Kaspers Korner

The Atlanta Falcons had a miserable year last year, mostly due to quarterback Michael Vick’s dog fighting ring being discovered.  Now, a recent article shows how starved for talent the team is.

Coy Wire was let go be the Buffalo Bills earlier this year, but has landed with the Atlanta Falcons.  Supposively, he has already made an impact on the team, according to Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“Probably the guy that showed the most and flashed the most Friday and Saturday was Coy Wire and he’s only been with us for about a week,” said Falcons head coach Mike Smith.

For Wire to add strength to the linebacking core is a laughing stock.  We are talking about a guy who on the final play, of the season opener of the 2004 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, was standing next wide receiver Ernest Wilford, and still could not knock down the pass.

 The whole reason why he was moved to linebacker is due to the fact that he stunk at strong safety, and linebacker was his position in college at Stanford.

Yes, Wire is an outstanding special team player.  That is the reason why he survived six seasons with the Bills.  If he was not that good at it the Bills would have cut him a couple of years ago.

Wire is one of four outstanding special team players the Bills let go this offseason.  The Bills let them go, because as important as special teams is head coach Dick Juaron does not want guys taking up roster spots that are only really good at special teams.

In other words you can expect the Falcons to be at the top of the 2009 National Football League draft.

The Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Matt Ryan with the third overall pick.  So, when the season seems lost many people will be calling for Ryan, and the Facons need to resist that.

Since the 2000 Draft, only three quarterbacks have more touchdowns than interceptions in their rookie year.  Of those three, only one started more than half of the teams games that year.  That of course being Ben Roethlesberger.

The real telling signs of a franchise quarterback is in his second year of starting.  There are three telling signs that a quarterback must have in their second year to go on to be a franchise quarterback. 

First, the quarterback’s completion percentage is 60 percent, or better.  Secondly, the quarterback must acheive 3,000 yards or better.  Last, the quarterback must have more touchdowns than interceptions.

No quarterback that had less than two of these went on to be franchise quarterbacks. 

Most quarterbacks that start in their first year, more than half the year, go on to be busts.

In the end the best thing for Ryan is riding the pine, and never get a sniff of the feild. 

The Atlanta Falcons broke the bank for another quarterback.  However, Matt Ryan has not even took a single regular season snap in the National Football League.

The Falcons and Ryan have come to a six year agreement that is worth $72 million, with $34.75 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter.

That is only three million less in guaranteed money than what Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger got earlier this offseason. 

Is anyone else out there thinking that Gene Upshaw is a complete idiot, because I sure the hell do. 

The fact of the matter is the Upshaw thinks that it is necessary to have rookie contracts this way.  That is in his world he thinks it helps veterans to get more money.

What it does is that it is causing resentment between veterans, and Upshaw himself.  Eventually, Upshaw will be thrown out the door if he doesn’t come off his high horse. 

The reason being that owners are going to want restrictions on rookie salaries, so they can make drafting at the top viable again for teams that draft there.  With that in mind there will never be an Collective Bargaining Agreement without some kind of restrictions in place.

If current players are smart they will dump Upshaw, and bring in someone who is level headed, and has their best interests at heart, and not his own. 

The Atlanta Falcons have been rumoured to want defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.  With the Miami Dolphins coming to terms with tackle Jake Long.  With that news the Falcons are now sweating bullets over what the Rams are going to do.

The guy that the Falcons want is so close that they can almost taste it.  However, the Rams are on the clock, and have several options on the table.  What the Rams will do nobody will know, until National Football League commisioner Roger Goodell is at the podium.

If the Falcons want Dorsey, and do not get them, then they have a ligitament reason to be mad at the NFL.  The NFL has told the Rams that they cannot enter into contract negotiations with the prospects that they are considering signing. 

What the Rams could have done is this.  They could of went to their first choice, and told them that they have a certain amount of time to take their deal, and if the prospect does not then they move on.  Or, they could have made offers to multiple prospects, and take the guy who blinks first.  In any case the Falcons have a good chance that they could get Dorsey.

However, this is the Falcons and nobody know what is going on over there right now.  With new general manager Tom Dimtroff running the show, and being a former New England Patriot front office man, nobody is going to know who they covet the most.  That is until they make their pick.

A couple of days ago Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga revealed that the Dolphins have not received any calls about the number one pick.  Yesterday it was written in the Atlanta Journal Constitution that the Atlanta Falcons have not received any phone calls about the number three overall pick either.

 ”I have not been contacted about a trade,” Dimitroff said. “Philosophically, I’ve never been against trading back,” said Dimitroff.

With the revelation there is a disturbing trend that is starting to emerge.  That being teams do not want anything to do with the top five draft picks at all if they are not in there.  Simply, it is due to the amount of money, and yes it is getting repetitive, but it is the truth.

Too much money is being given to players that have never played a down in the National Football League.  However, the top pick in the draft will get just as much guaranteed money as quarterback Ben Rothlisberger this offseason.

