NFC South: Thomas Dimitroff
Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Falcons in 2012.
Dream scenario (13-3): Let’s note right up front that that dream record would also include at least two postseason wins, which would be a first in the era of coach Mike Smith, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and Matt Ryan. In their time, the Falcons have played the days after Christmas exactly like they’re the days after Christmas. There’s been a huge letdown when January has rolled around.
That’s putting an enormous amount of pressure on the Falcons. But that might be a good thing. Smith has said postseason failures have caused him to rethink how he does a lot of things. There’s little doubt those failures played a role in the hiring of new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, moves that might get the Falcons over the hump.
There are a lot of scouts and coaches around the league who believe Ryan was held back by former offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and the defense never established any sort of identity under Brian VanGorder. The Falcons can score with any team if Ryan is allowed (and has time) to throw the ball downfield to Roddy White and Julio Jones. Nolan is preaching about the need to be more aggressive on defense.
Nightmare scenario (8-8 or anything worse): Let’s face it: The only way the Falcons are a .500 (or worse) team is if they have several major injuries or a huge implosion. This is a team that is loaded with individual talent on both sides of the ball. Or so it seems.
When coordinators go, head coaches and key players tend to lose their insulation. If Koetter can’t get more out of Ryan than Mularkey did, the Falcons suddenly have a huge issue at quarterback. If Nolan can’t get guys like Ray Edwards and Dunta Robinson to do more than they did for VanGorder, then maybe it’s not all about the coordinators or offensive and defensive schemes.
Owner Arthur Blank has said Smith isn’t on the hot seat, no matter what happens this season. But I think Smith is at least entering the same territory Tony Dungy once did in Tampa Bay. Smith is being labeled as a nice guy who can win a lot of games in the regular season but can’t win in January. If this team doesn’t win a playoff game, Smith officially is on the hot seat. If this team somehow fails to even make the playoffs, Blank might be forced to rethink his statement. This team is too talented not to win.
Dream scenario (13-3): Let’s note right up front that that dream record would also include at least two postseason wins, which would be a first in the era of coach Mike Smith, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and Matt Ryan. In their time, the Falcons have played the days after Christmas exactly like they’re the days after Christmas. There’s been a huge letdown when January has rolled around.
That’s putting an enormous amount of pressure on the Falcons. But that might be a good thing. Smith has said postseason failures have caused him to rethink how he does a lot of things. There’s little doubt those failures played a role in the hiring of new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, moves that might get the Falcons over the hump.
There are a lot of scouts and coaches around the league who believe Ryan was held back by former offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and the defense never established any sort of identity under Brian VanGorder. The Falcons can score with any team if Ryan is allowed (and has time) to throw the ball downfield to Roddy White and Julio Jones. Nolan is preaching about the need to be more aggressive on defense.
Nightmare scenario (8-8 or anything worse): Let’s face it: The only way the Falcons are a .500 (or worse) team is if they have several major injuries or a huge implosion. This is a team that is loaded with individual talent on both sides of the ball. Or so it seems.
When coordinators go, head coaches and key players tend to lose their insulation. If Koetter can’t get more out of Ryan than Mularkey did, the Falcons suddenly have a huge issue at quarterback. If Nolan can’t get guys like Ray Edwards and Dunta Robinson to do more than they did for VanGorder, then maybe it’s not all about the coordinators or offensive and defensive schemes.
Owner Arthur Blank has said Smith isn’t on the hot seat, no matter what happens this season. But I think Smith is at least entering the same territory Tony Dungy once did in Tampa Bay. Smith is being labeled as a nice guy who can win a lot of games in the regular season but can’t win in January. If this team doesn’t win a playoff game, Smith officially is on the hot seat. If this team somehow fails to even make the playoffs, Blank might be forced to rethink his statement. This team is too talented not to win.
A quick look at the Saturday morning headlines from around the NFC South.
Perhaps the most tragic story of this offseason belongs to Tampa Bay defensive tackle Brian Price. His sister recently died in a car accident. This isn’t the first tragedy for Price. Previously, two of his brothers died at young ages. Price talked extensively about how devastating the latest loss has been. He also said he hopes to adopt his sister’s two young sons and bring them to Tampa.
The Panthers will take to the practice field next week, and are expecting often-injured right tackle Jeff Otah to be working out. But coach Ron Rivera made it clear that the starting job doesn’t automatically belong to Otah. That’s the right approach. Otah’s talented, but he hasn’t really played in this offensive system. More importantly, Otah has to show he can stay on the field. Byron Bell played well at right tackle last season. Otah might have far more natural talent than Bell, but it sure sounds like Rivera is saying Otah has to clearly win the job.
Owner Tom Benson said the goal for the Saints this season is to make history by becoming the first team to ever win the Super Bowl in its own stadium.
Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff successfully completed his 40-mile route on Bike to Work Day.
Perhaps the most tragic story of this offseason belongs to Tampa Bay defensive tackle Brian Price. His sister recently died in a car accident. This isn’t the first tragedy for Price. Previously, two of his brothers died at young ages. Price talked extensively about how devastating the latest loss has been. He also said he hopes to adopt his sister’s two young sons and bring them to Tampa.
The Panthers will take to the practice field next week, and are expecting often-injured right tackle Jeff Otah to be working out. But coach Ron Rivera made it clear that the starting job doesn’t automatically belong to Otah. That’s the right approach. Otah’s talented, but he hasn’t really played in this offensive system. More importantly, Otah has to show he can stay on the field. Byron Bell played well at right tackle last season. Otah might have far more natural talent than Bell, but it sure sounds like Rivera is saying Otah has to clearly win the job.
