Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Atlanta Falcons 2006 Preview

July 14, 2006 @ 03:12:56

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Ryan Dodson

2005 Record: 8-8 (Non-playoff team)

OVERVIEW

In 2004 the Atlanta Falcons finished in first place in the National Football Conference North with an 11-5 record before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game. They took a step backward last year, dropping to third in the division. Injuries played a part as the Falcons dropped six of their last eight and fell short of the playoffs. A knee brace hindered quarterback Michael Vick's ability to scramble, and his favorite target, tight end Alge Crumpler, wasn't able to practice for much of the season. Vick also continued to disappoint as a passer. In addition, the defense took a tumble from one of the league's big-play units to the bottom third of the league thanks to injuries and mental lapses in the secondary.

Atlanta brought in a new quarterbacks coach in an attempt to nurture the passer in Vick, but the acquisitions that may really help this team get back to the postseason are the big-name performers on defense. A rookie tailback may have the inside track to the backup job, with an eye toward the future. A couple of young guys are heading up the receiving corps. And the Falcons are ready to go even younger in the kicking game.

KEY ARRIVALS

Atlanta didn't welcome a lot of new names, but it did add some potential game-changers. The most notable of these additions might defensive end John Abraham. In a three-team trade, the Falcons traded their first-round pick (No. 15) to the Denver Broncos, who sent their first-rounder (No. 29) to the New York Jets. Atlanta landed Abraham as well as Denver's third- and fourth-round selections in the draft. The organization expects Abraham, along with a free-agent signee at safety, Lawyer Milloy, a trade acquisition, safety Chris Crocker, and the team's second-rounder, cornerback Jimmy F. Williams, to have an immediate impact on defense. The team also received offensive tackle Wayne Gandy, an upgrade on the line, in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. Third-round pick Jerious Norwood, a running back, could be a contributor in the backfield or on special teams right away. Perhaps most important to the development of the offense was the signing of quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, who will work with Vick in hopes of getting more from the athletic, yet error-prone passer.

KEY DEPARTURES

The club didn't lose much this past offseason. The Falcons fired quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson, opening the door for Musgrave.

They gave up free safety Bryan Scott in the Gandy deal, and they waived defensive end Brady Smith. They also lost journeyman tackle Barry Stokes to unrestricted free agency. In addition, the Falcons elected not to re-sign wide receiver Dez White or place kicker Todd Peterson. In Peterson's case, Atlanta did so with the belief that the staff can develop one of their inexperienced kickers, Zac Derr or Tony Yelk, who were free-agent acquisitions earlier this year, as Peterson's replacement. However, don't be surprised to see Peterson return at some point.

WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON...

Positional Duels

Running backs T.J. Duckett and Jerious Norwood for the No. 2 position.
Cornerbacks Jason Webster and Jimmy F. Williams for the right corner spot.
Defensive tackles Chad Lavalais and Darrell Shropshire for a starting spot inside.

Fading Fast

Safety Lawyer Milloy isn't quite the playmaker he was when he patrolled the defensive backfield for the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. The 11-year pro turns 33 in November, and a projected decline in production was the main reason New England released him in '03.

Coming on Strong

Wide receiver Roddy White appears poised to emerge as Atlanta's go-to guy. An ankle injury limited him last year, but he performed well down the stretch. This offseason, the second-year wideout has put in extra work with Vick to develop chemistry. The coaches love his work ethic and attitude.
Although cornerback DeAngelo Hall became a starter in his rookie season ('04), he emerged as a force in '05. The Virginia Tech product led the team in pickoffs with six, and he returned one for a touchdown. The brash defender is making defenses think twice about throwing his way.

On the Rebound

Interestingly, Vick is probably the Falcons' player most in need of a turnaround. He's never finished with a completion percentage in the 60s (56.4 percent was the closest he came, in '04). Atlanta anticipates that Musgrave can help Vick; otherwise it may be time to give up on him.

Injury Prone

Abraham qualifies as a huge risk because of his injury history. In '03 he played in only seven games before a groin injury landed him on Injured Reserve. The next season he missed four more games with a knee sprain. He's not useful when he's not on the field.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN

QUARTERBACKS

The big question entering '06 is: How much can Musgrave, the new quarterbacks coach, improve the play of Vick? Musgrave has held the same title with the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and, most recently, Washington Redskins. He was also offensive coordinator at the University of Virginia in '01 and '02, when backup passer Matt Schaub was running the show. Wherever Musgrave has gone, quarterbacks have played well.

