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
TD IS IN OVER HIS HEAD AS GM!
April 28th, 2011
9:45 pm
TD did not pick Brady…he was a college scout, not the GM
hater
April 28th, 2011
9:46 pm
Great pick!! We still have free agents to pick also……DE AND RB…GO TD!!!!
Big Daddy
April 28th, 2011
9:46 pm
The guy who wanted Peterson. He was already gone with the 5th pick. I like the move, i hope we get more offense with our thrid round pick.
Rozeman13
April 28th, 2011
9:46 pm
With all this firepower shouldnt we hire Bobo as OC to run it
Joe Tess Fish House
April 28th, 2011
9:46 pm
Why cant TD do more liek the Pats? They have lots of pix and a grate team still. Mr Blanks should of hired GM from the Pats instead of TD
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:47 pm
It’s about time the Falcons made a bold move. I’ve been watching them for over 30 years and am sick of seeing them draft a bunch of CB’s and LB’s that don’t pan out.
rivercard
April 28th, 2011
9:47 pm
Agree JSS.
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:47 pm
Watch the commercial on ESPN and see what a freak JJ is.
Tech Fan
April 28th, 2011
9:47 pm
Well, it seems like we have about 200 people on this blog smarter than TD….amazing!!! LOL!!! LOL!!!! LOL!!!!
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:48 pm
@rivercard: No real debate here. I just think the D is young, learning and evolving. Let them learn, get a solid DE and help at CB (in the 3rd round or FA) and we’re set. We don’t need Reggie White coming off the end. I’m cutting Perry and Moore some slack since they lost so much time to injuries, but agree that we should be getting better performance. Truthfully, that GB debacle looked to me like it was the result of two things: 1) a very questionable gameplan; and 2) ATL’s inability to strike quickly enough to even think about a comeback.
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:48 pm
The 49ers gave up their 1st and their 2nd picks in the 1985 draft to draft Jerry Rice and they were the 30th and the 60th. The Birds give up two 1st’s, a 2nd, and a 4th for Julio Jones. Let’s see which turns out best.
Jcard120
April 28th, 2011
9:48 pm
this team went 13-3 with the worst percentage of long yardage passing in the league. I trust the falcons scouting staff. Julio Jones might have dropped too many small yardage passes, but he did not drop any touchdown passes. This is likely what attracted the falcons into moving up. The falcons organization is smart and has made great decisions up to this point. Let’s be hyped about the potential of having White and Jones at the corners. The one year we almost took it all the way(dirty bird) we had a great running back, and an excellent receiving combo. Sack up who are being so negative. We lost draft picks….we gained the one thing this team needed, a second threat. I can’t wait to watch the team next year. Matt Ryan with a solid O line. White and Jones on the corners. Turner rushing for 100 yards per game. They made this move to win the Super Bowl in a year or two. I love the attitude of the Falcons staff.
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:49 pm
@bruce
& where in the SEC did AJ rank over he GREAT 3 years? He was never a top 5 receiver. He is going to get BROKEN in Half.
Tech Fan
April 28th, 2011
9:49 pm
I love this pick, hate that we had to give up the 2nd rounder but other than that…great bold move….IMO. I am certainly not an expert like most of the people in this blog
Jake
April 28th, 2011
9:49 pm
Dimitroff got skunked. The worst NFL trade since the Herschel Walker/Dallas deal.
Phil
April 28th, 2011
9:49 pm
Horrible move. Put a fork in us.
Joe Tess Fish House
April 28th, 2011
9:49 pm
Hes a freak cuz he has a girls name. Juliet
TD IS IN OVER HIS HEAD AS GM!
April 28th, 2011
9:50 pm
@jerry. Give it a rest! TD is not even in the same class as the SF GM was back in the day.
Skank Palin
April 28th, 2011
9:50 pm
Birds should have a great DL with two recent first round picks (Jerry and the Arkansas DE – name escapes me) and John Abraham – but Noooooo!!!!!!
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:50 pm
Dimwit did not build the Patriots, contrary to the AJC spin.
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:51 pm
Jcard120, great post. You are exactly right. Hate all the know nothing whiners on here.
The truth
April 28th, 2011
9:51 pm
You have to be drunk if you are satisfied with Julio Jones over AJ Green. Green is a beast
Julio Jones
April 28th, 2011
9:51 pm
My dad dresses like a pimp.
Skank Palin
April 28th, 2011
9:52 pm
Yeah, but Jerry Rice slipped to #16 in round one (iirc) so he was worth less.
Best #16 ever.
Best WR ever.
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:53 pm
Truth, moot point. We had no chance to get AJ. The Bengals were taking him no matter what.
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:53 pm
Hawks by 5, 1:52 left
GTBob
April 28th, 2011
9:53 pm
Green and Jones are about equal to me so im not sad losing one over the other. Neither were worth that trade though. How dumb is Cincinnati for turning us down? We probably offered them even more.
