Falcons Report- Brooking could come back and Haynesworth not in Falcons 2009 plans

Last week, the hot topic at Flowery Branch was Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff telling atlantafalcons.com that he is looking to trade the rights to quarterback Michael Vick. This week, free agency is drawing closer and Dimitroff and company are talking to guys such as Keith Brooking, Michael Boley Dominique Foxworth and Lawyer Miloy as they become free agents on the 27th.

If you were to ask me what's going to happen, as to who stays and who goes, I think that when it's all said and done, Brooking stays and Boley will be playing elsewhere in 2009. I think the reason that Brooking will be back is the fact that he is one of the leaders of the defense. Sure, he is not as fast as he once was and he blew an assignment late in the wild card playoff game against Arizona, but he doesn't make mental mistakes and it will help Curtis Lofton if Brooking is patrolling the weakside linebacker position. As for Boley, he did not have the breakout year that most fans expected, so he will probably shop around to test the waters.

Miloy will stay because he is the locker room leader for the birds and Foxworth proved that he can be a nickel corner. But don't expect Albert Hayenesworth anchoring the defensive line for the Falcons because Dimitroff said that they won't be major players when it comes to signing big free agents. This is good because they are sticking to their philosophy which is building through the draft and get quality veterans through free agency. That's how the New England Patriots did it and that's why they won titles in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

In one of my blogs next week I will predict the free agent the Falcons will try to sign. As mentioned earlier, they won't be big names, but I have some players in mind that can help the Falcons go deeper in the playoffs this season and for years to come.