Vick completed only 55.3 percent of his passes last year, for 2,412 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. After knee troubles limited his scrambling somewhat (597 yards, down from 902 the previous year), Vick says that he wants to return to his improvisational ways in '06. He says that he's enjoyed working with Musgrave so far, and Musgrave has attempted to better the left-hander's footwork and overall efficiency.

The Falcons have rebuffed all offers regarding Schaub, who has proven especially valuable given Vick's relative propensity for injury and is entering a contract year. He played in all 16 games last season, including a start at home against the New England Patriots. He was 18-for-34 for 298 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the 31-28 loss. Perhaps he's the quarterback of the team's future.

The club drafted quarterback D.J. Shockley, from the University of Georgia, in the seventh round, and he and second-year quarterback Bryan Randall, a rookie free agent last year, will duel for the No. 3 job. The loser will head to the practice squad. Randall currently has a slight edge.

RUNNING BACKS

The league's best rushing attack the last two years has been headed by tailback Warrick Dunn. In '04 he carried the ball for 1,106 yards and nine scores. Last year he rushed for a personal high 1,416 yards. He only reached the end zone four times, but he posted the second-highest yards-per-carry average (5.1) of his career. Atlanta restructured Dunn's contract so that he could remain with the club without the club taking a huge hit against the salary cap. The 31-year-old has done offseason drills in an attempt to increase his speed.

Running back T.J. Duckett is entering the final year of his contract, and he may not even be in the team's plans for the remainder of it. Trade rumors have surrounded him, especially after running back Jerious Norwood became a clear threat to Duckett's job. Although he scored eight touchdowns in '05, Duckett rushed for a career-low 380 yards. It's become clear that he's no longer in the team's plans.

Norwood, selected in the third round, has impressed the staff with his speed. The Falcons think that he's a perfect fit for their zone-blocking, one-cut scheme. His surfacing is making Duckett expendable and Norwood a potential replacement for Dunn down the road. He's also a candidate to return kicks.

Because of Norwood's presence, running back DeAndra Cobb, who has never had a carry in the National Football League, is likely out of luck regarding the No. 3 spot at the position. That could change with the exit of Duckett, however.

FULLBACKS

Fullback Justin Griffith has been a huge asset to the Falcons backfield, paving the way for Dunn and company. Occasionally he's carried and caught the rock as well, with moderate success (15 attempts for 65 yards, 21 receptions for 211 yards in '06). The team restructured his deal, but it still expires after this season.

Because of Griffith's effectiveness, backup fullback Fred McCrary doesn't get much playing time. He's been strictly a blocker for Atlanta. This offseason he team re-signed him as an insurance policy for Griffith, who left a game early last year and missed four games in '04.

The Falcons signed fullback Kevin Dudley from their practice squad and signed undrafted free agent fullback John Pannozzo after the draft. Neither is likely to play much, if they make the team.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Wideout Michael Jenkins is currently the team's top receiver. He showed progress in his second season, catching 36 balls for 508 yards and three touchdowns. Along with White, Jenkins has spent a lot of time with Vick this offseason. The goal is for Vick to become as comfortable with his top two receivers as possible by knowing their tendencies and improving the group's timing.

As mentioned, White has created some buzz, and that's thanks to his improved physical condition, greater confidence and the work that he's put in with Vick. He's raised his expectations of himself, and the coaches have taken notice. If Vick becomes a passer, White and his partner-in-crime, Jenkins, could be huge benefactors. Look for White to improve on his rookie totals of 29 receptions, 446 yards and three touchdowns.

The organization re-signed wide receiver Brian Finneran to a four-year contract. That's probably a wise move, because last year Finneran led the team in receiving with 50 catches for 611 yards, and he scored twice. He's been a solid option in his six years with the club, and he provides valuable experience behind the team's green starting duo.

The Falcons also re-signed receiver Jerome Pathon to a one-year deal. He joined the club three weeks into last season and played in eight games. He only caught one pass, but he figures to have a greater role if he remains the No. 4 guy.

Atlanta drafted wideout Adam Jennings in the sixth round. The Fresno State alum is a good bet to remain on the roster mostly because of his ability to contribute on special teams. He does have a shot at overtaking Pathon as the fourth receiver, however.

The team signed wide receiver Cedric Bonner, who didn't play a down last year, a day after whom the Raiders released him, just before the start of last season. The club signed him to the 53-man roster before Week 17 but declared him inactive. He's fielded kickoffs in minicamp but isn't anything more than a practice squad player.

