2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Special Teams

Source: Bleacher Report

Special teams positions are the most underrated spots of any team in the NFL.

Teams will win or lose games based on their offense and defense, but the special teams will contribute more than expected. Field position can win or lose games as the Falcons saw in 2011 when Bosher wasn't doing well on his punts, and field goals can end up leading to more wins if they are hit in clutch times.

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2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Safeties

Source: Bleacher Report

The last line of defense for the Falcons is also one of the youngest groups for the team. The oldest players are Decoud and Moore, and they are just 27 years old. Mitchell and Schillinger are the top competitors for the back-up jobs, but there are quite a few players who will compete at safety this season. 

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2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Cornerbacks

Source: Bleacher Report

The Atlanta Falcons biggest weakness on defense the past few years was the nickel corner, and the Falcons have gotten much deeper with the addition of Asante Samuel.

The Falcons have the only two corners, who in 2011, allowed under five yards per attempt in Samuel and Grimes.

This show will review the cornerbacks brought into camp.

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Saints restructure upper management

Source: NFC South Blog

The New Orleans Saints officially announced a series of re-structuring moves at the top positions in their organization Sunday afternoon. Most significantly, Dennis Lauscha, who previously was executive vice president/chief financial officer, has been promoted to team president. Rita Benson LeBlanc, who is the granddaughter of owner Tom Benson and previously held the titles of owner and executive vice president, now becomes the vice chairman of the board.

2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Linebackers

Source: Bleacher Report

The Falcons' strength the past four years has been their linebacker corps, with star players like Keith Brooking, Curtis Lofton, Sean Weatherspoon and Mike Peterson. The linebacking corps has since lost Lofton, Peterson and Brooking but in doing so, has found other gems that will compete for spots. The Falcons have one of the more talented groups in the NFL and could have multiple Pro-Bowlers on the team in 2012. 

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Chris Owens Versus Darrin Walls In A Battle To The Roster Spot

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

I'm blatantly piggybacking off of my earlier post. In the business world, they call that synergy.

The Atlanta Falcons have roster spots for five cornerbacks, and have at least six quality corners competing for those roster slots. Dunta Robinson, Brent Grimes and Asante Samuel are the easy picks for one through three, and as I mentioned earlier, I think Dominique Franks' combination of

Falcons Players On The Bubble This Summer

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

As I see it, there's a handful of players who are definitely on the roster bubble now, about a month before any of them will actually get the axe or even have a chance to practice. Life's unfair like that.

It's simple mathematics. The Falcons can only carry so many players on their roster, have brought in some young talent and have a handful of players who have developed slowly or not at all over the last several years. These players may not be cut, but let's just say I would be far from surprised if all of them were gone by the time the season rolls around.

After the jump, the players that jump most readily to mind.

Robert James. Let's see: He's 28

Falcons Quote of the Day: Babineuax Had 2nd Best DT Performance of 2011

Source: The Falcoholic by James Rael

Pro Football Focus released their 2011's Best Performances: Defensive Tackles list this week. It's no surprise that Babineaux's week 11 performance ranked this high.

2. Jonathan Babineaux, Atlanta Falcons: Week 11 vs. Tennessee (+7.2)

Over the past few years there haven’t been many defensive tackles better at getting up field than Babineaux. Tennessee found this out the hard way as the Falcon picked up four pressures and a hit to go with a batted pass and

2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Defensive Linemen

Source: Bleacher Report

The Falcons' biggest weak link on defense was the third down defense and the pass rush. The biggest key to the pass rush is the defensive line, and Mike Nolan is coming in with a new heavier blitzing scheme that will allow the defensive line to be better at pass rushing.

The improved rotation on the defensive lines will only help the team win the battle of third downs they lost too often in 2011 and should allow the Falcons to win more games in the 2012 season.

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Atlanta Falcons' Weekend Mailbag: May 19th Edition

Source: Bleacher Report

Welcome to this week's Falcons mailbag. I have questions from Twitter and even an email with Falcons questions from the Birdlady herself.

