Falcons pick right time to make big move, get Julio Jones
Julio Jones will help the Falcons open up their offense after averaging nearly 15 yards per catch at Alabama.
(Originally posted: 9:13 p.m. Updated: 10:30 p.m)
FLOWERY BRANCH – Last week, I had a private conversation with a general manager (guess who?) of an NFL team (duh) about his team’s draft plans. Because of what just happened, I feel safe in concluding that the Falcons’ Thomas Dimitroff won’t mind if elements of that conversation now go on the record.
Me: “Go get A.J. Green. He’ll probably have the greatest impact of any player in the draft.”
Dimitroff: “How do you think people would react?”
Me: “More than half will love you. The rest will think you spent too much and should draft for defense. But I’m guessing you won’t do it.”
Dimitroff: “Why not?”
Me: “You won’t want to trade that much for one player. You’re conservative.”
Dimitroff: “Hah! So what you’re saying is, if I make a trade, you’ll write that you goaded me into it.”
Me: “Yeah, probably.”
We laughed, and I eventually hung up the phone believing Dimitroff would stay at 27th, at best moving up five picks for a defensive player he liked. I was wrong about Dimitroff. He’s not conservative. He rolled the dice and made a move that, while expensive, was a risk worth taking. The Falcons dealt a boatload of draft picks to Cleveland Thursday night to jump up 27th to sixth in the first round, where they took Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones.
The Falcons needed to make a splash after the January playoff beatdown by Green Bay. Sports franchises that believe they’re on the verge of something big have a window in which they feel they can make this move. This was the Falcons’ window.
“Our feeling was where we are on the draft, where we are as a team, where we are on our roster … we felt we needed to make a bold statement as far as an impact type of player,” Dimitroff said.
Dimitroff will face some criticism for sacrificing so much for an offensive player after the Packers shredded their defense in the 48-21 playoff game. But there wasn’t a defensive player in this draft, save Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller, he viewed as a difference-maker. Dimitroff’s focus has been on Green or Jones for several weeks.
“I’ve been very open about the fact that we needed to add explosiveness on the defensive side or the offensive side,” he said. “In our mind, the explosiveness we were going to get with a player like Julio outweighed what we were going to get on the defensive side. We’ll never get away from the idea that if we see something we want, we’re going to jump up and get aggressive and go after it.”
That is the attitude you want a team to have.
Dimitroff made a significant statement about the franchise’s goals and expectations. He attempted to swing a deal for a pick as high as No. 2, ostensibly to get Green. But he has known for a few days they would end up at six or seven.
The cost of moving up: steep. A No. 1, 2 and 4 this year and No. 1 and 4 next year. But Jones is a playmaker. He’s a burner. He ran a 4.39 at the NFL scouting combined despite having a fractured foot.
Alabama coach Nick Saban praised Jones, Dimitroff said: “Julio embodies what Nick coaches – hard-nosed, competes on every play, goes up for the ball, sacrifices the body and plays to the whistle.”
It doesn’t fix the defense? But it enables the Falcons to open up the offense and take over games when they couldn’t in the past.
The Falcons still have time to add pieces to the defense. But understand: It’s not like they’ve ignored building that half of the depth chart. Since taking over as general manager in 2008, Dimitroff has invested heavily first- and second-round picks and free agency on defense: Curtis Lofton, William Moore, Peria Jerry, Dunta Robinson and Sean Weatherspoon. Compare that to four early picks or acquisitions on offense: Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Sam Baker, Tony Gonzalez.
Dimitroff and the organization, still somewhat hung over from the loss to the Packers, realize they are at the point where people are going to start focusing more on the team’s postseason results (0-2) than the regular season (33-15). “That’s what adds to some of my drive at this year’s draft,” he said.
It drove him to make a big move. It was a risk worth taking.
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Last few posts
– NFL draft: Playoff hangover driving Dimitroff, Falcons
– NFL draft: Cam Newton will succeed, Tim Tebow won’t
– Hawks need more from Joe Johnson (whether-he-likes-it-or-not)
♦
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812 comments Add your comment
gerry cooney
April 28th, 2011
9:32 pm
Not impressed. However, my prognostication skills are on par with the esteemed Mark Bradley.