The same goes for wideout Kevin Youngblood. The team signed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers castoff to the practice squad just before the season started, then waived him after he was injured. The Falcons signed him to the practice squad again at the end of the season and then handed him a two-year deal at its conclusion. He's a long shot to make the roster, and his future likely lies on the practice squad.

TIGHT ENDS

Crumpler was a starter in the Pro Bowl after he hauled in 65 balls for 877 yards and five scores last year. He almost missed the All-Star contest, however, when he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee at the end of the regular season. The knee bothered him all season, but that might not be his main concern. Not long after the Pro Bowl, Crumpler had another arthroscopic procedure to repair the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The team didn't make that knowledge public until early July. Crumpler didn't fully participate in minicamp. His situation requires monitoring as training camp approaches.

This offseason the team reworked the contract of backup tight end Eric Beverly to free up some cap space. At 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Beverly basically serves as an extra lineman when he's on the field.

The team tendered tight end Dwayne Blakley and signed free-agent tight end Jason Randall, but assuming that Crumpler is healthy, neither is of any consequence.

DEFENSIVE/SPECIAL TEAMS BREAKDOWN

DEFENSIVE TEAM

After fielding one of the league's top defenses two years ago, Atlanta regressed and finished 22nd in total defense and 18th in points allowed per game. The team has essentially charged Abraham and crew the responsibility of returning the unit to its '04 form.

Atlanta had to give Abraham (10.5 sacks with the Jets) the big bucks that New York wouldn't. He brings his 53.5 career sacks in 73 games to a team that went from a league-leading 48 in '04 to 37 last year. His presence should prevent teams from doubling fellow end Patrick Kerney (6.5 sacks) and tying up Pro Bowl defensive tackle Rod Coleman (10.5 sacks).

The team restructured Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking's (115 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four interceptions) contract and should man the weak-side position. That's because middle linebacker Ed Hartwell (22 tackles) should be ready to his starting role after missing 11 games with a torn Achilles' tendon. They're being cautious with him, though. Linebacker Michael Boley (63 tackles) at times played well at strong-side position. He'll retain the starting role if he improves his gap control.

Even though he's hitting the downside of his career, Milloy (106 tackles, one interception with the Buffalo Bills) provides the defensive backfield with a strong veteran presence and experience that had been lacking. He should help fellow newbie Chris Crocker (81 tackles, two interceptions with the Cleveland Browns), likely the team's other starter at safety, to become more comfortable in his new surroundings while learning more about the position. Hall (65 tackles, six interceptions) is quickly developing into a lockdown corner. He made his first Pro Bowl, won the fastest man at the skills competition and has made his goal in '06 to be considered the NFL's top corner. It may not be long. Cornerback Jason Webster (79 tackles, one interception) has been a victim of Hall's success, which is why the team is hoping that Williams, a former Virginia Tech teammate of Hall's, can take Webster's starting job at some point. Williams is a physical corner who has struggled in man coverage thus far, although he's been proven able in Atlanta's zone defenses and at run recognition.

SPECIAL TEAMS

With Peterson gone, the Falcons think that they can cultivate the NFL kicker in Derr or Yelk. That could be quite a task, because neither has attempted a kick in the league. Both, however, have performed well in camp. The club has no plans to bring in Peterson or anyone else unless it's deep into camp and neither proves capable of filling the role.

Punter Michael Koenen returns after a decent rookie season in which he averaged 42.3 yards per punt. Because of Peterson's weaker leg, Koenen also attempted two field goals of 50-plus yards, nailing one, a 58-yarder. That likely won't be necessary if one of the kids, especially Derr, takes the place kicking job.

Cornerback Allen Rossum has handled punt return duties and kickoffs for the team for four years, but last year he averaged only 8.5 yards per return. Because he's not a very capable defensive back, his roster spot depends solely on his effectiveness as a return man. Jennings could turn out to be a wise selection if the team does release Rossum because Jennings would become the primary punt returner. Even if Norwood doesn't supplant Duckett, he's in line to return kickoffs this year. Both rookies have proven capable in minicamp. Pathon could also serve as a return man.

BOTTOM LINE

Can some prized additions on defense return this unit to prominence and Atlanta to the postseason? Acquiring big names hasn't always been a formula for success in the NFL, but it doesn't appear that the Falcons have disrupted team chemistry or plan to solely rely on the merits of the new players. Musgrave must get Vick to show the NFL that he is not just sometimes, but always, a dangerous weapon, especially as a passer, for this squad to have sustained success. Coach Jim Mora knows he has a great running game and offensive line, but he needs opposing defenses to respect the pass, too.