Starting off, Michael Quill asks:

Do you think Julio Jones will progress again this year or hit a second year slump? #BRFalconsMailbag

I think he will progress. Most second year players slump due to lack of an improving work ethic or due to injuries they get in their second season. Julio Jones had injuries in his rookie year and with an NFL level offseason training program, he will only get better.

Plus, as a wide receiver, there tends to be chemistry issues early on in their careers and Julio gets to work with Matt another offseason this year. He should be able to have a ridiculous statistical season despite having less targets than Roddy.

 

Up next, Candyman92 asks:

I'll ask, what does Atlanta need to do to take the next step and compete for the Super Bowl?

Atlanta needs the off-season. Last year, I said that the team would have been a good two to three wins better than they were if they had the true off-season activities that teams normally have. This year, they have essentially the exact same team as last year with the weaknesses of RG and nickel corner looking to be resolved.

Once the team finally gets to gel in training camp, we will have a better idea. But the big thing the Falcons need to make it to the Super Bowl is for some young guys to step up and play like above average NFL players, to help cover the holes in the team. Guys that fit that description are Akeem Dent, Lamar Holmes, Bradie Ewing and Peter Konz.

 

Starting off, Brent Tabaka asks:

With the additional cap space from Mughelli being cut and the eagles, do you see the falcons signing any FA? #BRFalconsMailbag

There is a good $6 million in cap room right now, and while the Falcons could very well use it to bring in some good free agents, I don't see it happening. The team will likely use the money to make sure they are paying their own, and you could very well see William Moore and Brent Grimes sign extensions this season that would have higher first year cap hits but are still cap friendly for the life of the deal. There is also the idea of re-signing Ryan long term.

 

And finally, we have the Falcons Birdlady asking,

With the switch toward a heavier O line/protection vs smaller players with speed, how does this change impact fans hopes for better protection for our QB or should we stay with smaller players for their speed?

There are two schools of thought on offensive linemen. One is to get smaller quicker lineman who can cut and push players out of the way. The other is to get the bigger stronger types and have them overpower in pass blocking. 

Honestly, I am of the second school. I like bigger more powerful linemen. If Lamar Holmes, Peter Konz and Joe Hawley win the starting jobs at LT, RG and C respectively, the Falcons should end up better at pass blocking because the players are big, but still just as quick as their smaller counterparts.

Read more Atlanta Falcons news on BleacherReport.com

The Falcons Always Win When They...?

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

It's a traveling Saturday for me, which means it's time for a thought exercise. Get those headbands and track shoes on your brains.

Paint me a scenario. This scenario can be anything you like as it pertains to the Falcons, but it must be a scenario in which the Falcons win the game every time. For example, every time Michael Turner runs for 100 yards and Matt Ryan throws for 300 yards, the Falcons win. This is for the 2012 season only, so don't go projecting when Darrin Walls starts.

I think it will be interesting

Benson, McAllister Worthy New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Inductees: Fan's Opinion (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame

Film of the NFC South chat

Source: NFC South Blog

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from Friday’s NFC South chat. Ryan (Charlotte): Regression or Progression. Which will be the theme for Cam Newton next year. Pat Yasinskas: I see progress. He's got a full offseason with the coaches and the play book this time around. Chris (taylor): Saw you just made the article about the lawsuit. Article 43 section 1 states that per agreement, Vilma can only take grievance with the NFl, not the legal system.

Why The Falcons Have An Effective Set Of Running Backs

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

The Atlanta Falcons have not had such an effective running back rotation since the days of Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett. Bank on it.

That may seem to be an unusual thing to say, given that the components of this particular rotation are a 30-year-old Michael Turner, a diminuitive Jacquizz Rodgers and jack-of-all-trades Jason

Around the NFC South

Source: NFC South Blog

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.

Pondering Matt Ryan's absence on 'Top 100' list

Source: NFL.com by Rosenthal, Gregg

Falcons QB Matt Ryan has yet to appear on "The Top 100: Players of 2012." While it's possible he will still be ranked, Gregg Rosenthal wonders whether Ryan is even going to make the list, and if he doesn't, whether he can still be considered a rising star.

