Is Tony Gonzalez worth the Falcons’ 2nd-round pick?
The Internet and sports talk radio were buzzing Monday about the possibility of the Falcons trading for All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez.
According to the National Football Post, the Falcons “are seriously considering” sending a second-round pick (No. 55 overall) to the Chiefs for the 33-year-old tight end.
The AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter looked into the rumors and found nothing concrete, but says things could “percolate” into something.
Gonzalez caught 96 passes for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
The Falcons’ top tight end Justin Peelle caught 15 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Would this be a good move for the Falcons?
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174 comments Add your comment
willdave
April 14th, 2009
9:30 am
I agree with you guys. At 33 years old, Gonzalez might be good for one or two more good seasons. Whereas a young second-round pick (55th overall) could be an impact player for the Falcons for the next ten or fifteen years. Don’t do it, TD.
Glenn
April 14th, 2009
9:32 am
Also theres not a TE available worth geting in the draft that could make a DIFF for the Falcons.
The Bisch
April 14th, 2009
9:44 am
Thought we were trying to get rid of the over 30 crowd. Though Gonzalez probably has 2 or 3 more years, I can’t see him being effective in the run game. Then we would have to pay a premium on a player on the down side of his career. I just don’t see it.
WR
April 14th, 2009
9:53 am
I too was concerned about the idea of picking up a 33yr old TE, but after sleeping on it my feelings have softened a bit. This offseason I have noticed that the Falcons are stockpiling later round picks, and thinking back about TD’s background I’m starting to feel the Falcons are seeing more value in the later rounds then they do in the early rounds. The so-called experts and most of us wondered who was going to block for Ryan and Turner last year at this time, the falcons on the other hand had a good idea who would do the blocking and they were right, because Ryan stayed up-right most of the time and Turner rushed for nearly 1700 yards. Now the experts and most of us believe the defense is in serious need of help, which judging by what the falcons have done this offseason they apparently disagree, so somehow I get the feeling that we should trust the people on the inside more than us outsiders looking in. With this being said I would take the proven commodity of TG but if we are giving up a 2nd for him, I would try to get a 3rd in next year’s draft in the deal. The falcons still have a first to get a good OLB and they also have a 3rd, and early picks in the 4th,5th,6th, to pick up or trade up in order to get a good if not immediate impact DT. This will also put the Falcons in position to have early picks in next year’s draft to package in a deal to move up in the 1st round, because they also get compensatory picks from this years free agent losses,if Decond,Fudge, or Harris, don’t work out, the move up in the first round could be used to select the all-american, all-world safety Taylor Mays out of USC, provided he continues his star-studded play.
96dawg
April 14th, 2009
9:55 am
According to the falcoholic the chiefs turned down our 2nd round offer.
http://www.thefalcoholic.com/
carmatter
April 14th, 2009
9:57 am
Remember, we don’t pass to the tight end. We cut receiving tight ends to bring in blockers. Is this what TG or ATL needs?
razzle cat
April 14th, 2009
10:14 am
To me the Falcons are not with it. They’re focus is spread out to consider Michael Vick and a new stadium, what about football? What’s that? Oh you mean that oblong shaped thing, a ball of a kind. To me, again, the Falcons are not going to get the players from the draft to fill all those holes they created on their defense and they won’t get that TE either unless one just falls out of the sky. Hey, that’s like Chicken Little “hey a TE fell out of the shy…”
With Vick dominating the news blogs for the Birds the Falcon media at Flowery Branch ought to tell them to give it a rest, I think.
Vick doesn’t play for the Falcons anymore. He’s playing in a sequel called “The Longest Yard, 3.” Between the Falcons blowing the off-season free agency and then picking almost last in every round they’ll be more apt to go get a Pop Warner kid to fill those huge gapping holes on their team.
This is gonna be fun with this one….
Sam
April 14th, 2009
10:34 am
I don’t think this would be a good move beacuse of his age and how much does he have left in that 33 year old body?????? I would rather for the Falcons to build through the draft. MAYBE, JUST MAYBE I would do it for a Fourth round pick not a second. We have toooooooooooo many needs on defense.
Are the Falcons interested in Tony Gonzalez?
April 14th, 2009
10:34 am
[...] But even with that connection, this rumor is still a little far-fetched. None of the major media outlets have had anything to say about a possible trade and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that so far, there’s ‘nothing concrete about the rumor.’ [...]
bigbird
April 14th, 2009
10:34 am
all-pro TE, security blanket for Ryan, please make it happen, Falcons need to be BOLD.
Kenny Powers
April 14th, 2009
10:40 am
HELL TO THE NO!!! NOT WORTH A 2ND ROUNDER.
