We've sure been busy with the start of free agency, making 3 signings to bolster both lines.

We signed G Jon Asamoah, from the Pioli/KC connection, for 5 years at 4.5M/year. He's 25.

We signed DT Paul Soliai for 5/33 with 14.5 gtd. He's 30.

We signed DE Tyson Jackson for 5/25, also from KC. He's 27.

There's talk we may be switching to a 3-4 defense with the new personnel we have now. I'm more excited than ever to see which way we go in the draft now!

I give all these signings a B+. We had positions of need and we addressed them. The only thing I worry about is if we're repeating the Colts' last offseason, paying too much for middling talent. I do like that we're getting the prime years of the guys in most of these deals.

Getting Khalil Mack in the draft and switching to 3-4 would be amazing

Really dig the signings today.

I think he could a given us more success and carries had we featured him more.

Yeah. But given how many holes the Falcons had, we couldn't just go get a difference maker to fill all of them.

$16M a year for 3 proven starters on our lines is good with me, and even if Soliai is 30 years old I feel like "fat guy clogging up the middle" probably ages as well as any position in the NFL. Justin Houston got REAL good when he had Jackson, Poe and Devito occupying the line in front of him. Hopefully Jackson, Soliai and Babineaux can have the same effect on an edge rusher.

Clowney's still a boss, but I have to assume this shuffling is a conscious reaction to us being unlikely to get him at #6 and not being willing to trade up. I mean, if he's available you obviously take him and figure it out but I wouldn't expect TD to give up more assets to draft a guy who doesn't seem like a 3 down player if we're going between a 3-4 and a 4-3.

I think Mack's the clear first round pick at this point, but wouldn't be disappointed if we went for Gregg Robinson.

There are actually a lot of DE/OLB hybrid rushers I'd be happy to end up with.
Rd2: Kony Ealy, Dee Ford
Rd 3: Kyle Van Noy, Jeremiah Attaochu
I'd also be happy getting Stephon Tuitt in Rd 2 to play DE, especially since he could float between 3-4 and 4-3 looks (moving to DT on passing downs).

The biggest remaining need is a safety. I'm not too sure what the likely possibilities for that position are.

Attaochu, homer

While I'd like to be optimistic, I can't help but see us losing talent and lots of games. The o-line situation is no better, and the secondary has gotten worse if that's even possible.

I see the falcons being middle of the road really. I don't think Matt Ryan has the "it" factor, but I hope they prove me wrong. And it doesn't help that the Braves lost 2 pitchers we were relying on.

yay atlanta sports

**** my buddy just texted me we signed hester. please be false

It's true. 3-year deal, financial terms as yet undisclosed.

We definitely needed to be more of a threat in the return game, and we also signed Javier Arenas who can return kicks.

Ugh. Like the return game is really where we need to spend $ tho?

yea..and the dude is 31. i dunno

So we signed two guys I never heard of in the defensive backfield.

28 yr old safety Dwight Lowery, a Jaguars and Jets castoff,

and former redskins CB Josh Wilson. Wilson would be the 5th CB on the depth chart (behind Trufant, Alford, McClain, and Arenas), so he may be looking to convert to safety or be strictly a special-teamer.

Both seem like stopgap moves... I'm really starting to wonder what the long-term plan at FS is. Ideally I'd like to draft Louisville FS Calvin Pryor. He's generally regarded as the best safety not named Ha-Ha in this draft class, and has a late 1st-early 2nd grade.

The draft is only a week away! Really interesting scenario for the Falcons since there seems like there could only be 5 possible ways we could go with the 6th overall pick.

I'll list them in order of guys I like the most:

1. Texas A&M OT Jake Matthews

Most already know about the bloodlines with the Hall of Fame guard father Bruce. But Matthews' uncle was also a 4-time Pro Bowl linebacker, and his cousin is Clay Matthews of the Packers. The Falcons seem to value NFL bloodlines, Trufant has 2 older brothers in the NFL and he's turned out alright so far. He's battle-tested against SEC edge rushers, he's regarded as the most polished, technically sound, NFL-ready tackle in this draft class. I really hope he's still there for us at 6!

2. Michigan OT Taylor Lewan

If we miss out on Matthews, I'd be completely fine with Lewan. What I like most about him is he started 48 games at left tackle in his college career. He has lots of experience at the position. I'm slightly worried about an off-field issue where there are pending charges about something like assault (not sure), but he got out in front of it and said he broke up a fight and that it's not going to be an issue.