Falcons Quote of the Day: Falcons' Front Office

Source: The Falcoholic by James Rael

Mixed opinions abound about Thomas Dimitroff's tenure as GM. For superficial and ill-informed reasons whatever reason, not every Falcons fan is convinced. But apparently CBSSports' Josh Kaztzowitz is. He ranked our front office 6th best.

6. Falcons: Much like the Saints, Atlanta has never had a sustained period of success. Until, that is, the past four years. While I've always believed owner Arthur Blank

Atlanta Falcons 2012 Playoff Approach: What Needs to Change?

Source: Bleacher Report

Mike Smith has directed quite the turnaround in Atlanta since becoming the Falcons head coach in 2008: four consecutive winning seasons, an NFC South title and a collective 43-21 regular season record are just a few of his long list of achievements. 

Still absent from that list, however, is a postseason win.

Carrying an 0-3 playoff record heading into the 2012 season, Smith recently told a local Atlanta radio station that he’s considering changing his playoff approach this year (via NFL.com):  

"Well obviously we have to do it different than what we've done in the past," Smith said via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "We've been there, we just haven’t been very successful. So it starts with me in evaluating how I prepare our football team, or we as a coaching staff prepare our football team. And believe me, we've done some soul searching. When you go to the places that we've been and not have the success that you want in those situations, it's tough. And I know everybody's disappointed, but nobody's more disappointed than I am -- I can assure you that."

Four consecutive winning seasons is great, but it means little if there isn’t any playoff success at the end of it.

Mike Smith knows that. It's why he's considering changing his playoff approach this year. 

 

But what needs to change, exactly?

Simple: aggressiveness. A lot more of it.

No, not on fourth down.  We all know he's proven to be quite the aggressor then. When it comes to the first three, however, it's been a different story.

Under Smith, the Falcons have generally seemed to be content to control the clock, not getting beat deep, and most importantly converting third downs.

That works great when applied to over-matched teams, but the postseason is no time to be playing conservatively on offense and sitting back comfortably in zone on defense.

It’s kill or be killed, and the Falcons don’t yet seem to be playing under that mindset.  

It’s what separates the New Orleans Saints, the Green Bay Packers, and the New England Patriots of the league from the rest of the teams.

They play to win.

The Falcons play not to lose.

 

Don’t believe me? Out of all of last year’s playoff teams, the Falcons were second only to the Baltimore Ravens in regular season third-down attempts with 244 (seventh-highest overall in the league).

While the Falcons managed to convert 44 percent of those (sixth-best in the league), the fact remains that they didn’t move the chains on first or second down as often as the other playoff teams.

That signals either a lack of execution or conservative game-planning. Considering those statistics are over the course of 16 games, my money’s on the latter.

The Falcons live on their ability to convert third downs. They lose when they don't, and that's certainly been true in the playoffs. In Smith's three postseason losses, the Falcons converted a collective 34 percent of their third down attempts. 

It’s a similar story on defense, where Atlanta allowed opponents to convert 44.1 percent of their third down attempts last season—29th-worst in the league. Playing the same soft zones in a 3-3-5 alignment on most of those attempts obviously didn't help in that regard.

If the Falcons ever hope to become elite, they'll have to stop aiming for third-down-and-short situations and instead start looking to move the chains on first. A stingy third-down defense wouldn't hurt, either.

 

Fortunately, a change in coordinators may just be the difference for Atlanta this year. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has never shied away from blitzing and using man-to-man coverage, and on the other side of the ball, Dirk Koetter’s four-vertical offense may finally give the Falcons the chance to be threats to score from anywhere on the field.  

Yes, the Falcons may still come out empty handed come February, and that’s if they even make the postseason in the first place.

After all, aggressiveness doesn’t guarantee victory.  

But it’s certainly worth the risk when the Super Bowl’s on the line.