Tony Smith
April 14th, 2009
10:40 am
A chance to get an elite tight end for a second round pick. Make the deal.
FirstFan
April 14th, 2009
10:40 am
Make the move with TG we can score 30-35 points per game which will allow us overcome some mistakes on defense I don`t see the defense giving up no more than 21-24 points per game the worse case senerio we still will win more than we lose do the math.
Michael Lunsford
April 14th, 2009
10:43 am
I Hope Not!!!!!!…Maybe 3rd Round…because they have too many holes on the Defense..and could get a legit starter from that pick (((( Curtis Lofton comes to mind ))))
Stirg d'Nahsif
April 14th, 2009
10:47 am
Mock Draft:
1st Clay Matthews, Jr.
2nd Tony Gonzalez
3rd Chip Vaughn
4th Sammie Lee Hill
5th Cameron Morrah
5th Cornerback/Safety
6th Offensive Tackle
Look, we’ve already addressed the fact that we do need a tight end. Fans, like myself, have even suggested that we use our top pick (24) to obtain him. The suggestion met much resistance from the pundits that desires defense first. Who, in this year’s draft, is better than Gonzalez? You mean to tell me that we can get a ten-time Pro Bowler with over a 1000 yards last season, in the second round? On top of that, we can draft a first-rounder defenseman (Clay Matthews, Ziggy Hood, Sean Smith, Patrick Chung) and still get our combo blocking/catching tight end. The beauty of my mock is that we get another late round tight end (Morrah), in a deep TE draft. That way, we’ll have a very good tight end in three years when Gonzo is gone. Who would you rather tutor a young tight end? Would you rather Justin Peele tutor Pettigrew; or would you rather Tony Gonzalez tutor a Cameron Morrah. I’d take the later. Push the button and make this trade happen.
I know 33 is NFL-old but Gonzo is an exception. The man caught 1000+ yards last year, with mediocre quarterbacks. I agree with DSV when he said that he would rather wait and be SuperBowl contenders for several years, than make an attempt to run for the SuperBowl for the next two years. Well, we can achieve both, if we draft Morrah in later rounds.
Just, for one second, imagine the possibilities; think about it before you click “Submit Comment”.
BigHittas
April 14th, 2009
10:48 am
LOL The Dean21, you must be a hall monitor or maybe a tattle tale?
I think the TG move is smart. It gives Matty Ice another big target and has an immediate impact on the O while only giving up a chance for an uncertainty in a second round pick.
Makes sense to me.
Dawg
April 14th, 2009
10:51 am
Keep the picks this year and load up the D. Save the TE pick for next year for the 3rd round and use it to draft Tebow!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Scout
April 14th, 2009
10:53 am
It has been said that one way to imrove your Defense is to improve your Offense. If they stay on the field longer, they not only eat more clock but rest the D. The key is that TG has to want to come here. We don’t need an unhappy player in the locker room.
STL Falcon
April 14th, 2009
11:10 am
Hey coachx, maybe then the Giants would lower gas to 75 cents a gallon and give every starving child a Klondike bar too. Get real man. Do you have any precedent for your speculation, or are you just bored at work (I am).
plan c
April 14th, 2009
11:12 am
TG sounds good to me. This way we get to use #1 pick for defense instead of going for a TE(Pettigrew, as others are saying). We will then have a good TE for 2-3 years and get a younger one later. After shoring up the DL & OL. Why did we get rid of Crumpler?
Falcons73
April 14th, 2009
11:15 am
I would suspect the TD is too smart to give up a second round pick to pick up TG. TG is still a very productive tight end, but on the downside of his career. We must stay the course and continue the process of building this team through the draft. There are several good TE prospects in the draft that can be had in the latter rounds (6th or 7th). Concentrate on the defense and snag a value TE pick at the end.
Long-time Atl Resident
April 14th, 2009
11:21 am
I like TG and nothing against him, one of my favorite tight ends, but at this stage of his career he has done it all already, this would be BS, ATL in any sport has to stop doing this…getting used up talent…we finally got something good going on in all sports so keep it that way.
TheManMike
April 14th, 2009
11:43 am
Go Get TG if we can. Talk about a threat. Even if for only a year or two. DID YOU SEE THE PROBOWL?
Id like to know Ryans thoughts on this….
Scott
April 14th, 2009
11:59 am
A 2nd round pick for a 33 year old ????
NO WAY !
I’d rather keep the pick and possibly draft a defensive player that could possibly play for 10+ years.
There will be tight ends to pick in the draft this year, plenty of good ones in the 2nd and 3rd around, according to Mel Kiper.
