My Thoughts On The Falcons 2011 Draft

It’s been two weeks since the Falcons made one of the biggest draft day moves in recent memory, as they traded up in the first round to grab Julio Jones. When you make a move like the Falcons did, there is a price to pay, and for the Falcons, they had to surrender their first round pick, second round pick, fourth round pick and next year’s first round and fourth round picks.

When I first heard about the trade, I was a little shocked that the Falcons would make a move like this. General manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith are about building through the draft and not making any risky moves. So as a result, they have built this current team though the draft while adding key free agents.

But now that I think about it and let the trade sink in, I like the move. There are times where a franchise has to make a bold move in order to take that next step. The Falcons were 13-3 last year and won the NFC South Division as well as having the best record in the conference. But Smith was clear that they needed to be more explosive plays on offense. The Falcons did score a lot of points last year, but the reason for that is they were able to control the clock and make little to zero mistakes.

They did have more dire needs on draft day, especially when it comes to the defensive line, offensive line and linebackers. But the organization felt Jones was the right fit for the Falcons in terms of what they want to do on offense moving forward.

So here’s what the Falcons should look like. You have Matt Ryan at quarterback, Michael Turner at running back, Roddy White and Jones at the wideouts and Tony Gonzalez at the tight end spots. All of these players made it to the pro bowl except for Jones, and if everything goes according to plan, Jones should be making trips to Hawaii on a yearly basis.

Did the Falcons give up a lot to get an unproven player? Yes. But the reality is they had a chance to get a player with a huge upside and they seized the moment. Since 2008, the Falcons have been sitting back and not making any bold moves. Now, with the Saints looking to get back to the Super Bowl and Tampa Bay being a team on the rise, the Falcons had to make sure they stay on top and they felt like this was the way to do it.

Now, all this is pending because the NFL is still in its lockout, but If Jones becomes the player we all hope he can be this year, the Falcons will have another legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl this year.

But what if he doesn’t pan out? What if he struggles and the Falcons are 8-8 when the 2011 season concludes? How much heat will Dimitroff have on him if Jones does not perform?

Falcons mini-camp preview

The Falcons are one of the few teams that will have their mini-camp this weekend as most of the NFL teams held their camps last weekend. There is a level of excitement for Falcons fans because they will get a glimpse of tight end Tony Gonzalez as well as the new draft picks, such as Peria Jerry and William Moore. I will be there on Saturday for both practices and here is what I am going to focus on as I observer mini-camp:

1. Secondary – There are a few question marks when it comes to who is going to start at corner and safety. Chris Houston will be one of the starting corners but I don’t think that is set in stone. Brent Grimes, Chevis Jackson and Von Hutchins will be fighting for the two cornerback spots as well as David Irons and Tony Tiller. Draft picks Chris Owens and William Middleton will not likely start on opening day, but can (and probably will) contribute on special teams and also used in nickel and dime situations. As for the safety position, Erik Coleman looks to build on what he did last year, notching 95 tackles and three interceptions. With Lawyer Miloy gone, there is a void at strong safety and everyone thinks that William Moore should win that spot. But not if Thomas DeCoud, Eric Brock and Jamaal Fudge have say anything about it because they will also be fighting for the same position. I think that Moore will win the spot, but DeCoud will make it difficult for him.

2. Linebackers- Outside linebackers will be a spot where fans will keep their eyes one because both Keith Brooking and Michael Boley were lost this offseason due to free agency and the Falcons did not draft or sign anybody that will likely take their place other than Mike Peterson. Peterson has played middle linebacker for most of his career but he will start at one of the outside linebacker positions this fall. The other linebacker spot is up for grabs and I think it’s a two-man race between Stephen Nicholas and Coy Wire. Who is going to win the spot? I think it’s too early to tell but both players had great seasons in 2008 and should improve in 2009.

3. Quarterback – I’m not saying that there’s a quarterback battle because Matt Ryan is one of the rising stars in the league. Trust me on this because I followed Ryan last year and he is just as good as any quarterback in the league. I’m curious to see how much he has improved from the loss against Arizona to the mini-camp on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I’m also anxious to see how he gels with Tony Gonzalez because he can only help Ryan in his progression.

So it should be a fun weekend for fans and they have every right to be excited for the 2009 season because they should be a favorite to win the NFC.