 

 

 

Read more Atlanta Falcons news on BleacherReport.com

Prisco's top 100 ranks Brady No. 2; Romo at No. 78

Source: NFL.com by Sessler, Marc

While we have yet to see where (or if) Peyton Manning will be on NFL Network's "Top 100: Players of 2012," Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com has already ranked him at No. 33 on his own list, though Manning didn't play a snap in 2011.

Breaking down Connor Barth's contract

Source: NFC South Blog

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued their trend of not tying up salary cap space for future years with signing bonuses when kicker Connor Barth signed a four-year deal Thursday. According to contract details obtained by ESPN.com, Barth instead will get a $3 million roster bonus this year. He also is scheduled to earn $1.45 million in base salary in 2012. His salary-cap figure for this year will be $4.45 million. Barth will earn an average of $3.3 million each season over the course of the contract and $4 million of his money is guaranteed.

Loomis: Drew Brees deal will get done

Source: NFC South Blog

Although Drew Brees said this week that he was frustrated with negotiations for a new contract, New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis once again said Friday that the quarterback will get a long-term deal. Brees also said there was a lack of communication with the team. But Loomis said Brees’ comments did not cause any hard feelings. “Drew loves the Saints and we love Drew,” Loomis said. Saints owner Tom Benson also said a deal will get done.

Loomis: Brees deal will get done

Source: NFC South Blog

Although Drew Brees said he was frustrated with negotiations for a new contract earlier this week, New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis once again said Friday that the quarterback will get a long-term deal. Brees also said there was a lack of communication with the team. But Loomis said Brees’ comments did not cause any hard feelings. “Drew loves the Saints and we love Drew,” Loomis said. Saints owner Tom Benson also said a deal will get done.

Benson, McAllister headed to Saints HOF

Source: NFC South Blog

For a change, there is some positive news on the New Orleans Saints. Team owner Tom Benson and former running back Deuce McAllister have been selected as the 2012 inductees to the Saints Hall of Fame. They were elected by a media selection committee. McAllister is one of the most popular players in franchise history. He retired holding almost all of the team’s rushing records. Benson hasn’t always been a popular figure with fans, but that’s changed in recent years as the team has enjoyed a streak of unprecedented success since 2006.

Falcons rookie contract numbers

Source: AJC Blog by D. Orlando Ledbetter

Falcons top draft pick Peter Konz is bringing back the Dirty Bird. (Curtis Compton/CCompton@ajc.com)

FLOWERY BRANCH – The Falcons are still working on defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi’s rookie contract, but the numbers are in for all of the other deals.

–Second-round pick Peter Konz signed a four-year deal worth $3.588 million, with a signing bonus of $1.049 million. A total of $1,603,010 of his deal is guaranteed.

–Third-round pick Lamar Holmes signed a four-year deal worth $2.633 million, with a signing bonus of $533,600.

–Fifth-round pick Bradie Ewing signed a four-year deal worth $2.28 million, with a signing bonus of $184,192.

–Sixth-round pick Charles Mitchell signed a four-year contract worth $2.201 million, with a signing bonus of $101,672.

–Seventh-round pick Travian Robertson signed a four-year contract worth $2.145 million, with a signing bonus of $45,896.

All of the rookie deals have base salaries of $390,000, $480,000, $570,000 and $660,000.

Tweet

–D. Orlando

Jimmy Graham No. 2 on Clayton's TE list

Source: NFC South Blog

John Clayton has his list of the NFL’s top 10 tight ends and the NFC South has some pretty strong representation. New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham is No. 2 and Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez is No. 7. Gonzalez is getting near the end of his career, but still put up decent numbers last season with 80 catches for 875 yards and seven touchdowns. The Falcons have yet to find an heir apparent, so I think you can expect similar numbers from Gonzalez in 2012.

The UDFA Most Likely To Make An Impact For The Falcons

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

The Falcoholic roundtable has returned! It's like King Arthur's roundtable without the brawn, or the Algonquin Roundtable without the wit.

