Atlanta Falcons
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NFL Team Column |
The Graybeards Still Got It
Gonzalez and Peterson Spark Falcons Opening Victory Over Miami, 19-7
Admittedly, he is Tony Gonzalez; only the man who sparked the revolution with the tight end position in the NFL over the last decade. Like Kellen Winslow before him, Gonzalez spent a little over a decade with the Kansas City Chiefs redefining the role of a tight end in the passing scheme. Be it held close to the line as per conventional alignments, flexed out wide, in the slot, or set off the line in a flexible H-back type position, Gonzalez showed a knack for sneaky route running, deep speed that threatened the center of any defense, incredibly reliable hands, and outstanding leaping ability in jump-ball situations (the man was a basketball player in college as well). However, I personally viewed his acquisition by the Falcons with a bit of trepidation. Record-setter and future Hall-of-Fame athlete that he may be, the man was going into the 2009 season 33 years-old. While many have been projecting declines for Gonzalez the last few years, he has avoided Father Time thus far, a feat made all the more amazing considering how much of a morose his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, have been on offense the last few years.
This Sunday though, Gonzalez more than showed his worth, hauling in a twenty-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan. What was more impressive than just the touchdown was how Gonzalez pulled the feat off. He caught a short pass in the flat from Ryan, then made a cut to the inside that showed great agility. Miami safety Yeremiah Bell was the closest defender and, while making his cut, Gonzalez shoved him off with his left hand. Wide receiver Roddy White helped spring Gonzalez with a nice block but even that block was brought about by Gonzalez’ juke that temporarily froze Will Allen long enough for White to engage the block. That touchdown catch put Gonzalez into an elite stratosphere of receiver, becoming the 21st player in NFL history to cross the 11,000 yards receiving threshold. The team as a whole did a good job of spreading the wealth on offense, with four players hauling in four or more passes. Gonzalez may be aging, but he is still capable of threatening a defense deep, evidenced in Atlanta targeting him six times (out of the total of nine targeted passes) down the field at ten or more yards through the air.
If there was any consistent theme in Sunday’s victory it was “don’t count out the old men just yet.” In addition to Gonzalez’ 5-catch, 73 yard performance, the main defensive acquisition of note for Atlanta this off-season, linebacker Mike Peterson, made two game-changing plays, forcing a fumble off of a ferocious hit as well as making a fingertip interception. He joked after the game about how he “has the best hands on the team but nobody here believed me.”
The defense as a whole for Atlanta, the sore spot for this team, held up well against the innovative Miami offense. The much-acclaimed Wildcat formation (essentially a recreation of the single-wing offense from years past) was contained, albeit with an asterisk. Miami rookie quarterback (and wide receiver…and halfback; as the Wildcat makes a backfield player capable of multiple roles) Pat White had a chance to gash the Atlanta defense but disconnected on a deep pass with Ted Ginn in the first half. The play was set up well, with two backs next to White and TE
TE Anthony Fasano set off the line in a flex/wing type position. Outside was Ginn who ran a deep post that was opened up after White froze the safeties with a well-executed play-action fake. However, while Ginn had more than a few steps on the Atlanta safeties, White overthrew him by about five yards. As a whole though, the Atlanta defense did very well maintaining gap integrity and not abandoning assignments, two keys to defending the Wildcat, as shown in the NFL.com link. For the record, I think Brian Billick is an utter idiot in his explanation of what the Wildcat isn’t and Mike Mayock completely schools him in this video with a very logical explanation of the formation’s versatility.
While Atlanta may have to play a very conservative defense all year long to make up for its shortcomings and relative inexperience in the secondary, they will be able to do that if they continue to have the pass rush that they had Sunday. Picking up from his should have been an All-Pro season last year, defensive end John Abraham notched two sacks. A key to keeping Abraham healthy and fresh will be to rotate him in and out constantly and Kroy Biermann, a fifth-round selection last year, proved effective in a sub-rotation at defensive end, notching a forced fumble on the second play of the game and ended up with two sacks himself.
Naturally, what would a review of the Falcons be without discussing The Franchise; quarterback Matt Ryan. Again, this young man showed on Sunday why he was the best possible choice last year at the number three spot in the draft.
