2008 Atlanta Falcons Preview
NFL GM Dimitroff Heads into Season with Focus on Offense and Defense
The man making the moves knows what a winning atmosphere is like. Thomas Dimitroff came over from the New England Patriots after serving the last five seasons as Director of College Scouting. The Patriots won two Super Bowls and amassed a record of 75-17 in those years, so Falcons fans must be salivating at the mouth.
Not so fast. Even with his appointment and the arrival of head coach Mike Smith, many pundits have projected the Falcons as possibly the worst team in the NFL this year. Media and fans alike have lambasted Dimitroff for the selections of QB Matt Ryan and trading up to take OT Sam Baker. Many argue that having a horrible defensive line meant they should have selected Glenn Dorsey, a beast coming out of LSU, instead of Ryan.
Adding Future Stars on Offense and Defense Through the NFL Draft
The Falcons managed a draft where they selected eleven players overall, including six within the first three rounds. They balanced offensive picks like Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, and WR Harry Douglas with defensive selections like LB Curtis Lofton, CB Chevis Jackson who also played at LSU, and S Thomas DeCoud. They even drafted, in round five, a DE by the name of Kroy Bierman out of Montana where he won the Buck Buchanan award for best defensive player.
Creating Waves with Dismissal of Star Players
Atlanta is starved for name recognition as well as positive coverage after the Michael Vick media circus. That seemed to be news to Atlanta after they released stars like TE Alge Crumpler, QB Byron Leftwich, RB Warrick Dunn, and CB DeAngelo Hall. Alge Crumpler was notable for his drops on the field and issues, as with most of the other players, with ex-head coach Bobby Petrino. Warrick Dunn only had a 3.2 yard per carry last season and will be 33 years old this year while Byron Leftwich was disappointing in the three games he played.
Free Agency Bolsters Offense and Adds Depth
With all the names being moved out of town, many fans seem to have forgotten the bevy of moves that Dimitroff has made to improve this team for this season and in the future. Last year’s solid performance earned QB Chris Redman another year with the Falcons. They also made a splash in the free agent market. They signed a deal with S Erik Coleman, a productive cog of the New York Jets under former Patriots coach Eric Mangini.
The offense was bolstered by the signings of TE Ben Hartsock of the Indianapolis Colts and much heralded Michael Turner, the RB who backed up LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. They upgraded depth at offensive line with C Alex Stepanovich and signed K Jason Elam. They signed a guy who may be 38 years old next season, but he was 54 of 60 on field goals the past two years while kicking for Denver. In a dome, Elam should be able to launch plenty of kicks over forty yards with ease.
They have already signed six of their eleven draft picks and it’s clear that not only are the Falcons focused on positive character, but also players who love the game. Thomas Dimitroff and the Falcons staff aren’t worried about winning ten games this season. Their goal is to build a team first, and aim for the Super Bowl next year.