I turned to three of our writers to come up with their choices for the UDFA most likely to make an impact for the Atlanta Falcons. While your answer may be "none of them," the Falcons have a habit of taking at least one UDFA a year and turning him into at least a semi-useful player. For previous examples, see Michael Palmer, Brent Grimes, and

Sizing up Vilma's lawsuit against Goodell

Source: NFC South Blog

Welcome to Courtroom Football, the sequel. Following the 2011 version, “The Lockout,” we now have the 2012 version, “The Bounties.” Following NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s suspensions of Saints head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis, which went (relatively) smoothly, Goodell’s player suspensions haven't been received quietly. The NFLPA first filed two grievances -- one heard Wednesday, one to be heard on May 30 -- advancing different legal theories to remove jurisdiction from Goodell.

Defensive Back a Position of Strength for the Falcons

Source: Falcons Gab by Matt Loede

By Jake Saltzman

The postseason has been anything but kind to the Atlanta Falcons of late. Quarterback Matt Ryan has been on the receiving end of the majority of the blame, as the former number three overall draft pick remains winless (0-3) in the NFL playoffs. Head Coach Mike Smith has also had to deal with critics, as his personal winless-playoff drought dates all the way back to 2001, when Smith was a defensive assistant with the then-reigning Super bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

What has not been over-analyzed is the fact that in their last three playoff games, the Falcons defense has allowed a combined 88 points, or roughly 30 points a game. Last season, the Falcons gave up 30 or more points only three times en route to the playoffs, and lost two of the three in which they did.

For the defensive issues to be resolved, as is the case with most teams, the Falcons may not have to look to a superstar playmaker on the D-line. This is important, seeing as the Falcons don’t necessarily have one (John Abraham turned 34 earlier this month and failed to record 10 sacks in 2011).

That’s because of the strength of their secondary, which got a much needed boost when the Falcons traded a seventh round pick for Asante Samuel in April. Samuel will record his 50th career regular season interception with even just an average year in 2012, which is an area last year’s bunch struggled in mightily for Atlanta. Thomas DeCoud led the club with interceptions, but had only four.

The biggest strength of the Falcons’ secondary this season however projects to be its depth. Joining Samuel and DeCoud are Brent Grimes, who resigned shortly after declaring free agency, and a healthy William Moore, who missed four games in the middle of last season and was irrelevant in the playoffs. Cornerback Dunta Robinson may enter training camp as an overlooked man after failing to record 50 tackles for the first time in a full season, but would not be a major downgrade at all should Samuel not pan out. Still, it was clear Samuel wanted out of Philadelphia, and after being traded for a single seventh rounder, one would think the former league interception leader would have something left to prove moving forward.

Also worth mentioning are the reserves. Dominique Franks and Chris Owens both saw time in Atlanta’s rotation last season at cornerback, with Franks intercepting two passes and Owens showing good ability to reach the opponent backfield on disguised blitzes.

Shann Schillinger enters his third season with Atlanta, and despite playing primarily on special teams has proven to be a nice sixth-round find for the Falcons. Schillinger is one of the faster guys in what is not an ultra-quick secondary, and the Falcons could have used that speed on several occasions last season. Never was Atlanta’s lack of speed more evident last season than against Minnesota in week 12. In what proved to be a narrow Atlanta win, Christian Ponder and Percy Harvin connected for a 39 yard TD pass that saw Atlanta blow big-time coverage, allowing a pair of linebackers to mark Harvin. The Falcons also used a later-round draft pick this year on Charles Mitchell, another speedy youngster who can play both corner and safety.

Ultimately, the Falcons defense was probably misrepresented by its middle of the pack overall ranking last season. To make the numbers match up in 2012, I expect the Falcons will utilize the unconventional approach of building up from the secondary. With Brent Grimes and Asante Samuel poised for a bounce back year, this approach may land the Falcons in position to win a playoff game for the first time since 2004.