Facing heavy pressure Sunday that forced him to both unload early and occasionally throw the ball away, combined with running back Michael Turner being utterly stuffed the whole day, Ryan did more than his fair share to lead the Falcons. The man I have been campaigning for now for two years to get the ball more finally got to show some of his stuff Sunday, with running back Jerious Norwood going for more yards receiving (49) than Roddy White (42). Ryan’s unflappable nature came out early though, despite the pressure of Miami’s defense. In the 2nd quarter, he threw a very nice backside skinny post to Michael Jenkins for a 22 yard-gain that was thrown on the money. Not only was the throw the right read (Atlanta was in a four receiver set that ended with three on the right side after White went in motion, left to right), he threw the ball in such a way to keep Jenkins alive as there was a Miami safety bearing in on him quickly.
Ryan threw the pass low and slightly under Jenkins, allowing him to both come back a bit as well as sit down immediately and avoid a monstrous collision. It is these many little fine details that continually impress me about Ryan; for a player of his experience level, he is already showing an awareness that separates the elite quarterbacks from the rest of the crowd. A few plays later, White and Ryan connected on a third and eleven play where Ryan rifled a pass in between two Miami defenders that White sat down in between in a perfect read of the zone coverage that Miami was in.
Overall, the Atlanta offense showed that it is likely to transition to more of a pass-focused team than they were a year ago this past Sunday. In addition, while not a stellar performance from the secondary, the Atlanta front-seven did an excellent job of playing disciplined as well as generating a ferocious pass rush, sparking the team’s first victory over Miami, 19-7.
NEXT WEEK: vs. Carolina.
An Early Assessment Of The 2009 Atlanta Falcons
In order to assess where the 2009 Atlanta Falcons are headed, one must look back and see where the 2008 Falcons left. Their season, arguably the biggest surprise success story in the NFL last year, ended when Larry Fitzgerald began his epic post-season run by making mince-meat out of the Atlanta secondary in last year’s 30-24 wild-card playoff loss. Kurt Warner left the field with a clean jersey, not sacked even once by the Falcons defense, going 19 of 32 for 271 yards. Fitzgerald, the uber-extraordinary wide receiver, began his post-season domination by hauling in 6 passes for 101 yards.
That loss highlighted the primary weakness of the 2009 Falcons and that was defending passes up the middle of their defense. As a whole, the Falcons were relatively stable on the corners despite their motley crew collection of players that they had at cornerback all year long. Some of their success, perhaps more so aversion from failure, was aided by a zone-scheme that kept most of the action in front of them but also a career-year for defensive end John Abraham. In addition, the Falcons were also one of the worse teams defending the run, particularly up the middle of their defense.
While the addition of Matt Ryan at quarterback and the prized addition of Michael Turner at running back helped to give the Falcons an offense that looks to be formidable for years to come, there is still work that needs to be done on the defensive side of the ball.
Unfortunately, the majority of what ailed the Falcons at the end of the 2008 season still will ride with them into 2009; their defense will be one-year older and they are still weak in coverage at linebacker, safety and have reduced depth at cornerback. In addition, the Falcons were one of the healthiest teams in the league last year on both sides of the ball, meaning a return to the median is likely to come about in 2009.
A greater analysis, one that will break the 2009-2010 Atlanta Falcons down by individual units, will be coming from me in the coming weeks but here are the broad strokes of the brush for how I see 2009 panning out for the Falcons:
The Offense WILL Be Better...
Adding Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs for a 2010 second-round pick will prove to be a bad move for the long-term but, for now, it gives Matt Ryan the one receiving component he lacked last year, which was a threat down the middle. Time has not slowed Gonzalez yet and who knows what having a quarterback with Ryan’s poise and accuracy throwing to him will do.
Jerious Norwood NEEDS TO GET THE BALL MORE; for everyone’s sake. Michael Turner had a staggering workload last year and it amazes me as to why the Falcons do not utilize the multi-faceted skills of Norwood more. I predict that will change in 2009, whether by intentional design or through Turner getting injured.
The offensive line will not be as good at run-blocking this year and will likely have more injuries. Again, much like the defense, the line was exceptionally healthy last year and most of the starters played together all year long. Part of the implosion of the 2007 Falcons offense came through the many changes in the weekly starters for the offensive line (both due to injury and performance). Time has proven that it is often better to keep one unit together for a season rather than making minor tweaks in the line so as to try to incrementally improve performance. Last year, Sam Baker was lost early in the season but the Falcons adjusted well. They moved Todd Weiner, now retired, over to the left side and allowed Tyson Clabo to emerge on the right side. The Falcons may not be as lucky this year and, in particular, cannot afford injuries to the interior of the line where they lack depth at all spots.