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:54 pm
kerryb@ If the no nothings are whiners, are you a no nothing anti-whiner?
guy
April 28th, 2011
9:54 pm
don’t mind moving up, but I do mind giving up next year’s #1
Tide Rising
April 28th, 2011
9:54 pm
Looks to me like a lot of dawg fans are just pissed because the Falcons took a premiere Alabama player. And the morons who think AJ is all world and Julio is marginal, average,etc. What a joke. Julio is a complete wr who ran a blistering 4.3 40 with a fractured foot. What did AJ run? 4.5? And in case you didn’t notice you have to block in the NFL. Julio is big and bad. AJ is like Georgia- weak. Julio elevated his team to a national record 36 wins in 3 years. Julio elevated Georgia to a 23-16 record over the same 3 years. AJ was a slightly better college receiver because Georgia passed a lot more while Alabama played a run first offense. But this is the pros where pure physicality matters and from the combine speed and strength numbers AJ aint even in Julio’s universe.
Skank Palin
April 28th, 2011
9:54 pm
“The worst NFL trade since the Herschel Walker/Dallas deal.”
that was the worst trade since Babe Ruth went to the Yanks for some hot dogs and $500.
The truth
April 28th, 2011
9:55 pm
But the falcons had a chance to get him, if the bengals wanted AJ then stand pat and get the tall reciever from miami
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:55 pm
how is GREEN a beast?
he needs 20lbs if he is going across the middle in the NFL.
AJ Green is still all HYPE he has not proven a damn thing yet. JJ and the USC receiver were better in the SEC this year to name just 2
geno
April 28th, 2011
9:55 pm
learn something about football !!… DAN
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:56 pm
Hawks are going to lose this game. up by 1 with under a min to go.
Dimwit-troff
April 28th, 2011
9:56 pm
This is almost as bad as the Herschel to Minnesota scam that parlayed the Cowboys to several Super Bowls… Dimwit-roff just may have made NFL history… At best this move will be viewed as a mistake…
Mudcatjoe
April 28th, 2011
9:56 pm
Awesome trade! I’m glad AJ Green was gone when we picked. Julio was the best receiver in the draft this year. No one will be able to stop us next year! Who needs another disappointing Dawg player on our team?
rivercard
April 28th, 2011
9:56 pm
@Bo
Agree about GB game but would add Raji collapsing the interior and overall D as factors also.
I surely won’t say I don’t think Jones has potential, but I worry that we gave too much and that our system and personnel may not be able to take full advantage of his skills. Hope my fears are misplaced.
Go Falcons!!!
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:57 pm
Skank Palin@….if Rice was a 16, what should Julio be? And she is definitely a skank.
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:57 pm
You guys are whining about picks for unproven players. So what if we trade the first round pick next year and the 54th this year. That would be bad if we were picking in the top 10 but hopefully we will be picking 32 next year.
Bo Diddley
April 28th, 2011
9:57 pm
For some reason, AJ Green reminds me of several of the receivers who’ve come out of Florida, and we see how they’ve fared.
Tide Rising
April 28th, 2011
9:57 pm
Ya’ll need to be quiet now. Otherwise Julio may read your comments, get mad, and put AJ over his knee and spank him. We all know Julio would dominate that Georgia boy.
Tech Fan
April 28th, 2011
9:58 pm
GOOD LORD!!! I cannot believe the amount of crap I am hearing from this blog..as if there are a bunch of experts in here…just freakin chill and lets wait and see. He was abviously rated one of the best picks in the draft for a reason…freaking wierdos
Hurt Kurbstreit
April 28th, 2011
9:58 pm
I’m glad to get Julio Jones but that seems like a lot of good draft picks given up to get him. He is not the = of AJ Green. Me. I would have gone for defense. Maybe Justin Houston will fall far enough for them to pick him in a later round.
kerryb
April 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
The goal I think is to pick the best player in the draft that you need to help you win now if you can. The Falcons did that.
Mystikal
April 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
First off, don’t know if I wanna see detroit next year, but I like the move by TD. I’d love it if we got AJ Green or Patrick Petersen, but Julio’s best games are ahead of him I believe. Like the boldness of the move to say we aren’t satisfied and we comin for the crown!!
The truth
April 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
AJ Green is still all HYPE he has not proven a damn thing yet. JJ and the USC receiver were better in the SEC this year to name just 2
AJ Green dominated when the ball was thrown his way. When Julio has highlights playing on espn showing he drops balls. The other guy from South Carolina is good but where was he during the SEC title game??? He dominates against lesser competition
jerry
April 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
Tide Rising@……well said, my man, well said.
5150 UOAD
April 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
hawks up by 3 with 8.3 sec left and magic with the ball
Bruce
April 28th, 2011
9:59 pm
5150, how bout 2008 58 924 yds 2009 43 596 yds 2010 78 1133 yds for Julio and
2008 56 963 yds 2009 53 808 yds 2010 57 848 yds for AJ with 4 games missed for his big lack of judgement. So if AJ wasn’t a top 5 receiver I guess Julio wasn’t either because the number are very similar.