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff hopes to raise cycling awareness

Source: AJC Blog by D. Orlando Ledbetter

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff getting ready to ride to work on Friday. (D. Orlando Ledbetter/Dledbetter@ajc.com)

BUCKHEAD – I tossed the Blue Streak (the nickname for my Wal-Mart bike) into the Dark Knight and drove over to ride with Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and some really cool guys from the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition early this morning.

(Their bikes looked a little different than the Blue Streak. I didn’t see any of their bikes at Wal-Mart, either. I also grabbed my daughter’s pink helmet. You can never be to be safe on those roads.)

I only went a couple of miles, while they rode the entire 40 miles from Buckhead to Flowery Branch to celebrate National Bike to Work Day.

Dimitroff has been planning this ride since he arrived in 2008. We’d talked about it several times, so I decided to get on out there.

Dimitroff is a cycling enthusiast. I just get on the Silver Comet Trail from time to time. I need to do it more often for fitness purposes.

Some of

Looking at NFC South front offices

Source: NFC South Blog

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.

Sanders to host TRUTH youth football, cheer tryouts

Source: AJC Blog by D. Orlando Ledbetter

Former Atlanta Falcon Deion Sanders talks with the 11 & 12-year-old Truth youth football team before their game during a youth football tournament at Westlake High School recently in Atlanta, Ga., July 15, 2011. Sanders brought three youth football teams called The Truth. The three teams are 9&10, 11&12, and 13&14 all from the Dallas/Forth Worth area. Sanders will be the first Falcon to enter the NFL Hall of Fame August 8th. Sanders has changed his public image, no longer Primetime, he devotes his time to a youth sports program. Jason Getz jgetz@ajc.com

Deion Sanders, who’s committed to helping youth through his academic and Christian-based select sports programs, believes the threat of concussions has been overstated.

He’ll be in town this weekend to host registration for his football and cheerleader programs in Snellville and Jonesboro.

Sanders believes that if youth players are taught properly, they will know not to use their heads and helmets to strike. Upon his

Bucs down to two unsigned draft picks

Source: NFC South Blog

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are closing in on having their entire draft class signed. The team announced Friday morning that it has signed second-round pick Lavonte David, who is expected to be an immediate starter at outside linebacker. That leaves only first-round picks Mark Barron and Doug Martin unsigned. Carolina already has signed all of its draft picks. The Atlanta Falcons have signed all but one of their draft picks. The New Orleans Saints have yet to sign any of their five draft picks.

Around the NFC South

Source: NFC South Blog

Let's take a look at the top headlines from around the NFC South. Check out this Insider piece by Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders. No argument that the Falcons are looking for a return man and the Saints could use some depth at cornerback. But I’m not so sure the Panthers are as much in the market for a No. 2 receiver as a lot of people think. I believe the Panthers are ready to let Brandon LaFell, David Gettis, Joe Adams and Kealoha Pilares compete for the spot opposite Steve Smith and are hoping one of them will step up.

The Atlanta Falcons Enter A Crucial Two-Year Window

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

The concept of a window is overrated, in my opinion. Most teams do not simply break down, all at once, and turn from a championship contender into a pile of arthritic limbs and stiff knees. When a car up and dies, it's usually one piece, one component, not the whole car collapsing at once. You replace the affected pieces and you move on.

In the last decade or so, there's only been a handful of teams that I've seen definitively have their window shut. The old and Barry Bonds-less San Francisco Giants were one of them, as were the ramshackle Detroit Pistons. But that was caused less by age and dumb luck than by the willingness to sell off pieces, to start again, to

NFC South chat Friday at 1 p.m.

Source: NFC South Blog

Just a quick reminder that the NFC South chat is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Friday. We’ll be chatting about the Falcons, Panthers, Saints and Buccaneers. So gather up your questions and join us. Here’s the link to get you into the chat.

2012 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Roster Overview: Offensive Linemen

Source: Bleacher Report

The Atlanta Falcons have one mission this year. It's to protect Matt Ryan and allow the passing offense to truly get going.

The rushing offense will be fine with how the line has been schemed the past few years. The best part of it this year is that the Falcons are having an open competition across the entire line.