Matt Ryan will continue to emerge.
If anything, Ryan will throw more this year than last as the Falcons were one of the few teams in the league to eschew the growing spread-oriented tendencies on offense and focus more on a power-running game. This year, I believe the coaching staff will incorporate more three and four-wide receiver looks for Ryan with the newly acquired chess piece that is the multi-skilled Tony Gonzalez moving around all over the formation. Expect to see Gonzalez lining up at tight end, in the slot, and as a split end or flanker at various times this year. In light of that..
The wide receivers numbers will go down individually but improve as a unit. I do not expect either Roddy White or Michael Jenkins to be targeted as much this year by Ryan. However, great offenses are built on balance (not necessarily a balanced play distribution though), with multiple weapons being targeted all throughout. The Falcons addition of Gonzalez will have a ripple effect that will improve the offense as a whole if that means certain parts of the machine (i.e. White, Jenkins, and Turner) see the ball less.
The “Wildcat” (or some iteration of the single-wing formation) will/should be used more.
There has been very little true innovation in the NFL from a strategic standpoint in recent years. The best thing we have seen is probably the unique, modular defensive structure that Bill Belichick utilizes for the New England Patriots, with linebackers often being defensive ends, tackles, cornerbacks, or safeties. In addition, Belichick’s use of pattern-matching zone coverage is relatively unique as well. Offensively though, I dare you to name the last truly innovative idea to come along to the NFL…are you stuck on “well, the West Coast offense?” Sorry, that was new in 1979, when Bill Walsh was redefining what ball-control offense meant by using four and five-yard passes as effective handoffs. Maybe you say “the spread formation?” Well, in some iteration or another, the spread has been around for some time. The run-and-shoot had very similar principles, the only difference being that the spread is less of a read on the fly type system as receiver routes are more predetermined than they were with the run-and-shoot. For some time now.
The formation started last season by the Dolphins though dubbed the “Wildcat” is both a rewind and a fast-forward for the league. Incorporating the elements of the spread, the formation itself is essentially the 1920’s single-wing all over again except now, instead of two ends on the line of scrimmage, one of those ends (usually a running back with wide receiver skills) is flexed out wide and put into motion to the inside of the formation as the ball is snapped. The ball is then snapped to a running back behind center that has quasi-quarterback skills.
Where the plot thickens as this relates to the Falcons, again, is around the under-utilized (to this point at least) puzzle piece known as Jerious Norwood. Norwood played some at quarterback in high school and his skill set is such that he would make an ideal behind center, single-wing back.
If only for the sake of innovation alone, I hope the Falcons utilize this difficult (due to it’s multiple option focus) to defend formation but also because, quite frankly, it makes sense to use on occasion with their personnel.
The defense could be REALLY bad.
Last year, the Falcons notched a total of 34 sacks; 16.5 of them were from one player and that was defensive end John Abraham. Another interesting factoid about Abraham; he has never played two consecutive seasons starting every game—in his career. The man is also on the wrong side of 30 as well, meaning a slowdown in production could likely occur due to age anyway. Thankfully, the Falcons are doing things to safeguard against this. Selecting defensive end Lawrence Sidbury in round four was both a steal from a value standpoint but also because he gives the Falcons an off-the-bench rotational end that can come in to give Abraham a breather and, quite possibly, push the disappointing former first-round selection Jamal Anderson for playing time.
The defensive backs could improve or decline…it all depends on who lines up for them come opening day. Last year, the Falcons made a great value addition just before the trading deadline, picking up Dominique Foxworth from the Ravens for a 2009 seventh-round draft choice. Foxworth put together a solid season but, long-term, may not have been the best player to add for the Falcons. The reason I say this is because it delayed the playing time (and thus the development) of 2008 rookie Chevis Jackson at cornerback. This year, I predict he will end up starting alongside Chris Houston. I am a firm believer that the best friend of two young, developing starting cornerbacks is a healthy pass-rush up front. If Abraham can manage to stay healthy, not decline dramatically and if more Falcons defenders step up to provide support in the area of pass-rushing, than these young cornerbacks could have a solid, developmental year. However....
Jamal Anderson is in put up or shut up time. Last year, he at least notched a few (literally, two) sacks, which was a dramatic improvement over his rookie year (zero, nothin’, nada, nathan, zilch, cero…however you count it and whatever country you are from, NONE—no sacks). He also showed improvement in the running game at the point of attack as well. Still, for a number eight pick in the draft, the Falcons need a whole lot more from him than what he has given to this point. I actually believe Anderson could be the difference for the Falcons this year at end and all reports early on are saying that he looks to be progressing well through OTA’s and mini-camp thus far. However, we shall see what this young man can give once the snaps count for wins and losses come September.