Owner Tom Benson said the goal for the Saints this season is to make history by becoming the first team to ever win the Super Bowl in its own stadium.
Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff successfully completed his 40-mile route on Bike to Work Day.
The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints made this list of the NFL’s top-10 front offices.
No big surprise there. The Saints and Falcons have been consistent winners the past few years, and the front offices undoubtedly have played a big role.
But I am a little surprised that the Saints were ranked No. 9 and the Falcons came in at No. 6. New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis and the people that work for him, and Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff and the people that work with him are very good at what they do. But I think you have to give the Saints the edge here, because they have won a Super Bowl. The Falcons have won a lot of regular-season games since Dimitroff’s arrival, but they have yet to win a playoff game during his tenure.
Until that changes, I can’t justify putting the Falcons ahead of the Saints in this category. But Loomis obviously is at a critical point in his career. He has yet to get franchise quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term deal. Brees has admitted he’s frustrated with what he called a lack of communication. But I still think this deal will get done before the July 16 deadline for franchise players to sign long-term contracts.
If things somehow don’t get worked out and Brees sits out the season, then Loomis immediately falls off the top of this list. But Loomis has been creative and completed complicated contracts in the past. If he signs Brees to a long-term deal, then Loomis stays atop the list for the foreseeable future.
Dimitroff is a very solid No. 2 in the division. He’s had some good drafts and acquired guys like Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez. But Dimitroff needs guys like Ray Edwards, Dunta Robinson and Asante Samuel to step up. He also needs the Falcons to get some postseason wins.
The Panthers and Buccaneers didn’t make the list of the top-10 front offices. Given the recent history of the two franchises, that’s not surprising. But Carolina’s Marty Hurney is the dean of NFC South general managers, and he’s had some success in the past. Hurney took a major step in rebuilding the Panthers by drafting quarterback Cam Newton last year. If Newton can duplicate his rookie performance, Hurney has a chance to crack the top 10.
Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik is entering a crucial season. He outlasted former coach Raheem Morris, and Dominik's offseason looks good on paper, but he needs the players he’s drafted to start showing some positive results.
No big surprise there. The Saints and Falcons have been consistent winners the past few years, and the front offices undoubtedly have played a big role.
But I am a little surprised that the Saints were ranked No. 9 and the Falcons came in at No. 6. New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis and the people that work for him, and Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff and the people that work with him are very good at what they do. But I think you have to give the Saints the edge here, because they have won a Super Bowl. The Falcons have won a lot of regular-season games since Dimitroff’s arrival, but they have yet to win a playoff game during his tenure.
Until that changes, I can’t justify putting the Falcons ahead of the Saints in this category. But Loomis obviously is at a critical point in his career. He has yet to get franchise quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term deal. Brees has admitted he’s frustrated with what he called a lack of communication. But I still think this deal will get done before the July 16 deadline for franchise players to sign long-term contracts.
If things somehow don’t get worked out and Brees sits out the season, then Loomis immediately falls off the top of this list. But Loomis has been creative and completed complicated contracts in the past. If he signs Brees to a long-term deal, then Loomis stays atop the list for the foreseeable future.
Dimitroff is a very solid No. 2 in the division. He’s had some good drafts and acquired guys like Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez. But Dimitroff needs guys like Ray Edwards, Dunta Robinson and Asante Samuel to step up. He also needs the Falcons to get some postseason wins.
The Panthers and Buccaneers didn’t make the list of the top-10 front offices. Given the recent history of the two franchises, that’s not surprising. But Carolina’s Marty Hurney is the dean of NFC South general managers, and he’s had some success in the past. Hurney took a major step in rebuilding the Panthers by drafting quarterback Cam Newton last year. If Newton can duplicate his rookie performance, Hurney has a chance to crack the top 10.
Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik is entering a crucial season. He outlasted former coach Raheem Morris, and Dominik's offseason looks good on paper, but he needs the players he’s drafted to start showing some positive results.
It’s pretty safe to assume the Atlanta Falcons won’t be making any big free-agent signings or trades early Friday morning.
That’s because general manager Thomas Dimitroff will be getting to the office a bit later than usual and, presumably, he won’t be taking any calls on his cell phone. Dimitroff will be riding his bicycle to work and will be taking a circuitous route, although it’s probably a lot safer than riding a bike on Atlanta’s major freeways.
As part of National Bike to Work Day, Dimitroff will be leaving the Publix at 2900 Peachtree Road NW in Buckhead at 7 a.m. He’s scheduled to arrive at the team’s facility in Flowery Branch sometime between 10 and 11 a.m. Dimitroff will follow Buford Highway for the majority of his 40-mile route.
“Cycling has always been something that I have enjoyed,” Dimitroff said. “On Friday, I get to combine my enjoyment for cycling with my passion for the Atlanta Falcons. I am pleased to work with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition again as we support Bike to Work Day. May is National Bike Month and I hope that everyone gets a chance at least one day this month to get out and spend some time on their bike.”
That’s because general manager Thomas Dimitroff will be getting to the office a bit later than usual and, presumably, he won’t be taking any calls on his cell phone. Dimitroff will be riding his bicycle to work and will be taking a circuitous route, although it’s probably a lot safer than riding a bike on Atlanta’s major freeways.
As part of National Bike to Work Day, Dimitroff will be leaving the Publix at 2900 Peachtree Road NW in Buckhead at 7 a.m. He’s scheduled to arrive at the team’s facility in Flowery Branch sometime between 10 and 11 a.m. Dimitroff will follow Buford Highway for the majority of his 40-mile route.