The fact of the matter is that the Falcons will not be getting any phone calls, and if they do it will be only a few interested in what it would take to move up.  Which, would be more than what a team is willing to give up.

If the Falcons do not want to be in this position again then they better hit their pick, because teams will not trade up.

 

The Atlanta Falcons is a team that is now in the midst of an Extreme Home Makeover, with its latest move being the  trading of cornerback  DeAngelo Hall.  In the end General Managef Thomas Dimitroff.

The Falcons made their best move of the offseason in trading Hall.  Hall was a disgruntled loud mouth, who reportedly got into a fisticuffs due to it with teammates.

In Si.com’s Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback stated a NFC South offensive coaching source stated, “That he is a flashy player that is only a little above average.”

Hall is apparently going to receive a seven year contract worth $70 million. 

The real question is any cornerback woth that kind of money?  HELL NO!!  Cornerbacks have to rely on the pressure of the defensive lineman. Without pressure from the defensive line then even the best cornerback is going to get burned.

For the best example look no further than the current Super Bowl Champions New York Giants.  Now, can anyone, besides Giant fans, tell me the names of the Giants starting cornerbacks? 

They are Sam Madison and Aaron Ross.  Madison is 33 years old, and is way past his prime, and Aaron Ross was a rookie last season.   However, thanks to the Giants dominating pass rush led by Michael Strahan, and Osi Umenyiora that does not matter.

The fact of the matter is that the need for a great solid starting cornerback does not mean anything.  Along, with the removal of a cancer in the lockerroom, and the Falcons getting a second round draft pick you have a great move by the Falcons front office.

The Atlanta Falcons are in the process of rebuilding, and that being mainly through the draft.  According to Steve Wyche of the Atlanta Journal-constitution, the Falcons could be planning to move down from the spot.

The Falcons own the tird pick in the draft, and with that in years past would come the possibility of down i the draft.  The problem is that picks in the top five of the draft have to give out huge signing conus contracts.

Teams now a days are not willing to part with a lot of picks to move up, unless it is someone they really like.  As of late that only now happens in the later pics of the first round, and that is usually a player that is slipping in the first round.

If the Falcons fans are banking on this tye of philosohy to bring them back quicker then fans will be surely be dissappointed.  It takes several years to get good.

The Atlanta Falcons season was done before it even started tahnks to quarterback Mike Vick.  Now, with a new general manager, and head coach, the Falcons will head in the wrong direction before getting better.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the Falcons might be purging a lot of veteran players.  That is if the team feels the player is making more than what he is worth.

“I don’t know if it will be what you would call ’salary-cap casualties’ but I think they’ll look at guys and see if the talent is still there and is it worth what we’re paying them,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank told the AJC.

THe most likely victims will be wide receiver Joe Horn, linebacker Keith Brookings, running back Warrick Dunn, offensive tackle Wayne Gandy, defensive tackle Rod Coleman, and even tight end Alge Crumpler.

Crumpler is a bit of a surprise.  Crumpler had 42 receptions for 444 yards and five touchdowns.  Making him still a top fifteen tight end.

Obviously, the quarterback situation did not help him at all.  Still he finished third on the team in receptions.

If the Falcons ask him to take a pay cut then you can expect Crumpler to hut the open market.

Cutting Brookings would be the other huge blow to the team.  He lead the team in tackles, and has not real drop off in terms of stats.

Replacing Brookings would be hard not only skill wise, but also experience, and leadership.  Brookings is a pillar in his community with his foundation.

Eventhough it is the start of a new regime you still have to keep some veteran players.  They are the people that teach the the young guys what is the right thing to do.

The Falcons do need to dump some of their old players that are expendable like Horn and Dunn.  However, they need to be cautious with others, because if they do cut them they could wind up with the first pick in the draft, again.

Many people thought that Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank would need to make a big splash with the loss of Michael Vick, and a horrible season.  That would not be the case as Blank hired New England Patriots director of college scouting Tom Dimitroff.

Hiring Dimitroff was the smart move for the organization.  The Patriots built their team mostly through the draft, and now they have the guy that has been a big player in those drafts.

The thing that most people forget is that the Falcons will either have the third or fourth pick in the draft.  It depends on a coin flip, which will be decided at the combine next month.

The big position that the Falcons need is a quarterback.  There are quite a bit of veteran quarterbacks with a quality head coach that can make an impact.  Especially, if Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb becomes available.

The fact is that the big hype machine is free agency, and now with Michael Vick gone they could easily be a player in free agency.  Right now there has been no mention as of late how the whole Vick saga will affect the Falcons cap next season.

As the saying goes in the NFL a team can go from being horrible and not making the playoffs to being good and making the playoffs.  The biggest example of that is from last year with the New Orleans Saints.

The question is now where do the Falcons go with their selection of head coach.  I do not expect any news on that front till at least next week, once Dimitroff has gotten up to speed, and situated.