The linebackers are likely to remain awful in pass coverage. I will be honest and say that Mike Smith’s benching of linebacker Michael Boley last year in favor of converted safety Coy Wire was a surprise to me. I thought that Boley’s skill set was one that could have made him become a poor man’s Julian Peterson for the Falcons. For whatever reason though, Boley just did not get off on the right foot with the new Atlanta coaching staff. However, his replacement in Wire was nothing to rave about either. As stated earlier, last year the Falcons were repeatedly undone with passes over the middle to tight ends and running backs, which was a sin that primarily fell on the shoulders of the linebackers. Praise the heavens, the Falcons have finally gotten rid of Mr. Overpriced/Perennially Under performing child of Georgia known as Keith Brooking. Last year, his cap number was a hair below a staggering $8 million. For $8 million, one would hope a guy could do more than be effective within the tackle-to-tackle box on running backs (and even there, as a later article will show, Brooking was not overly good at plays run directly at him either). Brooking was flat-out AWFUL against the pass. While a great character player and tremendous leader, he simply did not warrant the pay he received. The one glimmer of hope last year was at middle linebacker, where Curtis Lofton came in and had a great rookie year for Atlanta.
So for one to then evaluate the 2009 team, one must look at the likely starters on the flanks for the linebacker unit. As stated, Coy Wire replaced Boley last year but this year, that position is likely to be an open competition between Wire and third-year man Stephen Nicholas. Personally, for the long term and the short-term, I hope the Falcons go with Nicholas. He simply is a faster and better athlete than Wire, giving them greater potential both in coverage and as a pass-rusher. While a bit small, he is actually larger than Wire by about 10 to 15 pounds so he may even be better in the running game as well. On all levels except experience, it makes sense to start Nicholas. Where worry exists that is not so easily rectifiable is on the strong side. Mike Peterson, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars, was brought in due to his knowledge of Mike Smith’s defense from their time together in Jacksonville. However, Peterson never played the Sam position, consistently setting up shop at the Mike (i.e. middle) linebacker location. If Peterson can be protected schematically, wherein he his main job will be to stuff tight ends, he may have a chance outside. Again though, in the diverse, growingly wide-open league that is the NFL, a linebacker who is a liability in coverage is worth roughly the Gatorade bucket on the sideline.
As it stands now, I do not see the woes of the 2008 Falcons against tight ends and running backs in pass coverage being addressed with the personnel moves made at linebacker.
The Falcons have a lot to look forward to in 2009. Matt Ryan should, if history is any guide, have a better second starting season than his first (as most quarterbacks improve their second year). Michael Turner, through either greater emphasis on passing in the offense or possibly injury due to his overuse last year, is likely to decline a bit but will still likely have a very good year. Hopefully, Jerious Norwood gets the ball at all levels more often than last year. The receivers, with the addition of Gonzalez, are a very balanced bunch and could give opposing secondary units nightmares this year. The line, if it can stay relatively healthy and stable, should continue to open holes for Turner and give Ryan, a very aware quarterback as is, enough time to throw down field. The biggest problems will occur on defense, where the Falcons just do not have a lot of difference makers, as well as potentially through the natural decline that could come through more injuries than what occurred last year coupled with a tougher schedule.
My early line on the Falcons 2009 season is:
9-7 with a possible (but not likely, unless they win their division on 9-7) wild-card playoff spot.
Evaluating the Atlanta Falcons 2009 NFL Draft
First-round (#24 overall): Peria Jerry—DT, Ole Miss
Evaluation: The Falcons took the second-best overall defensive tackle in this year’s draft behind Boston College’s B.J. Raji (who went at number nine to Green Bay). While this writer would have preferred Raji, the cost of moving from #24 to #9 would have proven far too great and I am glad the Falcons stayed where they were at and selected Jerry. Jerry comes in as a slightly older rookie, coming in at 25 years-old. What this means is that his upside is relatively limited due to his advanced age so what should really be looked at is what are the Falcons clearly getting now versus trying to project down-the-road what Jerry could become.
Jerry can excel if allowed to play a three-technique position exclusively and play with a one-gap responsibility, allowing him to best utilize his great quickness off the snap and burst. He has only average bulk strength and leg drive so he will not often be able to push offensive guards back in a bull rush type move.
