A long lockout might leave the Falcons without a needed DE
Ray Edwards: New heavyweight champ? (AP photo)
The draft came, yielding Julio Jones and Jacquizz Rodgers, and then it went. The Falcons bettered themselves (by a lot) on offense, but not on defense. For that to happen, they need free agency to happen.
And it might. It also might not.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NFL owners a permanent stay Monday in this bewildering game of negotiation-via-litigation, which essentially means the players, who were briefly unlocked-out last month, will have to keep organizing their own Organized Team Activities. The Court of Appeals set June 3 as the date for a further hearing, but since that hearing will be conducted before the same body that just voted 2-1 in favor of the owners, the players shouldn’t expect any relief.
The upshot: The players are in real trouble. They out-lawyered the NFL early, but the NFL, which is a league built on comebacks, fashioned a rousing courthouse comeback. The players now have two choices: Either they stick to their beliefs and try to win via mediated negotiation — good luck with that — or they cave.
If they don’t cave, there’s a good chance the NFL won’t go to training camp on time. If the NFL calendar gets pushed back significantly, there’s a chance any settlement, assuming there is one, would essentially wipe out free agency for 2011. (Guys who were supposed to become free agents would go back to last year’s team at last year’s pay, goes the thinking.) And that wouldn’t help the Falcons find their defensive end.
Pretty much everyone, esteemed colleague D. Orlando Ledbetter chief among them, has identified Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards as a Falcons target. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent, and the Vikings placed a first-round tender on him. But it’s clear, from this story by Mark Craig in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, that Edwards wants out.
(Oddly enough, Edwards has a professional sporting event scheduled for this weekend, lockout notwithstanding. He’s to make his debut as a boxer at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minn. No word on whether he has hired Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith to work his corner.)
Back to the lockout. The longer it lasts, the worse things look for teams still looking to add. The good news for the Falcons is that they were in better shape than most already. The less-good news is that they still need a defensive end, and the clock’s ticking.
By Mark Bradley
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69 comments Add your comment
404
May 17th, 2011
2:43 pm
Just 3 simle things define many NFL players:
1. Arrogant: (Attention players: You can (and will) be replaced)
2. Stupid: (Majority of NFL players end up where they began: broke)
3. Overpaid: (Fans have budgets. Fans wil be buying many LESS tickets for the next 10 years)
PRESENCE
May 17th, 2011
2:45 pm
HOWS ABOUT INSTEAD OF GETTING A DE WE JUST GET A CB LIKE Asomugha, Nnamdi TO SHUT DOWN THE WEAK SIDE OF THE FIELD THEN MOVE BRENT GRIMES TO THE STRONG SIDE AND MOVE DUNTA ROBINSON TO NICKEL BACK FORCING MOST TEAMS TO THROW TO ONESIDE THAT WAY THE WEAKSIDE END CAN GET PRESSURE AND GET MORE SACKS
Willy
May 17th, 2011
2:55 pm
Even if we can’t pick up a DE our defense will be better with Jones helping to extend drives at WR.
Keith Mercer
May 17th, 2011
3:14 pm
My income and status for the rest of this will remain the same despite any action that is taken or not taken by the Falcons and the NFL.
SeenThisB4
May 17th, 2011
3:24 pm
@SeanPayton Moved his family out of NO: Of course the Saints have concern with the defense, we didn’t just lose to Seattle, we also lost to the browns and the cards, and your team. We bolstered it a bit in the draft, which you guys did not. But, we still need some other help in the front 7, we’ll see what happens. Also, I watch that Ravens/falcan’ts game, that was another game the falcan’ts should have lost. The Ravens were robbed, ROBBED! I think it was White who deliberately knocked down his coverman (the refs must have been busy getting a bathroom break or something) near the end on a scoring drive. And I am not a Ravens fan!
dean
May 17th, 2011
4:32 pm
…and switching over to The Other Sport…
SeenThisB4…in ref to the Ravens game. Lest we forget the mugging (that mysteriously wasn’t called) on the Falcons receivers when they played at the toilet dome in ‘09?????
Just Me
May 17th, 2011
4:37 pm
OchoCinco to the ATL want that just be a Blast.
robertussen
May 17th, 2011
5:04 pm
if the lock out ended and there was no cba, then free agency would most likely use the 2010 rules and players would need 6 years of service in the nfl before being able to become a free agent, then ray would not be a free agent. but i think we can still land this guy through a trade
joe white
May 17th, 2011
5:06 pm
i would love to have edwards lets get a dam deal signed.
BJ
May 17th, 2011
5:27 pm
MB, what is wrong with continuing to develop Lawrence Sidbury and the Biermann? Is Sidbury not doing too well developmental wise? I understand that if Jamaal Anderson hasn’t got it by now, he probably ain’t getting it. But with Peria Jerry rebounding after his hurt rookie season, the D can only get better…. right?