“Cycling has always been something that I have enjoyed,” Dimitroff said. “On Friday, I get to combine my enjoyment for cycling with my passion for the Atlanta Falcons. I am pleased to work with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition again as we support Bike to Work Day. May is National Bike Month and I hope that everyone gets a chance at least one day this month to get out and spend some time on their bike.”
Let's take a look at the top Thursday morning headlines from around the division.
There had been some uncertainty as to how the Falcons will deploy their cornerbacks now that Asante Samuel has joined the mix. General manager Thomas Dimitroff cleared that up by saying the plan is to slide Dunta Robinson inside and let him handle slot receivers. Samuel and Brent Grimes will play the outside.
Martin Fennelly writes that Tampa Bay’s signing of Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand is the best signing in franchise history. I couldn’t agree more, even though LeGrand never will play with the Bucs. This one came from the heart of Greg Schiano, who coached LeGrand at Rutgers, until a 2010 game in which LeGrand was paralyzed. Schiano and LeGrand have remained especially close. This move was all about the relationship between Schiano and LeGrand. But when fans see things like that, the Bucs, who haven’t been easy to embrace in recent years, suddenly become a lot more likeable.
Stephen Holder has a list of several undrafted players who have a chance to start the process of earning roster spots in Tampa Bay’s upcoming rookie camp.
New Orleans defensive end Will Smith has said he’ll appeal his four-game suspension and linebacker Jonathan Vilma has implied he’ll do the same with his season-long suspension. But a legal expert says they’ll face an uphill battle because they’re appealing to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the same man who handed down the punishments. Goodell already upheld appeals of suspensions by coach Sean Payton, assistant head coach Joe Vitt and general manager Mickey Loomis.
Carolina undrafted receiver Jared Green has good speed and bloodlines. He’s the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green. But he’s raw after a college career that included stops at Virginia and Southern.
There had been some uncertainty as to how the Falcons will deploy their cornerbacks now that Asante Samuel has joined the mix. General manager Thomas Dimitroff cleared that up by saying the plan is to slide Dunta Robinson inside and let him handle slot receivers. Samuel and Brent Grimes will play the outside.
Martin Fennelly writes that Tampa Bay’s signing of Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand is the best signing in franchise history. I couldn’t agree more, even though LeGrand never will play with the Bucs. This one came from the heart of Greg Schiano, who coached LeGrand at Rutgers, until a 2010 game in which LeGrand was paralyzed. Schiano and LeGrand have remained especially close. This move was all about the relationship between Schiano and LeGrand. But when fans see things like that, the Bucs, who haven’t been easy to embrace in recent years, suddenly become a lot more likeable.
Stephen Holder has a list of several undrafted players who have a chance to start the process of earning roster spots in Tampa Bay’s upcoming rookie camp.
New Orleans defensive end Will Smith has said he’ll appeal his four-game suspension and linebacker Jonathan Vilma has implied he’ll do the same with his season-long suspension. But a legal expert says they’ll face an uphill battle because they’re appealing to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the same man who handed down the punishments. Goodell already upheld appeals of suspensions by coach Sean Payton, assistant head coach Joe Vitt and general manager Mickey Loomis.
Carolina undrafted receiver Jared Green has good speed and bloodlines. He’s the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green. But he’s raw after a college career that included stops at Virginia and Southern.
This is the time of year when you hear a lot about offseason workouts. This is when teams can begin conditioning drills and get out onto the field to start working on football and that continues through minicamps and organized team activities.
It’s a great time to build chemistry. You’ll also hear a lot of coaches bragging about how almost all their players are participating in the workouts, which is great. But, in some cases, there’s a lot of money to be earned just for showing up and working out in the offseason.
I just got a look at all the offseason workout bonuses scheduled to be earned (if the players take part in a majority of the workouts) by NFC South players this year and there were some eye openers. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik doesn’t use a lot of workout bonuses in the contracts he negotiates. But, when he does use them, they’re significant. Tight end Kellen Winslow and cornerback Eric Wright have the largest workout bonuses in the division for 2012 at $500,000 each. Offensive tackle Donald Penn is right behind them at $400,000 and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is scheduled to collect $300,000. Linebacker Quincy Black has a $250,000 bonus and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye is slated to make $200,000. Those six are the only Buccaneers with workout bonuses this year, but they come to a total of $2.15 million.
Carolina general manager Marty Hurney and New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis are much more liberal in their use of workout bonuses. The Saints and Panthers each have 21 players scheduled to earn workout bonuses this year.
Carolina’s scheduled workout bonuses add up to $2.055 million. I won’t list anyone under six figures. But here are the guys who can earn big money. Charles Johnson, Jon Beason, DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Kalil and Ron Edwards each are scheduled to make $250,000. Charles Godfrey, James Anderson, Olindo Mare and Garry Williams each can earn $100,000.
If all the New Orleans players take part in enough workouts, the Saints will have to pay out $2.381 million. Sedrick Ellis leads the Saints with a $250,000 workout bonus. Jahri Evans, Lance Moore and Scott Shanle each are scheduled to make $200,000 and Will Smith is slated to make $150,000. Marques Colston, Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, Jermon Bushrod, Jonathan Vilma, Malcolm Jenkins, Devery Henderson, Pierre Thomas, David Thomas, Korey Hall and Will Herring each are scheduled to make $100,000.
Apparently, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff, who probably works out more (he rides a bike religiously) than any NFC South general manager, doesn’t believe in workout bonuses. Dimitroff has used them very sparingly in the past. This year, there’s not a single Atlanta player schedule to earn a workout bonus.
It’s a great time to build chemistry. You’ll also hear a lot of coaches bragging about how almost all their players are participating in the workouts, which is great. But, in some cases, there’s a lot of money to be earned just for showing up and working out in the offseason.