Where I find this pick interesting is how it relates to the current scheme the Falcons favor on defense. In head coach Mike Smith’s 4-3 alignment, the defensive tackles he tends to favor are of the larger, bulkier variety, so as to occupy space, take up two-gaps, and keep lineman off of the fast-flowing linebackers. As it stands now, Smith has two starters in Jerry and holdover Jonathan Babineaux that are both one-gap, slanting, quickness-over-power types. What this means long-term may not be that significant but, per my first mock draft, I wonder if trading back into round two for the larger, more stout Ron Brace would have been a better fit for the Falcons, in addition to acquiring additional selections in either this year’s draft or next year’s.
Second-round (#55 overall): William Moore—S, Missouri
Evaluation: Moore will come in from day one and replace the departed Lawyer Milloy at strong safety. Heading into the 2008 season, Moore was projected as a first-round selection at safety in this year’s draft but his sub-par senior season caused him to drop into the second-round. What the Falcons are getting with Moore is a player who grades extremely high in terms of his physical metrics (4.58 forty-yard dash speed on a 220lb. frame with a 37.5” vertical leap) and has shown his toughness, both as an athlete but also as a person, overcoming extreme hardships as a child. However, I am not one to fall in love with players who look like Tarzan but play like Jane; while Moore is not the latter, he is more so definitely not the former in terms of actual production.
My main criticism with this pick is I see it as not being an overly large improvement over what ailed the Falcons at strong safety a year ago; an inability to cover tight ends and backs. The main upgrade Moore does provide there is speed as I project Milloy to be at least a step slower than Moore is right now. Again though, Moore’s instincts in coverage are spotty at best. He is best served playing a role that allows him to be close to the line of scrimmage as a sort of eighth man. If he is utilized this way in the scheme, Moore could prove to be a valuable pick in the second-round.
Third-round (#90 overall) Chris Owens—CB, San Jose State
Evaluation: San Jose State has a fairly decent recent track record, as last year’s fourth-round Jets selection, Dwight Lowery, hailed from that university and put forth a solid rookie campaign. Owens himself as a player is a bit on the small side at 5’9” and ¾ and is also not a very explosive leaper. As such, he will not fare well if, in his likely role as a nickel cornerback, he is matched up against the Larry Fitzgerald’s of the world (than again, does anyone do well against Larry Fitzgerald?). What Owens does bring to the table though is primarily his instincts. He is an excellent zone coverage player, displaying both route recognition skills as well as the ability to read a quarterback’s eyes and burst on to the ball. He also plays bigger than his size would indicate, being a solid tackler and run support corner. Overall, a solid pick for the Falcons in the third-round.
Fourth-round (#125 overall) Lawrence Sidbury Jr.—DE, Richmond
Evaluation: This is actually my favorite of the selections made by the Falcons. If utilized properly, Sidbury could prove to be an excellent third-down, rotational defensive end, allowing John Abraham much needed rest (as Abraham was pretty much all of the Falcons pass rush last year). The main thing lacking from Sidbury’s game is an arsenal of pass-rush moves to pull from. At this point, he is more or less a one-trick pony, possessing a spin move. At the moment, he does not have overly good use of his hands to swim, shed, rip, tug or pull lineman off of him that he faces. However, I would argue that those attributes could be acquired through diligent practice and observant coaching (something he will get with Atlanta versus Richmond). Sidbury does not grade out particularly well on tape but he has a set of physical metrics (the fastest 40-time of any defensive lineman in this draft, 35 5/8” arms, and a great burst off the edge) that make him the ideal developmental pass-rush prospect in the fourth-round.
Fifth-round (#138 overall) William Middleton—CB, Fulton
Evaluation: Middleton does not overly impress me as a prospect. He possess’ decent size for the cornerback position, providing a bit more bulk than does Owens. However, he lacks the overall agility and stop-and-start ability that a cornerback needs to be successful. He does provide good ball skills though and is a tough run support player who may be able to make the final roster.
Fifth-round (#156 overall) Garrett Reynolds—OT, North Carolina
Reynolds flashes excellent length in his arms (one would hope so at 6’7”) and the ability to pull and get out in space. However, the main problem with Reynolds is an overall lack of foot quickness and coordination. The main flaw that he has, as a pass protector and run blocker, is he tends to get too upright. The Atlanta coaching staff needs to work on him keeping his hips lower as well as work on his overall lateral movement. The fact is though, there is only so much coaching can do for a player and, due to his foot quickness/coordination issues (he often loses balance when he has to make a sudden lateral movement) limit his upside to him probably never being more than a road-grader type blocker, serving as a backup on the right side of the line.