Columbus
April 28th, 2011
9:32 pm
Like you said half would love it and half would say you paid too much…Michael Jenkins all over again? No way he’s too fast and too physical, hard worker and great blocker and will open up the field for Gonzalez and White and basically anyone who runs a route! Defenses are going to be helpless! This is one way to fight fire with fire….Dimitroff knows more that all you clowns combined. Now the Falcons will have an unstoppable offense just like Green Bay. You can go 2 ways in battle, try to stop their offense by improving your defense and/or improve your own offensive assault and now there is NO defense that can stop the Atlanta offense. It can only stop itself. It is basically a mirror of the Green Bay offense of 2010 but with better weapons….It is going to be a fun high scoring next few years if the running backs hold up! Good job! To the morons who cant see the forest through the trees or think outside the box…you’re ignorance will be known to us all in 5 months! Lets take names and save this to file after a couple days and open it back up in October and name names…..
5150 is an idiot
April 28th, 2011
9:32 pm
Only people who know nothing about sports put the losing team’s score first.
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
You guys act like you need a 1st or 2nd round pick at every position to be good. Not only is that not true, it’s not possible.
TDub
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
Well that was surprising… Like the guts though. Weren’t going to get an impact player at 27, and next year’s 1st rounder will be a late pick. Why not take a gamble?
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
for what the Falcons gave AWAY JJ better be a pro bowler this year and next.
Falcon Nation has spoken
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
TD’S bad moves
Matt Ryan
Peria Jerry
Dunta Robinson
Jimmy Williams
Matt Baker
Julio Jones
BUNCH O' dummies
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
Just in case you bandwagoneers dont remember we beat Green Bay in the regular season. They just got the hot QB in the playoffs and took over. We could just as easily have done that. Preciate it
Bruce
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
Sorry Bo, though there was a period after the word judge. Upper 40’s so my eyes are starting to go. LOL
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:34 pm
football and baseball always show the VISITORs score first you stupid pr.k
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:34 pm
Let’s see: 48 minus 21=27. Hey, if Julio scores 4 touchdowns we win, 49-48.
Benny
April 28th, 2011
9:35 pm
TD has been known to pick some talent in later rounds(some guy named Brady). I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
Colonel Klink
April 28th, 2011
9:35 pm
Everyone but thUGA fans know Jones will go over the middle and go deep, he’s way better overall than Green. Green LEAD his team to 6-7 ha ha
Bruce
April 28th, 2011
9:35 pm
Gladly Columbus, and I do hope I get to eat my words.
Rozeman13
April 28th, 2011
9:35 pm
You know this might have BEEN a good trade if we could have thrown in Anderson and Norwood in with all the picks
Falcon Nation has spoken
April 28th, 2011
9:36 pm
BUNCH O’ dummies
April 28th, 2011
9:33 pm
Just in case you bandwagoneers dont remember we beat Green Bay in the regular season.
Who won in the playoffs?????? I see your blog name fits you well!!!!! Nobody cares about regular season wins
Bama Falcon
April 28th, 2011
9:36 pm
Was A good pick!
Dawg48
April 28th, 2011
9:36 pm
Enter your comments hereWere did mark ingram det all dat boing boing from? Hmmmm did some body body in Alabama get that for him?
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:37 pm
@Bruce: No worries. Plus the action on this board moves pretty quickly. Don’t know about you but I find it hard to keep up sometimes.
Bruce
April 28th, 2011
9:37 pm
Klink, AJ is exciting to watch and produces results. Julio is boring. Alot of money to pay for a downfield blocker. Plus, look at the talent surrounding Greene at my alma mater this past year and you will see why it was 6-7.
Falcon nation has NOT spoken
April 28th, 2011
9:38 pm
You got so much wrong up there, it’s not even funny. Who is Matt Baker? Jimmy Williams was taken before Thomas got here. that’s only 3 out of 5. Well, it’s good enough for an A for “U”ga football players.
Mike
April 28th, 2011
9:38 pm
Let me see if I can clearly get my thoughts across in regards to this mortgage of a draft.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Turrible. I feel sick.
The Falcons NEVER threw down the field. We gave a contract extension to Jenkins. Now we piss away all these picks for another WR?
Peerless Price wasn’t busy?
This is horrible.
Testiclese
April 28th, 2011
9:39 pm
I seem to remember the gasp of disbelief when TD chose Matt Ryan over Glenn Dorsey. I still trust the guy. Free agency looms and Arthur Blank is willing to sign some monster checks.
AJ Green ain't gonna do squat as a Bungle
April 28th, 2011
9:39 pm
He can’t even block a Deion Sanders type corner……and WRs have to be able to block in the NFL.
And he has no QB. Bye bye!
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:39 pm
Hawks by 8 with 6:07 left.
Steve
April 28th, 2011
9:40 pm
From Cleveland … hope it works out for you, but we really needed the picks … thanks for doing the deal!