AlanFalcon
May 17th, 2011
5:39 pm
THE BIG LOSER’S ARE THE FANS WHO PAY THE PLAYERS SALARIES AND PUT MONEY INTO THE OWNER’S POCKETS———-THESE TWO GROUPS COULD CARE LESS AS TO HOW THE FANS FEEL——-JUST MAYBE A TICKET SALES BOYCOT MIGHT WAKE UP BOTH SIDES HOWEVER THEY UNDERSTAND HOW DUMB WE ARE , THERFORE THEY DON’T MIND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF US.
Lenward McMillan
May 17th, 2011
5:54 pm
Mark, what is Ray Edwards’ bio, what college, position in college, stats in college, drafted by who, drafted what round, I’ve read his pro stats, seems he does have promise but just coureous about how he got to this point?
P. Bull Terrier
May 17th, 2011
6:09 pm
Not being a labor lawyer, I don’t understand how or why anyone could force a player who has completed the terms of his contract to play for the same team, at the same price, as last season. Obviously, players who are “restricted free agents” have some type of language in their contract that gives their current team some control of their future at a pre-defined level of pay, but it seems like the NFL will need some kind of free agent signing period to deal with players who are no longer under contract to any team because their contract has expired.
ASHCAN.
May 18th, 2011
9:27 am
@DC TURDYBIRD,don’t throw that falcons losing to the superbowl champs(GB) junk to prove a point on what team is better because who they lost against(Saints losing to seattle)fact is the saints already have a trophy and what do the falcons have since existence? Nothing but a over rated QB who people try to make him out to be a manning or a brady(STOP PLAYEN)who can’t win the big game.Ryan will be another rivers who people bragg on year in and year out but never have nothing to show for it(playoff wins superbowls)when the season is over.Why bragg about a 13-3 season when the falcons have nothing to show for it being one and done.I think the last time this pitiful team won a playoff game was in the 90’s and you have a nerve to try and compare teams? I will not even remind you who was the QB for the falcons when the last time they won a playoff game because it will stir up hateful(some racial) comments.Win something and then bragg,thats how it should go.And nope im not a aints fan.
ASHCAN.
May 18th, 2011
9:29 am
AND IF YOU(WHO EVER) DON’T LIKE MY COMMENT,WELL YOU CAN KISS MY ASHCAN!!!!
BurningRedBleddingBlack
May 18th, 2011
11:46 am
All i know is we need a DE something serious. i really think that would help are defense as a whole in a big way. I think that are corner backs are fine, linebackers are solid. Just need another defensive end that has the speed and strength that fits our scheme.
DJ Sniper
May 18th, 2011
4:24 pm
While it’s true that Matt Ryan has yet to win a playoff game, people seem to forget that it took Peyton Manning quite a few tries before he won his first playoff game. Does this mean that Ryan will turn out just like Peyton? No, there’s no guarantee of that at all. Still, I wouldn’t call Ryan overhyped or overrated. 33-13 as a starter, former Offensive ROY, and a Pro Bowl spot, hardly spells overrated to me. The playoff wins WILL come.
hiramsaint
May 19th, 2011
1:43 pm
as an 11 win team , as you put it , take away the 49ers game and the ravens game , where the ref LET roddy push off and a muffed fg by us and your now an 8 win team which proved obvious against the pack when the refs were not a factor. fa and the lockout will be youe demise because the 3 stooges drafted for O and not for D which is where your achilles is
True Falcon Fan
May 20th, 2011
5:20 pm
@MB with all due respect, I just have one small issue with the way ALL media, not just you report their stories. That issue is do you ever consider writing about the “SOLUTION”, instead of the “PROBLEM” all the time? That said, Hell if you are having trouble finding solutions then be creative. I realize you guys sit around and most of you are trying hard to put out serious “factual” journalism, “I hope so anyway”. Maybe just maybe if you ALL “THE MEDIA” considered writing about the “SOLUTION” to the CBA/NFL, i.e., lockout. I think it would be a lot better reading & just maybe you’ll sell “MORE NEWSPAPERS”, that’s the goal isn’t it?? I mean as for ajc that’s what you guys want to do is make some M-O-N-E-Y too, right??
In my opinion not only the owners or either the players, both maybe will see the light, with a little creative journalism “thinking”.
MB —- the “SOLUTION” is “MONEY” —- First understand as follows:
#1 point “THERE IS NO HONOR AMONGST ALL THIEVES”
I truly hope we are completely clear on #1 point!
Secondly, the fans will not stand for a major price hike/increase in game tickets! Sure once this CBA is settled & if it is settled before the regular season starts, a moderate game ticket cost increase will pass with no real issue. However if the CBA is prolonged, not settle let’s say by week 8 — Players/Owners or Owners/Players — “Fellas say GOOD BYE”! You ALL are “DONE” for a long while!
#2 point “THE OWNERS ARE NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU THE REAL NUMBERS”!
Thirdly & last, the last time I checked the stock market there is NOT one NFL franchise traded on the stock exchange. So that means those entities are privately held! “Read the signs between the lines”!
#3 point “TAKE ALL THE MONEY THE OWNERS ARE GIVING YOU, “THE PLAYERS”, SAVE IT TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES & YOUR FAMILIES”
Get the deal done, let’s play FOOTBALL!
GO FALCONS