I just got a look at all the offseason workout bonuses scheduled to be earned (if the players take part in a majority of the workouts) by NFC South players this year and there were some eye openers. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik doesn’t use a lot of workout bonuses in the contracts he negotiates. But, when he does use them, they’re significant. Tight end Kellen Winslow and cornerback Eric Wright have the largest workout bonuses in the division for 2012 at $500,000 each. Offensive tackle Donald Penn is right behind them at $400,000 and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is scheduled to collect $300,000. Linebacker Quincy Black has a $250,000 bonus and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye is slated to make $200,000. Those six are the only Buccaneers with workout bonuses this year, but they come to a total of $2.15 million.
Carolina general manager Marty Hurney and New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis are much more liberal in their use of workout bonuses. The Saints and Panthers each have 21 players scheduled to earn workout bonuses this year.
Carolina’s scheduled workout bonuses add up to $2.055 million. I won’t list anyone under six figures. But here are the guys who can earn big money. Charles Johnson, Jon Beason, DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Kalil and Ron Edwards each are scheduled to make $250,000. Charles Godfrey, James Anderson, Olindo Mare and Garry Williams each can earn $100,000.
If all the New Orleans players take part in enough workouts, the Saints will have to pay out $2.381 million. Sedrick Ellis leads the Saints with a $250,000 workout bonus. Jahri Evans, Lance Moore and Scott Shanle each are scheduled to make $200,000 and Will Smith is slated to make $150,000. Marques Colston, Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, Jermon Bushrod, Jonathan Vilma, Malcolm Jenkins, Devery Henderson, Pierre Thomas, David Thomas, Korey Hall and Will Herring each are scheduled to make $100,000.
Apparently, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff, who probably works out more (he rides a bike religiously) than any NFC South general manager, doesn’t believe in workout bonuses. Dimitroff has used them very sparingly in the past. This year, there’s not a single Atlanta player schedule to earn a workout bonus.
Jeff Hanisch/US PresswireThe Falcons bolstered their offensive line with the addition of Peter Konz in the second round.As it turns out, the Atlanta Falcons aren’t planning to jump over that playoff hurdle that’s been talked so much about.
They simply plan to plow right through it. The latest evidence came Friday night when the Falcons used their second-round draft pick (No. 55 overall) on Wisconsin center (more on that in a moment) Peter Konz.
It would have been very easy for the Falcons to overreact and do something crazy after an embarrassing January playoff loss to the New York Giants. Yeah, they could have made a leap in free agency for defensive end Mario Williams, which seemed to be the preferred rout by 99 of every 100 Falcons fans.
But the fact is, if the Falcons had landed Williams back in March, they wouldn’t be as good a team as they are today. Seriously.
Yeah, I know it sounds a little ridiculous to say the Falcons are better off without a guy who could have brought them double-digit sacks. But it’s the truth. Had the Falcons signed Williams, they would have had to gut their existing roster.
The salary-cap space Williams would have taken up would have prevented the Falcons from keeping guys like receiver Harry Douglas, safety Thomas DeCoud, defensive end John Abraham, center Todd McClure and running back Jason Snelling. They might not have been able to fit cornerback Brent Grimes under the salary cap with the franchise tag. Even if they did, they would have had to have made some dramatic moves -- like releasing receiver Roddy White, running back Michael Turner or fullback Ovie Mughelli.
2012 NFL Draft: Rounds 2-3
• Clayton: Day 2 winners, losers
• Sando: St. Louis' defining day
• Kuharsky: Jags reach, and poorly
• Seifert: How the Lions operate
• Graziano: Philly's confident draft
• Hensley: Pitt protecting Big Ben
• Yasinskas: Konz bolsters Atlanta line
• Williamson: Elway gets his QB again
• Walker: Jets hoping for home runs
• First round photo gallery
• Players react on Twitter | On radio
• NFL Nation | Draft home | Tracker 
Smith and Dimitroff have had four straight winning seasons, but have yet to win a playoff game. When you’ve had four straight winning seasons, you don’t blow a team up. You keep it together and fix the things that are wrong.
Without flash, that’s precisely what the Falcons have done and Friday night was just another step.
“We were really honed in on the offensive line as you can imagine,’’ Dimitroff said, moments after selecting Konz. “We need to get more stout on this offensive line.’’
There’s no doubt about that. Let’s consider this item from ESPN Stats & Information: The Falcons were one of 10 teams to average less than 4.0 yards per rush between the tackles last season. That came despite the fact they have a bruising runner in Turner.
The Falcons also didn’t do a great job of protecting quarterback Matt Ryan. That failure was the major reason why all the downfield passing we heard about after the Falcons traded up to draft Julio Jones didn’t fully materialize last year. The Falcons were soft up front and it cost offensive line coach Paul Boudreau his job.
Other than left tackle Sam Baker, a first-round pick in 2008, the Falcons really haven’t made huge investments in their offensive line. The arrival of Konz changes that.
Although he played center at Wisconsin, Dimitroff said “we’re listing him as a guard/center right now’’.
It’s no big secret McClure is at the end of his career. He’s 35 and it shows. The Falcons brought him back as insurance, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be their starting center on opening day. Guard Joe Hawley also can play center. Hawley also could factor into the situation at guard, where he played last season along with Justin Blalock and Garrett Reynolds. Add Konz to that mix and it’s pretty clear the Falcons are going to throw all their guards and centers onto the field in training camp and the preseason and see which of the three emerge as the best trio.
“Let’s come in here and have some great competition and see who can protect Matt Ryan the best,’’ Dimitroff said. “We want production and we want guys who can finish. In Peter, we have a guy who can do both of those.’’