Sixth-round (#176 overall) Spencer Adkins—ILB, Miami (FL.)
Evaluation: Adkins has an interesting set of physical abilities. He flashes great sideline-to-sideline range, good top-end speed, is a reliable tackler, is a very natural and smooth athlete, and also shows great burst and takeoff. He was actually used often at Miami as a situational pass rusher for his explosiveness. There are two major limits to him as it relates to the Falcons. The first is that Adkins is not an instinctive player. As great as physical attributes are, what can make a guy like Mike Vrabel excel as a linebacker with 4.8 forty-yard speed is his tremendous instincts. Football is a game built on reacting quickly, particularly on defense, and Adkins may never develop those kind of instincts. Again though, I think it is wise to take risks on physical specimens later in the draft (i.e. after round three), as they possess a greater upside; so it is with Adkins. The second limitation is actually schematic. Adkins would fit very well with a 3-4 team as an inside linebacker, particularly for one with a more fast-moving front such as the Ravens or Steelers. While I have argued for awhile that the Falcons should consider a switch to the 3-4 (John Abraham was a 3-4 rush linebacker in college), as of now, they are a 4-3 team with no signs of that changing. As such, Adkins could provide value though at any of the three positions at linebacker; a good, late round pick.
Seventh-round (#210 overall) Vance Walker—DT, Georgia Tech
Possessing a powerful bull-rush, Walker could give Jerry tips on getting underneath lineman to drive them backward. Walker though struggles to change direction and lacks the agility needed to make plays inside all along the defensive line. The odd thing is though, despite his stocky build, Walker too is better as a slanting, on-the-move lineman than he is at standing his ground and taking up two gaps. He has a high motor, good burst and HUGE hands. In what is turning out to be a bit of an interesting defensive line interior, Walker could do well if the scheme is altered in Atlanta to suit the talents of the growing number of “movement-type” defensive tackles, serving as a rotational tackle so as to keep the starters fresh the whole game.
Overall grade: B-
While I do not overly disagree with any of the Falcons selections, I think they could have maybe gotten better value at some spots. In the first round, I think the two players that were best fits for Atlanta were either Jerry or Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis. One could argue that after the Mike Peterson signing, there was a greater need at defensive tackle. However, while the need was slightly greater, I see Laurinaitis being more of a sure-fire bet to do well as either a middle or weak side linebacker than Jerry is set to do well as an interior lineman. Plus there is the age-factor as discussed that gives Laurinaitis a greater upside. Again, not a bad pick but was it the best pick? In my opinion, Laurinaitis would have provided greater value.
In round two, I like Moore’s upside but I think that Sen’Derrick Mayes, a defensive tackle out of Auburn who went to Tennessee, would have been a better fit. Moore does possess great physical ability but I believe that the first two-rounds are not where you take guys that are athletes versus high-level performers. I would have selected Mayes only in my scenario of taking Laurinaitis first. However, as such with what actually occurred (I’m great at theorizing possibility, bad at describing reality), Moore could prove to be a good player down the road.
In round three, the two players I most liked that were on the board that I thought would have been a good fit for Atlanta were both tight ends, Chase Coffman of Missouri and Travis Beckum of Wisconsin. While the recent acquisition of future Hall-of-Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez from the Chiefs would make a third-round selection on a tight end seem gratuitous, one has to also consider that Gonzalez will be 34 years-old this next year and the Falcons gave up a 2010 second-round pick to acquire him; a high choice for a player, while still a high-performing veteran, they may only get one to at most two years out of at his current level. Selecting a tight end with the upside of either Coffman or Beckum (who, were it not for injuries this year, likely would have gone in the first-round) would have given them long-term stability at the position and allowed either player to learn from one of the all-time best tight ends in the history of he NFL.
Their work from round four on though I think was excellent. As stated, I love the selection of Sidbury in round four and am also high on the selection of Adkins in round six. Walker could prove to be a good rotational defensive tackle if Mike Smith alters his scheme a bit too favor the predominance of one-gap, slanting lineman he has versus his traditional strong, two-gap type lineman his system has historically favored.
Overall, a solid day for the Falcons with no real strong gripping points against what Thomas Dimitroff and company pulled off.