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Falcons Quote of the Day: NFL Network's TOP 100

Source: The Falcoholic by James Rael

Yuck. NFL Network released their TOP 100 NFLers list yesterday. And in this blogger's humble but accurate opinion, they underrated the you-know-what out of Roddy White.

Falcons wide receiver Roddy White dropped 41 spots on "NFL Network’s The Top 100: Players of 2012" show on Wednesday.

After leading the league with 115 catches after the 2011 season,

No Sophomore Slump for Cam Newton or Andy Dalton - Because it Doesn't Exist! Fan's Analysis (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Fans of the Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals - you can stop panicking. Your stellar rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton and Andy Dalton will not suffer from the dreaded "Sophomore Slump" in 2012. How do I know this? Well, there is one simple reason:

More NFC South rookie pay numbers

Source: NFC South Blog

We showed you the contract details for a bunch of NFC South rookies earlier in the week. I just got a look at four more deals, so let’s run through them. Atlanta offensive tackle Lamar Holmes, a third-round choice, got a four-year deal worth $2.633 million, including a $533,600 signing bonus. Safety Charles Mitchell, a sixth-round pick, got a four-year deal worth $2.2 million, including a signing bonus of $101,672. The Falcons have only fifth-round defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi left unsigned.

Why This Team Has Awesome Leadership

Source: The Falcoholic by Caleb Rutherford

I don't know if you guys knew, but the Falcons had a State of the Franchise event with about 800 season ticket holders recently. If you're unaware of what that is, basically the whole motley crew of Blank, Smith, Dimitroff, et al come and speak and answer questions from some of the season ticket holders. I don't know how many teams do something like this, but that doesn't matter. The fact that these guys took some time out of their lives to spend some time with dedicated season ticket holders speaks very highly of the coaching staff and front office members.

Immediately, Dimitroff

Sanders believes concussions overstated in youth football

Source: AJC.com

Deion Sanders, who’s committed to helping youth through his academic and Christian-based select sports programs, believes the threat of concussions has been overstated.

Vilma could force NFL to produce evidence

Source: NFC South Blog

New Orleans Saints fans, who have been screaming for the NFL to produce more evidence in the bounty scandal, just might get their wish. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma has filed a defamation lawsuit against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The suit claims Goodell made false statements about Vilma while discussing the league’s investigation of the bounty system. Vilma has drawn the harshest punishment of any player, drawing a suspension for the 2012 season.

Will the Atlanta Falcons Finally Have Playoff Success in 2012?

Source: Bleacher Report

In the past four years, the Atlanta Falcons have a 43-21 record in the regular season, but are 0-3 in the postseason. 

Many question whether quarterback Matt Ryan can deliver in the postseason. In three playoff games Ryan has a 71.2 rating.

On the other hand, Ryan has all the intangibles a team could look for — he's always trying to improve his level of play, and is a good leader on and off the field. 

Perhaps the Falcons just catch teams that are "hot" at the right time of the season. In 2008, the Falcons lost to the 9-7 Arizona Cardinals, and then the Cardinals advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

In 2010, the Falcons were the NFC's No. 1 overall seed, but were torched by Aaron Rodgers and the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. Then, this past year, the Falcons lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants, a game in which Atlanta was held scoreless on offense. 

Why can't the Falcons be the team that catches fire during the playoffs? That's the million-dollar question that no one has answers for. 

The NFC figures to be ultra competitive next season, with nine teams essentially battling for five playoff spots. The Saints still have record-setting quarterback Drew Brees, and the Panthers are on the rise with Cam Newton.

In the NFC East, the Giants will look to defend their title, the Cowboys improved their defense significantly, and the Eagles figure to bounce-back from a disappointing season.

In the NFC North, the Packers looked unstoppable much of last year, the Bears improved their receiving corps in the offseason which will help out a returning Jay Cutler, and the Lions have one of the top offenses in the league. 

All that said, the Falcons are going to have to battle just to make the postseason in 2012, much less win a game against one of those teams in the playoffs. 

