falcons were able to avoid owing him an additional $750,000 he was set to receive as a base salary and term his dismissal as a non-football injury.
Tatupu, a former Pro Bowler, who was trying to make a comeback after sitting out last season, had pectoral surgery Tuesday. The surgery will not allow him to play this season.
With the Falcons looking to replace leading tackler Curtis Lofton, Tatupu and Akeem Dent worked out with the first-team defense during the offseason.
Tatupu signed to a two-year, $3.6 million contract in March. He received a guaranteed $600,000 signing bonus and had a $1.25 million playing time escalator clause in his contract. His signing bonus will be counted against this year’s salary cap.
Tatupu, 29, a three-time Pro Bowler, didn’t play in 2011 after spending six seasons with Seattle. He was a first-team All-Pro selection after the 2007 season. He contemplated retirement, but elected to give it another try with the Falcons.
He was signed in March and basically received $600,000 for attending organized team activities and the mandatory minicamp.
In addtion to the Tatupu move, the Falcons signed wide receiver Tim Toone and defensive tackle Elisha Joseph.
They placed defensive tackle Corey Peters (foot injury) on the active, non-football injury list and waived safety Chad Faulcon.
Toone, who played at Weber State, was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2010. He was the last pick in the draft, earning the Mr. Irrelevant tag.
He has spent time on the practice squads in Detroit, Buffalo and Denver.
With Peters expected to miss at least three more weeks with a foot injury, Joseph, who’s 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, was needed for depth. He played at Temple. He’s spent time on Pittsburgh’s practice squad.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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73 comments Add your comment
Konehead
July 25th, 2012
7:29 pm
Are we expected to sign any LB’s in the coming weeks? Or are we supposed to be set with what we have??
Gamer
July 25th, 2012
7:29 pm
Mike Peterson packs leadership skills and smart experience at the position…..he can fill back up role.
Michael M.
July 25th, 2012
7:32 pm
Glad they got rid of the bum ! About time Falcon Brass tightens the reins a little and show some grit…..I can think of a couple of others that should get shown the door but withhold that and wait to see what happens. This Organization seems to be for real and not playing around this year……maybe they are serious about a run deep into the playoffs.
TampaGator
July 25th, 2012
7:32 pm
Don’t the rest of us just love it when two posters get on here and act like two year olds.
Concerning football…..is Akeem Dent good enough to be a starting MLB in the NFL? I sure hope so….
Roadway
July 25th, 2012
7:35 pm
Fan… Gamer’s comments are very good. I don’t know why you are thanking him because he is not saying anything in support of your less than good comments. Go back and read your original posts and remind yourself of how bad they were.
Michael M.
July 25th, 2012
7:44 pm
D-led……………..Tim Toone looks pretty good on that Bio Report you posted…………….you think he can make a name for his self on the Falcons…..might bump Kerry Meir out of the line-up if he can get in some of the pre-season games.
Roadway
July 25th, 2012
7:45 pm
TampaGator… U r correct and I apologize. I got too involved in the fact that Ledbetter deleted a post of mine just because I disagreed with a post and called someone ignorant which I think is mild compared to some things you read on here.
papa bear
July 25th, 2012
8:16 pm
Why would people be hating on mr. Tatupu,for accepting the money he was contracted to receive,there would be a very short line of people standing in—- ,who would return such money,Maybe there’s a certain first round defensive tackle drafted a few years ago should give some of his money back,and a recent first round offensive tackle who might give some money back,both of these two first round picks are pretty much BUST,and sign for millions.
Flacons never learn
July 25th, 2012
8:17 pm
HA HA! There is a reasin this guy was out of fotball for a year. Hes an out of shape looser. Flacons should of had no better. Tis is Tommy Dummytroffs fault. I predict 4 – 12
St. Richt
July 25th, 2012
8:25 pm
Another genius move by our front office….time for another mediocre season for the Braves, errrrr, Falcons.
SeenThisB4
July 25th, 2012
8:50 pm
Mr. Irrelevant certainly came to his corresponding team, a perfect match.
Mike Franklin
July 25th, 2012
9:13 pm
Wow. How do we even manage to keep an NFL franchise with spew like this?
*sigh*
Never mind, it don’t matter. We need some bodies on the D… who’s next on The Price is Right??
Falcons Release Lofa Tatupu « The Falcon Project
July 25th, 2012
10:36 pm
[...] Falcons have released linebacker Lofa Tatupu after his season-ending pectoral [...]
Big Ray
July 25th, 2012
10:43 pm
Aight, so we lost half a mil on Tatupu. Too bad for him, not so much a loss for us. Sh!t happens..
Not fully understanding why we signed another WR. There has to be a reason. The guys already on the roster are the ones who will be fighting for spots, not Mr. Irrelevant from 2010.
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
July 25th, 2012
11:10 pm
Sorry Tatupu is lost for the entire season.
BTW….I’m LOL at the viciousness of the folks commenting on this topic and how they are blasting each other over a football article…….WOW……”Can we all get along?” (R. King, 1992).
Falcons78
July 26th, 2012
7:19 am
I thought it was a suspect to dumb move in the first place to sign him. One step forward three steps back.
Northern Bird
July 26th, 2012
12:25 pm
“Can’t we all just get along” – hahaha, you boys woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
I agree with Gamer, repeated pectoral injury from benching says to me you don’t understand your body signals / limitations. I’m glad Tatupu was working hard off site, but as a professional athlete that has been benching since he was 12, you have to manage yourself apropriately. Anywho, I hope we sign someone else to help stuff the middle, as much as I think Dent has potential, u need a trusted run stuffer in the middle in order to hit the 2nd round of the playoffs.. that is unless Dent explodes into a Lofton this year, which i don’t see happening.
Mark (another one)
July 26th, 2012
1:05 pm
The lesson for players in this is to work out at the team’s facility. If Tatupu had hurt himself there, it would be a football related injury and he would be due another $750k.
I am of the opinion that is just one of those things that didn’t work out. The Falcon wouldn’t have signed him without a physical, and they both wanted him to provide MLB depth. He was working on his strength and got hurt. It happens. I’m not sure why some fans take it so personal.
Akeem was with the team all last year, and the coaches appear to be comfortable with him as the starter. I am looking forward to watching him meet the challenge. He was a beast at UGA.
Just Sayin.....
July 26th, 2012
2:36 pm
Dimitroff – GM of the year baby!
Just Sayin.....
July 26th, 2012
2:41 pm
If Turner or Roddy gets hurt, this franchise is toast.
Vesaversa
July 26th, 2012
2:57 pm
The Falcons are good at drafting at the bottom of the barrel . What sense dose if make to draft this guy Toons when no one else wanted him in the NFL .
good point
July 26th, 2012
2:58 pm
You are correct in just saying Turner and Roddy are exceptional but just saying simple minded about the franchise is toast call.
Moonshine
July 26th, 2012
5:12 pm
Give Akeem a chance men! Lofton stepped in as a rookie and excelled. Akeem excelled last year on special teams which proves he is a gamer. Time will tell but I have confidence Akeem will do a super job and shore up the middle for a long time to come.