Look, I’m not saying a guard/center from Wisconsin is going to come in the second round and push right through that hurdle all by himself. Konz is just a part of the puzzle and maybe fans can finally see that picture coming together now.
There’s a reason why Atlanta didn’t have a first-round pick this year. Jones was the first-round pick for last year and this year and he’s better than any receiver in this year’s draft. There was a reason why the Falcons didn’t make to splurge in free agency. They didn’t have the salary-cap room to do it without ripping a good team apart.
Little by little, they’ve made moves that have them gaining speed as they head for that hurdle. Just this week, they traded a late-round draft pick for four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel and quickly signed him to a cap-friendly deal.
In theory, Samuel should team with Grimes and Dunta Robinson to give the Falcons one of the league’s best cornerback tandems. In theory, Konz should team with all those other offensive linemen to make the Falcons tougher up front.
Yeah, there still are a few needs -- the pass rush, depth at tight end and maybe some more help on the outside of the offensive line. The Falcons are well aware of all that. They’ll address those needs in the rest of the draft and after it when the time and the price are right. But, now, you can see their offseason plan taking shape.
If the Falcons had gone out and paid a fortune for Williams, they wouldn’t be making solid, safe picks like Konz because they’d be desperately trying to repair all the other damage they did to their team.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff discusses 
Atlanta's acquisition of Asante Samuel, his philosophy regarding the NFL draft and more.
Atlanta's acquisition of Asante Samuel, his philosophy regarding the NFL draft and more.
The Atlanta Falcons could not discuss cornerback Asante Samuel until he officially was on their roster.
Well, the paperwork has been finalized. The Falcons traded a pick in this year’s draft (reportedly, a sixth-round choice) to Philadelphia for Samuel, who has signed a three-year contract with Atlanta.
So let’s hear what the Falcons have to say about the fourt-time Pro Bowl cornerback.
“We are pleased to be able to add a player of Asante’s caliber to our roster,” Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “Asante has established himself as a very productive player during his career. He is a proven player in this league and we feel that this move upgrades the talent of our roster and improves our football team.”
“We just improved our team today,” coach Mike Smith said. “Asante Samuel is a good football player and you can never have enough good players on your team. Our game has become more of a passing game, and you have to have the players who can neutralize how offenses are trying to attack you.”
Smith’s right. The Falcons are a better team now than they were a day ago. As I mentioned earlier, the Falcons now have three starting-caliber cornerbacks (Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes already were on the roster). That’s great news for the defensive backfield.
But there’s another positive aspect to this move. I know a lot of Atlanta fans wanted the Falcons to go after free-agent defensive end Mario Williams. They didn’t. But Samuel’s arrival suddenly makes Atlanta’s pass rush better.
Yeah, it’s true the Falcons haven’t added any pass rushers this offseason. But having Samuel in the secondary should help guys like John Abraham and Ray Edwards produce more coverage sacks because quarterbacks aren’t going to find as many open receivers.
Well, the paperwork has been finalized. The Falcons traded a pick in this year’s draft (reportedly, a sixth-round choice) to Philadelphia for Samuel, who has signed a three-year contract with Atlanta.
So let’s hear what the Falcons have to say about the fourt-time Pro Bowl cornerback.
“We are pleased to be able to add a player of Asante’s caliber to our roster,” Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “Asante has established himself as a very productive player during his career. He is a proven player in this league and we feel that this move upgrades the talent of our roster and improves our football team.”
“We just improved our team today,” coach Mike Smith said. “Asante Samuel is a good football player and you can never have enough good players on your team. Our game has become more of a passing game, and you have to have the players who can neutralize how offenses are trying to attack you.”
Smith’s right. The Falcons are a better team now than they were a day ago. As I mentioned earlier, the Falcons now have three starting-caliber cornerbacks (Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes already were on the roster). That’s great news for the defensive backfield.
But there’s another positive aspect to this move. I know a lot of Atlanta fans wanted the Falcons to go after free-agent defensive end Mario Williams. They didn’t. But Samuel’s arrival suddenly makes Atlanta’s pass rush better.
Yeah, it’s true the Falcons haven’t added any pass rushers this offseason. But having Samuel in the secondary should help guys like John Abraham and Ray Edwards produce more coverage sacks because quarterbacks aren’t going to find as many open receivers.
No knock, but Falcons want focus on field
April, 21, 2012
Apr 21
2:42
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
As we told you a little bit ago, a league source said the Atlanta Falcons have declined an opportunity to be the featured team on HBO’s “Hard Knocks" this summer.
Now, let’s delve into this a little deeper so we can understand why the Falcons made this decision.
First off, the Falcons explored the possibility of being the featured team very thoroughly. There was intrigue throughout their building and the franchise fully realized that appearing on the show during training camp could help greatly in raising the national profile of a franchise that hasn’t been all that successful until recent years. Virtually every department in the building was involved in discussions about whether the Falcons should accept the invitation.
This wasn’t an easy decision, and the Falcons did have serious interest. In the end, though, they declined. The decision should not be viewed as a knock on the show, the source said. The Falcons saw plenty of positives, but they ultimately decided it was in their best interest – and in the best interest of their fans – to turn it down.
The Falcons want all their focus for the 2012 season to be solely on the field. This makes plenty of sense. The Falcons are facing a critical season. They’ve had four straight winning seasons, but haven’t won a playoff game in that span. After losing to the New York Giants in a January playoff game, owner Arthur Blank, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith pledged to do everything in their power to get the team to the next level.
Instead of making a major splash in free agency, the Falcons chose mostly to retain their own players. There’s a strong belief in the building that new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will bring a change in schemes and attitude that could take the Falcons a step forward.