KEEP THE PICK…WE DON’T NEED OLD PLAYERS ON THE FALCONS !!!
Barry
April 14th, 2009
12:01 pm
Hey Y’all:
This is a real scary selection due to Gonzales’value and the age factor. He is too old for these young birds. I believe it is best that we go through the draft and chose a good, young tight end and make him our star in the NFL. I do not believe that an establish star in this league will help us. Also, he will cost us some money. In fact, Gonzales is not that fast to me. Moreover, in the Southern Conference we need big, strong, fleet footed tight ends. Gonzalez would not be that great in this conference. Therefore, going through the draft would be our best approach in filling this position in
“ONE HEARTBEAT!!!!!!”.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a SECRET from a FALCON FAN. TELL EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“ONE HEARTBEAT, BABY!!!!!!”
tdawg
April 14th, 2009
12:04 pm
That would be the typical old Atlanta sports trade- bring in an old player to finish his career- please TD don’t take us back. By the way, you trade Laurent Robinson, a 3rd round pick, to move up in the 5th and 6th rounds?WTF? Please somebody stop him!!!
President Harris
April 14th, 2009
12:06 pm
coachx: You are scrambling my brain! Good info.
Jordan's Almonds
April 14th, 2009
12:08 pm
Go get him. Same folks last year told us to draft Dorsey because of our defensive needs. Sure, we have a lot of holes in our D, but a Tony Gonzalez doesn’t come available every year. With him picking up Matty Ice’s Trash, our offense becomes a headache for every defensive coordinator. Sure, pick up as many defensive draft choices as possible, but there’s no way in hell we could get any better talent than Tony Gonzalez at 55.
dacha
April 14th, 2009
12:14 pm
ya’ll have definitely made some very strong and reasonable suggestions. As for me, I was initially very against T.G. coming to the ATL but I’ve been softened slightly. Stirg made an excellent point about T.G. mentoring Morrah as opposed to Peele/Pettigrew. I can honestly see both sides of the argument and no matter what I will trust that the magic in Dimitroff’s wild hair will again bring us a winner. I am just so glad that I am not him!
Frazier Section 322
April 14th, 2009
12:20 pm
No thanks… stick to the plan. 1 year players are not what we need. Matt needs a TE that he can grow with. If we get Tony …what happens next year????? DON’T DO IT!
Lee Smith
April 14th, 2009
12:26 pm
Build through the draft?? Tell teams like Miami, Cleveland and Detroit that it is better to “Builk through the draft”. YES WE NEED Tony Gonzalez. This would put a weapon at every offensive position. There is no way that the Falcons would get a player that could contribute day one like Gonzalez would. In the second round you are simply hoping to draft someone that can make it out of training camp. FALCONS PLEASE DO THIS DEAL!
bravesfalconhawk
April 14th, 2009
12:58 pm
I TRUST MR. DIMITROFF
Chris
April 14th, 2009
1:02 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
chuck
April 14th, 2009
1:04 pm
NO WAY. The guy is 33 years old. We need a young TE, not a guy two years at most from retirement. New England has 3 second round draft choices this year. That’s why they end up in the Super Bowl about every other year. Never ever trade the first day picks unless it’s an absolute necessity.
angry banker
April 14th, 2009
1:09 pm
you guys don’t think we’re close for a SB? We lost a game we shouldn’t have the the eventual NFC champs! I LOVE TG in the most hetero way possible… but I did have my heart set on Delmas with that 2nd pick…
angry banker
April 14th, 2009
1:21 pm
plus Sam Baker is still an unproven commodity – why not have a little blocking help for our franchise QB’s blind side?
BurningRedBleedingBlack
April 14th, 2009
1:26 pm
i’M 50/50 ON THIS ONE! He will make are team better rigth away with his catching /blocking skills. However, We do need alot of work at defense thats what held us back last year. So….alot of hard thinking here. The draft does open up alot of maybe’s but hey we have failed in the draft before. Just because we select a guy doesn’t mean he will be automatically great
WR
April 14th, 2009
1:28 pm
Gonzo and a third rounder for next year in exchange for a 2nd this year sounds good. Birds could take Peria Jerry or Hood in the first, Sammie Lee Hill in the third, add depth and players to develop at linebacker and on the offensive line with later picks. Even if Gonzo is only good for 3 years, the Birds could draft a TE next that they can gown to be his replacement, he could learn from one of the best of all time and he would not have to immediately be thrown into the lineup. With Jerry or hood and Hill at DT, Smitty would have the big DT’s he covets to anchor the defensive line. Just imagine a DT rotation of a healthy Tlewis, Babs, Jerry or Hood, and Hill, devastating.