3. Auburn OT Greg Robinson

Without question the best run-blocker in this draft. Somewhat raw, and inexperienced in pass protection, but believed by many to be the tackle with the highest upside, athletically. With his skill set, in the future he might be better-served as a right tackle or maybe even a guard. I list him 3rd among the OT's because what I think we need is an experienced blind-side tackle who can hold up against the best edge-rushers in pass protection.

4. Buffalo OLB Khalil Mack

If we really are transitioning into more 3-4 looks, then Mack can be the centerpiece hybrid edge rusher for the defense. Wildly productive in college, though I question the competition (I'm an SEC elitist college football fan), he did have his best game against Ohio State, with 2.5 sacks and a pick-6. I'd prefer him after all the tackles because I think our offensive line and protecting Matt is a greater concern than our pass rush.

And I think the VERY WORST thing we could do is trade up to draft

South Carolina DE Jadaveon Clowney

A 4-12 team has a lot of holes and needs a lot of depth. I don't want to trade 4 or 5 picks to move up 4 or 5 spots to draft this guy. I don't care how schemed against he was last year, 3 sacks doesn't move the needle for me. I never want to hear about work ethic questions with my high-first round pick. The roster has too many holes to go about trading your draft away for 1 guy.

I think what we do with our 2nd and 3rd round picks will be crucial. If we go O-line first, then we can go pass rusher with the 2nd round pick, and there's plenty of talent that should still be there. Or if we go with defense with our first-round pick, then there's still some less exciting O-line prospects that should be there for us in round two, like Kouandijo or the guy they call Tiny from Tennessee.

Throughout all this, we need to keep in mind that we have a GIANT hole at free safety.

Surely Dimitroff knows this isn't like fantasy football where you take huge risks to tie up your future in a few stars. But if we trade up for Clowney, I won't wait to see how it turns out before I turn on Dimitroff.

Nice write up. I'm definitely weary about trading up..this team needs depth across the board. I read though that all 5 of those players could be gone by the 6th pick..so I dunno. Maybe just hope one of those guys fall and if not trade down for more picks? I'm sure someone would want to trade up for Manziel/Watkins or something. Gonna be an exciting draft day for sure tho. In Dimitroff we trust...maybe..

Good pick. Fills a need.

always nice when the best player available fills your biggest need

Nice

I'm obviously ecstatic that we got Matthews at 6. He could be our best O-lineman for the next 10 years!

Was a little bummed to see Dee Ford go in the 1st, I had hoped he might be there for us at 37

Also a little concerned that ALL of our division rivals just picked a MONSTER receiver to go up against our little-ish corners.

Will be crucial to see who the Falcons pick in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Dee Ford may be gone, but there are a lot of good rush prospects left to pick from.

Ealy, Van Noy, Lawrence, Attaochu

We're going to get someone who projects well, which is all I can ask for right now.

I'm pretty surprised we drafted DT Ra'shede Hageman with our 2nd pick.

We just resigned Babineaux, Peters, and Jerry, and brought in Soliai. I would have thought we have enough bodies at DT.

He was the 19th rated draft prospect according to SI, so we're definitely getting great value.

Apparently he's a DT/DE who might profile best as a DE in a 3-4. I guess we really are switching to a 3-4, with Hageman - Soliai - Jackson as the D-line.

Looks like we really are getting tougher on the lines.

Yea I have no clue. I like that we're focusing on the lines, though. Both have been greatly improved this offseason I think.

I'm liking the Falcons 3rd round pick S Dezmen Southward the more I read about him.

Ran a 4.37 with a 42 inch vertical at his pro day, never missed a game in 4 seasons at Wisconsin. Played in a school record 54 games, with 28 consecutive starts to end his collegiate career.

Both Hageman and Southward were coached by Mike Smith's staff at the Senior Bowl, so I'm guessing they know things.

Evidently they liked what they saw.

Jerry has been, if not a bust, at the least underwhelming. I like the DT pick and the S too. He's played CB too.

That RB Devonta Freeman they picked is going to be a nice suprise. He's quick and his WIM is through the roof.

This has been a solid draft. Might be under appreciated because there's been no "flashy" skill position pick.

I'm content / borderline happy with the draft

Yeah, that's kinda my thinking.

The first 2 picks seem really good. The 3rd has plenty of upside and this front office has shown they know how to evaluate and draft secondary, imo.

After that I'm kinda "meh" on everyone but they seem to fill positions of need and I guess you're not really supposed to be blown away by a 6th round pick.

Would've been nice to pick up a TE or a guard.