As intriguing as “Hard Knocks’’ was from a business and marketing standpoint, the decision ultimately came down to football. The Falcons didn’t want to put added pressure on Koetter and Nolan as they tried to install new schemes. Although the Falcons generally are a quiet team, they did recognize some potential dangers in opening all their doors to cameras for training camp. Receiver Roddy White can be outspoken and flamboyant at times and having cameras on him at all times could have presented the potential for controversy. There are a few other players on the roster that also could have brought some risk if the Falcons had decided to open things up.
In the end, the Falcons decided to go about their business quietly. I think that sends a pretty strong message. They’re focused totally on taking the next step and they want to do it by doing everything the right way on the football field. “Hard Knocks" might have brought them attention in the short term.
But the best and purest way the Falcons can enhance their national profile is going out and winning games, especially playoff games.
Now, let’s delve into this a little deeper so we can understand why the Falcons made this decision.
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Dale Zanine/US PresswireThe Falcons want the 2012 season to be about on-field action instead of camera action.
Dale Zanine/US PresswireThe Falcons want the 2012 season to be about on-field action instead of camera action.This wasn’t an easy decision, and the Falcons did have serious interest. In the end, though, they declined. The decision should not be viewed as a knock on the show, the source said. The Falcons saw plenty of positives, but they ultimately decided it was in their best interest – and in the best interest of their fans – to turn it down.
The Falcons want all their focus for the 2012 season to be solely on the field. This makes plenty of sense. The Falcons are facing a critical season. They’ve had four straight winning seasons, but haven’t won a playoff game in that span. After losing to the New York Giants in a January playoff game, owner Arthur Blank, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith pledged to do everything in their power to get the team to the next level.
Instead of making a major splash in free agency, the Falcons chose mostly to retain their own players. There’s a strong belief in the building that new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will bring a change in schemes and attitude that could take the Falcons a step forward.
As intriguing as “Hard Knocks’’ was from a business and marketing standpoint, the decision ultimately came down to football. The Falcons didn’t want to put added pressure on Koetter and Nolan as they tried to install new schemes. Although the Falcons generally are a quiet team, they did recognize some potential dangers in opening all their doors to cameras for training camp. Receiver Roddy White can be outspoken and flamboyant at times and having cameras on him at all times could have presented the potential for controversy. There are a few other players on the roster that also could have brought some risk if the Falcons had decided to open things up.
In the end, the Falcons decided to go about their business quietly. I think that sends a pretty strong message. They’re focused totally on taking the next step and they want to do it by doing everything the right way on the football field. “Hard Knocks" might have brought them attention in the short term.
But the best and purest way the Falcons can enhance their national profile is going out and winning games, especially playoff games.
Falcons sticking in 'reality-check area'
April, 19, 2012
Apr 19
3:45
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
His team is without a first-round pick, but Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said that really hasn’t changed how the organization has geared up for next week’s NFL draft.
The Falcons don’t pick until the second round (No. 55 overall). They traded away their first-round pick last year to move up in the 2011 draft and land wide receiver Julio Jones.
“We’ve still done our homework on all the players in this draft, like we always do,’’ Dimitroff said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon. “We all have seen situations in the past where players have fallen that people weren’t expecting to fall. We have to be prepared for any scenario.’’
But Dimitroff did admit he’s not counting on any of the draft’s high-profile players falling all the way to where Atlanta picks.
“Since we took Julio, we’ve focused in on the second round,’’ Dimitroff said. “We can dream about players falling, but we’re trying to stick in the reality-check area. We feel we’ve done a good job of really focusing in on the guys that actually will be available to us and we feel like there should be some good options available to us. You do still have to pay attention to the rest of the draft. We’ve always gone into a draft prepared for a bunch of scenarios with the first pick. But it’s a lot different this time because we’re going in with 54 picks ahead of us and that creates a lot more scenarios than we’ve faced in the past. But we’re confident that we’re ready for any scenario.’’
The Falcons don’t pick until the second round (No. 55 overall). They traded away their first-round pick last year to move up in the 2011 draft and land wide receiver Julio Jones.
“We’ve still done our homework on all the players in this draft, like we always do,’’ Dimitroff said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon. “We all have seen situations in the past where players have fallen that people weren’t expecting to fall. We have to be prepared for any scenario.’’
But Dimitroff did admit he’s not counting on any of the draft’s high-profile players falling all the way to where Atlanta picks.
“Since we took Julio, we’ve focused in on the second round,’’ Dimitroff said. “We can dream about players falling, but we’re trying to stick in the reality-check area. We feel we’ve done a good job of really focusing in on the guys that actually will be available to us and we feel like there should be some good options available to us. You do still have to pay attention to the rest of the draft. We’ve always gone into a draft prepared for a bunch of scenarios with the first pick. But it’s a lot different this time because we’re going in with 54 picks ahead of us and that creates a lot more scenarios than we’ve faced in the past. But we’re confident that we’re ready for any scenario.’’
TAMPA, Fla. -- Thursday will be one of the more unique days of the offseason. Three of the NFC South’s general managers are scheduled to meet with local media to discuss next week’s NFL draft.
Don’t get too excited. I’ve seen Carolina’s Marty Hurney, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff and Tampa Bay’s Mark Dominik go through these meetings before. They’ll be polite and discuss the draft in general terms, but they’re going to say as little as possible when asked about their actual draft plans. It’s understandable because they’re in a competitive business.
I’m out at One Buccaneer Place to catch Dominik and I’ll also listen in as Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano speaks after wrapping up his first minicamp. I also am expecting to do a phone interview with Dimitroff later this afternoon. I’ll also monitor what Hurney has to say and let you know if there are any highlights.
