Atlanta Falcons Look To Build on a Successful 2008

What was the best thing the Atlanta Falcons did last year? Draft Matt Ryan? Sign Michael Turner? Win 11 games?

No. The best thing the Atlanta Falcons did last year was hire Thomas Dimitroff as their GM.

He pulled the trigger on Matt Ryan when everyone felt it was Glenn Dorsey they should have drafted.

As it turns out, that wasn't such a bad decision for the Dirty Birds. Ryan caught on quickly and helped lead the Falcons to an 11-win season, and Atlanta was within one defensive series from making the Cardinals a playoff afterthought.

Oh yeah, he also managed to walk away with Rookie of the Year honors and received a Pro Bowl nod as an alternate. Not bad for a guy who, in many people's opinion, was overrated coming out of Boston College.

The next thing Dimitroff did was sign Michael Turner. I need not go into what a big signing he turned out to be for the Falcons. He transformed what was a lost running game into a team strength once more. He was impressive right out of the gate, rushing for 220 yards in Week One, and didn't look back the rest of the year.

He and Ryan together made the Falcons a contender in the NFC South. And without Dimitroff at the wheel, neither may have been there.

Still, as we approach the NFL Combine and start looking ahead to the 2009 season, there are a few areas that require a definite upgrade, most of them on the defensive side of the ball.

The various draft heads seem to be in love with Brandon Pettigrew, the TE out of Oklahoma State. That makes perfect sense to me, too. He's big, for one, and proved himself a "total package" with his performance in the Senior Bowl. Plus, he is the best blocker at his position, much better than what the Falcons currently have in either Ben Hartsock or Martrez Milner, neither of whom are true offensive threats.

But as nice a pick as Pettigrew is, I feel that the Falcons need to bolster their pass-rush game. They allowed far too many 100-or-more-yard performances by wide receivers last season and didn't pressure opposing QBs nearly enough.

Currently, Atlanta's defensive line boasts the aging Grady Jackson and Jonathan Babineaux. Jackson is a big hole filler at the position, but at 36 years old he's clearly on the downside of his career. Babineaux is smaller but quicker and more athletic than Jackson, and he makes it obvious that the Falcons need to fill this position with an equally athletic DT to balance out the line.

For this purpose, I like Sen'Derrick Marks out of Auburn. It might be a bit of a stretch to take him at 24, but I like his athleticism and think he would wreak havoc on most offensive linemen that would oppose him.

Now, I know some would probably ask, "Why not go for BJ Raji out of Boston College?"

Well, the easy answer to that is he won't be available for the Falcons at 24. He's projected as high as No. 4 and as low as No. 6. Either way, the Falcons have no shot at him.

There is always his former counterpart at BC, Ron Brace, but he's been prone to injury. Also, like I said, I think the Falcons should move towards a more athletic defensive line. Brace is definitely more in the mold of their current hole-filler, Jackson.

Marks seems to make the most sense here, as he can definitely contribute right away for the Falcons should they take him.

Another glaring need is the cornerback position. The Falcons are obviously aware of this need, as they signed Arena League product Tony Tiller this week. I don't know that he's the guy that will make the difference, but it does show that they are on the hunt for someone to shut down those big-play WRs that seemed to dance all over them last season.

The recent release of Leigh Bodden by the Lions should attract the attention of the Falcons brass. He didn't play up to snuff last year, but he could rebound in a better defense.

The Falcons will have plenty of room to make some mid-level moves in free agency, with about $20 million to play with this offseason. However, they do still owe Vick about $15 million in bonuses, and that may count against the cap in 2009.

It also means that it is highly unlikely that they'll make a play for Albert Haynesworth. The big-play DT is looking to get out of Tennessee and cash in on his worth. He reportedly wants in the neighborhood of $12 million per year, which is much too rich for the Falcons' blood.

Atlanta is likely to release Lawyer Milloy after his most recent legal troubles, so that will leave yet another spot to fill in an already weak secondary. Either way, the Falcons have their work cut out for them this offseason.

But after what Dimitroff was able to do last year, I trust that he will make smart decisions come draft day and the free agency period. He has yet to disappoint me.

Will the Falcons play it smart and make the moves that will finally allow them their first back-to-back winning seasons in team history?

I sure hope so.