The Falcons improved their offensive line when they selected Peter Konz and Lamar Holmes in the draft, but whether or not we'll see that on the field in 2012 remains to be seen. 

The Falcons also changed offensive and defensive coordinators, revamping the staff as much as one could without actually firing the head coach. 

Before Ryan and Mike Smith joined the team in 2008, the Falcons had never had winning seasons in back-to-back years. 

Now, the Falcons have four consecutive winning seasons, but have yet to deliver in the playoffs. A trend that is likely to continue next season.

Read more Atlanta Falcons news on BleacherReport.com

Will the Atlanta Falcons Finally Have Playoff Success 2012?

Source: Bleacher Report

In the past four years, the Atlanta Falcons have a 43-21 record in the regular season, but are 0-3 in the postseason. 

Many question whether quarterback Matt Ryan can deliver in the postseason. In three playoff games Ryan has a 71.2 rating.

On the other hand, Ryan has all the intangibles a team could look for — he's always trying to improve his level of play, and is a good leader on and off the field. 

Perhaps the Falcons just catch teams that are "hot" at the right time of the season. In 2008, the Falcons lost to the 9-7 Arizona Cardinals, and then the Cardinals advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

In 2010, the Falcons were the NFC's No. 1 overall seed, but were torched by Aaron Rodgers and the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. Then, this past year, the Falcons lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants, a game in which Atlanta was held scoreless on offense. 

Why can't the Falcons be the team that catches fire during the playoffs? That's the million-dollar question that no one has answers for. 

The NFC figures to be ultra competitive next season, with nine teams essentially battling for five playoff spots. The Saints still have record-setting quarterback Drew Brees, and the Panthers are on the rise with Cam Newton.

In the NFC East, the Giants will look to defend their title, the Cowboys improved their defense significantly, and the Eagles figure to bounce-back from a disappointing season.

In the NFC North, the Packers looked unstoppable much of last year, the Bears improved their receiving corps in the offseason which will help out a returning Jay Cutler, and the Lions have one of the top offenses in the league. 

All that said, the Falcons are going to have to battle just to make the postseason in 2012, much less win a game against one of those teams in the playoffs. 

The Falcons improved their offensive line when they selected Peter Konz and Lamar Holmes in the draft, but whether or not we'll see that on the field in 2012 remains to be seen. 

The Falcons also changed offensive and defensive coordinators, revamping the staff as much as one could without actually firing the head coach. 

Before Ryan and Mike Smith joined the team in 2008, the Falcons had never had winning seasons in back-to-back years. 

Now, the Falcons have four consecutive winning seasons, but have yet to deliver in the playoffs. A trend that is likely to continue next season.

Read more Atlanta Falcons news on BleacherReport.com

Video: Does Vilma deserve punishment?

Source: NFC South Blog

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless discuss Jonathan Vilma's tweets about his meeting with an arbitrator about his penalty for the Saints' bounty program.

Bucs have K Connor Barth for long term

Source: NFC South Blog

Tampa Bay kicker Connor Barth, who had been carrying the franchise tag, now has a new four-year contract. The Bucs just announced the news. “For the Bucs organization, [general manager] Mark Dominik, coach [Greg] Schiano and everyone to believe in me, to know that I'll be their kicker for the next four years, is awesome,” Barth said. “It's just an amazing opportunity and I want to continue to perform like I have and live up to their expectations.

Taking Wagers On The End Of The Drew Brees Holdout

Source: The Falcoholic by Dave Choate

Just a little friendly wagering for your Thursday afternoon, with no actual prizes involved. Crazy, I know.

I'm curious to see when you think Drew Brees' epic holdout will end. The Saints aren't willing to give him $25+ million a year and Brees, despite his stated interest in not having this drag out, isn't willing to accept a whole hell of a lot less than that. That's led to a standoff that doesn't seem close to resolving itself.

Given that the two sides remain far apart and Drew Brees just raised the gray flag of criticism once more, I'll say this one pushes right up against the July