I’ll also be on high alert in case we get any news on possible player suspensions stemming from the Saints’ bounty program. There haven’t been any strong indications if they’re coming Thursday, but it’s been widely reported the NFL is supposed to act before the draft, so something should be coming soon.
Also, our weekly NFC South chat is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Friday. I’ll post a reminder Friday morning and include the link to get you into the chat.
Finally, some fun news. I’ll be making the choices for Tampa Bay and Carolina as all eight division bloggers take part in a mock draft Monday. The good news is, this will be an interactive mock draft and you can join in and chat as we go through the process. I’ll get you full details as we get closer to Monday.
Don’t get too excited. I’ve seen Carolina’s Marty Hurney, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff and Tampa Bay’s Mark Dominik go through these meetings before. They’ll be polite and discuss the draft in general terms, but they’re going to say as little as possible when asked about their actual draft plans. It’s understandable because they’re in a competitive business.
I’m out at One Buccaneer Place to catch Dominik and I’ll also listen in as Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano speaks after wrapping up his first minicamp. I also am expecting to do a phone interview with Dimitroff later this afternoon. I’ll also monitor what Hurney has to say and let you know if there are any highlights.
I’ll also be on high alert in case we get any news on possible player suspensions stemming from the Saints’ bounty program. There haven’t been any strong indications if they’re coming Thursday, but it’s been widely reported the NFL is supposed to act before the draft, so something should be coming soon.
Also, our weekly NFC South chat is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Friday. I’ll post a reminder Friday morning and include the link to get you into the chat.
Finally, some fun news. I’ll be making the choices for Tampa Bay and Carolina as all eight division bloggers take part in a mock draft Monday. The good news is, this will be an interactive mock draft and you can join in and chat as we go through the process. I’ll get you full details as we get closer to Monday.
Let’s take a tour of some headlines around the NFC South.
I highly recommend you read Tom Sorensen’s column on Steve Smith. It gives a very accurate portrayal of the complicated wide receiver. I also urge you to read right through the very last line of the column. It should make you laugh.
You knew there would be some shots from the Atlanta media at Bobby Petrino after he was fired at the University of Arkansas. I’ll hold back comment of my own because we didn’t start the ESPN.com blog network until 2008, just after Petrino’s very brief era with the Falcons ended, so I’ve never met the man.
The Falcons sent a contingent that included coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff to watch Clemson defensive tackle Brandon Thompson and defensive end Andre Branch work out. The Falcons don’t have a pick until the second round (No. 55 overall). Some projections have Thompson and Branch going in the top 50, but the Falcons have their homework done if either of them falls.
Here’s a minor bit of Saints’ news that’s not related to the bounty program. Defensive back Leigh Torrence has signed with the Redskins as a free agent. Torrence was a backup and special-teams guy and the Saints didn’t have the cap room to keep him.
Here’s a recent mock draft in which I made the pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’ve stayed consistent on this one, so far. I didn’t make the pick for the Panthers, but I definitely see a chance of it playing out like this.
Former Tampa Bay fullback Mike Alstott has accepted a job as a high school coach in St. Petersburg.
I highly recommend you read Tom Sorensen’s column on Steve Smith. It gives a very accurate portrayal of the complicated wide receiver. I also urge you to read right through the very last line of the column. It should make you laugh.
You knew there would be some shots from the Atlanta media at Bobby Petrino after he was fired at the University of Arkansas. I’ll hold back comment of my own because we didn’t start the ESPN.com blog network until 2008, just after Petrino’s very brief era with the Falcons ended, so I’ve never met the man.
The Falcons sent a contingent that included coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff to watch Clemson defensive tackle Brandon Thompson and defensive end Andre Branch work out. The Falcons don’t have a pick until the second round (No. 55 overall). Some projections have Thompson and Branch going in the top 50, but the Falcons have their homework done if either of them falls.
Here’s a minor bit of Saints’ news that’s not related to the bounty program. Defensive back Leigh Torrence has signed with the Redskins as a free agent. Torrence was a backup and special-teams guy and the Saints didn’t have the cap room to keep him.
Here’s a recent mock draft in which I made the pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’ve stayed consistent on this one, so far. I didn’t make the pick for the Panthers, but I definitely see a chance of it playing out like this.
Former Tampa Bay fullback Mike Alstott has accepted a job as a high school coach in St. Petersburg.
We could see an NFC South team on HBO’s “Hard Knocks’’ this summer.
Rich Cimini reports the Atlanta Falcons have emerged as a strong candidate to be featured on the show, which chronicles a team throughout training camp.
This topic seems to come up about every team in the division every year and I’m not always a big advocate of teams opening up everything to the camera crews. I don’t think the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are at a point in their development where they could easily handle the increased pressure that comes with being on the show. I don’t get the sense the New Orleans Saints will be in the mood to let anyone with a camera (or a tape recorder) behind the scenes any time soon.
But I could see the Falcons being a perfect fit for “Hard Knocks." They’re a veteran team without a lot of drama, as long as Roddy White doesn’t decide to show off his Twitter skills for the cameras. The Falcons also have a nice storyline. They’re a team that’s had four straight winning seasons, but they haven’t yet won a playoff game with quarterback Matt Ryan, coach Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff, and it’s pretty well known that Atlanta’s goal is to take the next step.
I also think appearing on the show makes sense for the Falcons from a marketing standpoint. This is a team that doesn’t have a high national profile. Heck, even in Georgia it’s only been in recent years that the Falcons really have caught on, and they still are overshadowed at times by the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and baseball’s Braves.
This would be a chance for the Falcons to really allow people to get to know them. They’re a likeable team with nothing to hide. This might be the right time for the Falcons to open their doors and let the nation in their locker room.