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:40 pm
5150 UOAD ……..you are right about the visiting team’s score being listed first. Now someone needs to tell those idiot “sports” people on WSB and FOX 5.
perk
April 28th, 2011
9:40 pm
too expensive!
Justin Houston
April 28th, 2011
9:40 pm
Lightin’ up again! Looking to do it on stage too!
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:40 pm
@bruce
AJ looked exciting on the sidelines more than he played in games over 3 yrs. He played just a few more games at UGA than FAT MATT has in Detroit. Both are so EXCITING.Haahhaahaha
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:41 pm
For all of you commenting on Patrick Peterson. He was gone with Arizona the pick before this. Arizona wasn’t trading that pick. They got the guy they wanted in this draft. They were not trading the pick. The Falcons had no chance to get Peterson.
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:41 pm
@Mike: Did you…..did you just……did you just compare Julio Freakin’ Jones to Peerless Price?? Them’s fighting words! You wanna step outside??
jeffrey d
April 28th, 2011
9:41 pm
See, fairweather ATL fans? THAT was informed, reasoned analysis and insight.
And THAT was condescending smugness.
5150 is an idiot
April 28th, 2011
9:41 pm
Well, girls do list the losing team first.
Why stop being stupid
April 28th, 2011
9:42 pm
The Falcons should trade up for Mark Ingram, keep this stupid trend going
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:42 pm
@jeffrey d: And THAT was an astute observation.
At least we aren't Miami
April 28th, 2011
9:42 pm
Wow. How exciting. Your number 1 pick is a center. Yawn. That’s really going to take you from mediocre to a contender.
Red
April 28th, 2011
9:43 pm
THAT’S WHY YOU FOOLS ARE SITTING ON YOUR COUCH THINKING YOU ARE ALL AWESOME GM’S WHILE DIMITROFF MAKES MILLIONS MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE FRANCHISE.
rivercard
April 28th, 2011
9:43 pm
@Bo-
I concede that Lofton is a B level vs C player but while “consensus” may be he is a budding star he isn’t there yet. Of course Robinson is an upgrade but is he worth what they paid for him? Yes, Witherspoon has some athletic ability but he truly looked like someone who had never played football many times last year. Your right though jury is still out but last year was below average performance.
If you think Perry and Moore are anything other than average(extremely generous) then we just aren’t watching the same players.
What The ?????
April 28th, 2011
9:43 pm
Really……a wide receceiver is what we needed from the next TWO drafts to get over the top. You have got to be kidding me. It typically takes 3 years for a receiver to develope and we just gave away 2 years of Draft for this marginal at best receiver. He is a work out warrior that never really did anything at BAMA. Here we go again into mediocraty.
1990_Champs_GT
April 28th, 2011
9:43 pm
He better make the Hall of Fame.. with us! We better win Super Bowls, not just one.
Jones drops too many passes and like A.J. Green disappears in games. If this doesn’t pan out, TD will be fired and I, for one, won’t mind a bit.
Does anyone else think the best PASS RUSHER AVAILABLE AT #6 OVERALL makes more sense!?
Steve
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
Enter your comments here
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
THE SKY IS FALLING. OH WHAT A HORRIBLE PICK. I CAN’T BELEIVE WE TRADED PICKS AWAY. THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END. I WANT WONT WATCH ANOTHER FALSCONS GAME. TD IS STUPID, DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HE IS DOING.
WHAT A BUNCH OF WHINING MORONS.
JSS
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
OK, grown adult post, this series of events means offensive line is even more important because Matt Ryan’s arm is not deep accurate and the receivers must work to be open so he can have the chance to be off and still hit them. As I said on the other blog, Clabo must have peed on himself in glee…
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
Hawks giving up the pudding 74-76 let the magic back in the game
Why stop being stupid
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
Watch New England choose Mark Ingram
Skank Palin
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
Remember Gerald Tinker was a first round WR pick by the Birds!
Think about that!
Steve
April 28th, 2011
9:44 pm
Great Pick wait to you see what JJ will do with single coverage, Oh My!
Bruce
April 28th, 2011
9:45 pm
5150 Obviously you are either a fan of one of those Alabamer teams or a Techster. Check AJ’s ranking on Mel Keiper’s board. And as for calling a QB fat, lets see how fat Cam(all I do is look to the sideline for a play number) does when he has to call a play other than 39 in the NFL.
Willy T
April 28th, 2011
9:45 pm
This was a desperation trade. It was a Mike Ditka kind of trade. Put all your eggs in one basket. I hope it works out, because if it doesn’t, then you’ve hurt yourself for the next few years.