WR
April 14th, 2009
1:30 pm
gown should be groom, sorry
Shut up Terrence
April 14th, 2009
1:48 pm
Earlier, I said Tony is not worth a second-rounder, END OF DISCUSSION, yet, you idiots are still on here blogging about “Trade for Gonzalez.”
You idiots just don’t get it.
WR
April 14th, 2009
1:49 pm
One more thing, if you are commenting on this blog and can say you thought the Falcons would do better than 7 & 9, your lying to us and yourself, its still a process, and part of the process is player development, I don’t think the defense is as far off as we think and honestly I think that Falcons management feels the same way, who dumps practically five starters and veterans from a defense without believing they have the replacements in place or the ability to obtain the replacements in the draft or FA. As Atlanta sports fans we want it now, because we’re not use to constant contenders but we claim thats what we desire. One FA acquistion and two players from the draft got the offense on the right track which means that 9 other players were already in position and did most of us think that, not really, give the Falcons the same credit for the defense because Monday Morning Quarterbacking win very few games.
WR
April 14th, 2009
1:51 pm
7 & 9 last year
Waldo
April 14th, 2009
1:55 pm
MAAAN!! Pull the trigger on this trade, SERIOUSLY. With a veteran like that in our locker room, it will improve the moral of the players…we need some veterans and Tony will be a leader….we can also pick up a TE in the later rounds this year or wait til nxt year and TG could be that TE’s Mentor….This will be a great pick up for the Falcs….This will show our confidence and how serious we are to compete…..PULL THE TRIGGER!!!!
Stirg d'Nahsif
April 14th, 2009
2:13 pm
Makes sense to me, WR.
tide1
April 14th, 2009
2:20 pm
Here is a look at the players who may be available at the 23rd spot in the second round that the Falcons may would have interest in:
1. William Moore SS Missouri 2. Jarron Gilbert DE San Jose State 3. Marcus Freeman OLB Ohio State 4. Chase Coffman TE Missouri 5. Lawrence Sibury DE Richmond 6. Mike Mickens CB Cincinnati 7. Kevin Barnes CB Maryland 8. Sherrod Martin CB Troy 9. Shawn Nelson TE Sou Miss
10. Rashad Johnson FS Alabama 11. Louis Delmas FS W. Mich 12. Clint Sintim OLB Virginia
If you noticed, all but the 2 TE’s are on the defensive side of the ball. The Birds will have plenty of choices for a rock solid defensive player if they go that route. Otherwise, if they want to go offense and go after a TE, Coffman and Nelson (maybe Ingram of Florida) are the best of the bunch likely to be available. Is TG worth a 2nd? Only if we want to go offense with that choice. If we go defense in the 2nd, then Ingram and possibly T Beckum of Wisconsin will most likely be available in the 3rd.
**Trade 2009 No 3 (26th) and 2010 No. 6 to Denver for 2009 No 3 (15)
**Trade 2009 No 2 (23) to KC for TE Tony Gonzalez and 2009 No 5 DC (3)
1. Clay Matthews OLB 6-3 240 USC
2. Tony Gonzalez TE 6-6 251 (TRADE)
3. Mike Mickens CB 6-0 184 Cincinnati
4. Brandon Williams DE 6-3 265 Texas Tech
5. Chris Clemons S 6-1 210 Clemson
5. Sammie Lee Hill DT 6-4 330 Stillman
5. Mike Wallace WR 6-0 199 Ole Miss
6. Lee Robinson LB 6-2 249 Alcorn State
Defensive heavy, but we certainly need it..
Falconfrom VA
April 14th, 2009
2:28 pm
Great ideal to help Ryan be successful in his sophomore year. A veteran tightend and gamechanger, he still has three good years left in the tank. Now we can concentrate on defense and o-line throughout the draft.
Keith
April 14th, 2009
2:33 pm
Please Falcons don’t do it for a second round pick maybe a 3rd.D is too good in the draft to waste that pick..I have confidence this trade will not happen unless the Chiefs are willing to offer more then Gonzo!!!!
Will
April 14th, 2009
2:51 pm
Do it!!! You would be an idiot not to. Our offense will be unstoppable, with wide range. Worry about defense through picks and maybe some off season pick ups.
row3
April 14th, 2009
3:00 pm
Report from ArrowheadPride.com, KC rejects Falcons offer for a second round pick.
B-Mor
April 14th, 2009
3:13 pm
I would make this trade in a second i mean TG didnt play with a QB with any kind of consistancy last year. and he still posted pretty nice numbers. imagine what he could do with Matty Ice throwing to him. WOW! he is not too old. he is still got game. I say make this trade.