Rich Cimini reports the Atlanta Falcons have emerged as a strong candidate to be featured on the show, which chronicles a team throughout training camp.
This topic seems to come up about every team in the division every year and I’m not always a big advocate of teams opening up everything to the camera crews. I don’t think the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are at a point in their development where they could easily handle the increased pressure that comes with being on the show. I don’t get the sense the New Orleans Saints will be in the mood to let anyone with a camera (or a tape recorder) behind the scenes any time soon.
But I could see the Falcons being a perfect fit for “Hard Knocks." They’re a veteran team without a lot of drama, as long as Roddy White doesn’t decide to show off his Twitter skills for the cameras. The Falcons also have a nice storyline. They’re a team that’s had four straight winning seasons, but they haven’t yet won a playoff game with quarterback Matt Ryan, coach Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff, and it’s pretty well known that Atlanta’s goal is to take the next step.
I also think appearing on the show makes sense for the Falcons from a marketing standpoint. This is a team that doesn’t have a high national profile. Heck, even in Georgia it’s only been in recent years that the Falcons really have caught on, and they still are overshadowed at times by the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and baseball’s Braves.
This would be a chance for the Falcons to really allow people to get to know them. They’re a likeable team with nothing to hide. This might be the right time for the Falcons to open their doors and let the nation in their locker room.
In this recent column, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank talked quite a bit about the importance of continuity.
He cited it as a reason why the Falcons didn’t make a big splash in free agency. That pretty much backs up the philosophy that’s been recited by the Falcons since the arrival of general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith in 2008 -- draft well, keep your core players for the long term, and supplement them with free agents when necessary.
You’ve got to give the Falcons credit for practicing what they preach. This offseason marked the first time that a big portion of a Dimitroff/Smith draft class became eligible for free agency, and the Falcons did a good job of keeping the players they wanted. They re-signed receiver Harry Douglas, safety Thomas DeCoud, and defensive end Kroy Biermann. Quarterback Matt Ryan and offensive tackle Sam Baker, the top two Atlanta picks from 2008, remain under contract. The Falcons did lose middle linebacker Curtis Lofton, a player they had interest in keeping.
The Falcons gave Lofton an offer before free agency, but he had a different figure in mind. Lofton ended up signing with New Orleans for a lot less than his original asking price, and the Falcons are prepared to move on with either veteran Lofa Tatupu or second-year pro Akeem Dent in his place. Ryan is likely to get a contract extension at some point, and the Falcons might use the final year of Baker’s contract to make a decision on if he’s a long-term answer.
I just got some numbers that back up what the Falcons have been saying. When it comes to retaining drafted players, the Falcons are among the league leaders in the Smith/Dimitroff era.
Of the 32 players drafted by the Falcons since 2008, 26 are on the roster. That’s 81.3 percent, which puts the Falcons second only to the Minnesota Vikings, who have an 82.1 percent retention rate in that same time frame (the percentages were current as of early Tuesday afternoon). For the sake of comparison, Denver ranks last in the league by retaining only 48.6 percent of the players drafted since 2008. For more context, Tennessee (77.8 percent) and Houston (75 percent) are the only other teams with a retention rate of 75 percent or better.
Most of the rest of the NFC South also has fared well in retaining draft picks since 2008. Tampa Bay, which has been preaching a philosophy similar to Atlanta’s, ranks No. 7 in the NFL at 70 percent. Of the 31 players the Buccaneers have drafted since 2008, 21 remain on the team.
Although the Saints have had the second-fewest number of picks since 2008, their retention percentage is fairly high at 68.2 percent. Of the 22 players New Orleans has picked, 15 remain on the roster.
Carolina is the only NFC South team in the bottom half of the league in retention. The Panthers are No. 21 at 61.8 percent. They’ve had 34 picks, and 21 remain on the roster.
He cited it as a reason why the Falcons didn’t make a big splash in free agency. That pretty much backs up the philosophy that’s been recited by the Falcons since the arrival of general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith in 2008 -- draft well, keep your core players for the long term, and supplement them with free agents when necessary.
The Falcons gave Lofton an offer before free agency, but he had a different figure in mind. Lofton ended up signing with New Orleans for a lot less than his original asking price, and the Falcons are prepared to move on with either veteran Lofa Tatupu or second-year pro Akeem Dent in his place. Ryan is likely to get a contract extension at some point, and the Falcons might use the final year of Baker’s contract to make a decision on if he’s a long-term answer.
I just got some numbers that back up what the Falcons have been saying. When it comes to retaining drafted players, the Falcons are among the league leaders in the Smith/Dimitroff era.
Of the 32 players drafted by the Falcons since 2008, 26 are on the roster. That’s 81.3 percent, which puts the Falcons second only to the Minnesota Vikings, who have an 82.1 percent retention rate in that same time frame (the percentages were current as of early Tuesday afternoon). For the sake of comparison, Denver ranks last in the league by retaining only 48.6 percent of the players drafted since 2008. For more context, Tennessee (77.8 percent) and Houston (75 percent) are the only other teams with a retention rate of 75 percent or better.
Most of the rest of the NFC South also has fared well in retaining draft picks since 2008. Tampa Bay, which has been preaching a philosophy similar to Atlanta’s, ranks No. 7 in the NFL at 70 percent. Of the 31 players the Buccaneers have drafted since 2008, 21 remain on the team.
Although the Saints have had the second-fewest number of picks since 2008, their retention percentage is fairly high at 68.2 percent. Of the 22 players New Orleans has picked, 15 remain on the roster.
Carolina is the only NFC South team in the bottom half of the league in retention. The Panthers are No. 21 at 61.8 percent. They’ve had 34 picks, and 21 remain on the roster.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
