The Recycle Bin

With nothing to do in the 4th round … the Falcons front office had plenty of time to firm up there strategy for the last day of the draft. It’s apparent that the Falcons went after need (and depth) instead of going the “best player available” route.

So how did the Falcons do? I haven’t looked for different draft “grades” – I’m sure I will later today, especially as all the big boy media outlets start letting fans know their teams did in the 2012 draft.

My overall thoughts are the Falcons addressed their glaring needs on both sides of the ball, and in the process managed to land the top rated center and the only true fullback invited to the combine. The Falcons four selections in rounds 5-7 include three team captains; the Falcons continue to build around “character” which is OK in my book. Overall, while unspectacular, the Falcons had a pretty good draft.

Bradie Ewing – FB Wisconsin
Ewing, a team captain at Wisconsin, was taken in the 5th round, and was the only true fullback invited to the Combine.

Atlanta’s selection of Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing in the fifth round might not seem like a big deal on the surface. For now, Ewing is probably nothing more than a special-teams player. But the Falcons also were looking a year or two down the road when they made this pick. Veteran fullback Ovie Mughelli is coming off a major injury, and he’ll turn 32 in June. It was time to find someone to groom as Mughelli’s eventual successor.

Going into the offseason, you had to consider that Ovie Mughelli would be a cap causality. I’m surprised he has last this long into 2012 without some sort of contract restructure.

Jonathan Massaquoi – DE Wisconsin
I admit I know next to nothing about Massaquoi other than having some recognition of his last name.

Massaquoi is from Lawrenceville and played at Central Gwinnett High School. He is a cousin of former Georgia wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and NFL tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings.

“Troy is a building program,” Massaquoi said. “We had five straight conference championships. We went for our sixth one this year, but fell short. With Troy producing defensive ends like Osi Umenyiora and DeMarcus Ware, hopefully I can be put into that conversation and follow their tradition.”

I like Massaquoi’s confidence, and the Troy connection, if he is anything like Osi or DeMarcus would make Massaquoi a six round steal.

Charles Mitchell – S Mississippi St.
Another team captain, Mitchell probably projects as a special-teams player; I doubt he will be anything else in the immediate future.

Travian Robertson – DT South Carolina
The Falcons selected Travian Robertson, yet another team captain, with their last pick (7th round; 249 overall). Based on his size and bio, I think Robertson has a realistic shot to get a few reps at DT and contribute on special-teams.

What does it all mean?
The Falcons intend to never fail to convert on another 4th and short situation. In other words, the Falcons bulked up on both sides of the line, while building for the future.

After sitting out of 1st round action Thursday night, the Falcons went to work Friday, hell bent on improving their offensive line.

The Falcons pulled in Wisconsin center Peter Konz with their 2nd round pick (55 overall). Not knowing jack about Big 10 football, except that their mommas beef up their boys, I’m not sure what to expect from Konz. Knowing that longtime center Todd McClure has 1-2 years left in the tank, this seems like an insurance move for the future. Can Konz help now?

“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is Konz can play both guard and center,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “We have him listed as a guard-center.”

Konz, 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds, was projected to go late in the first round by most draft analysts. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper had him rated as the top center in the draft.

“He has no peers in this draft,” Kiper said.

So Konz is a value pick; top center in the draft. Is he injury prone?

Not to say that the 23rd pick of Round 2 isn’t be a big man. He’s Peter Konz, who played center at Wisconsin but who was labeled a guard by the Falcons. He’s 6-foot-5. He weighs 314 pounds. He missed games in all three of his college seasons: Once with blood clots in each lung, twice with sprained ankles. For those holding memories of Peria Jerry, the Falcons’ No. 1 pick of 2009 who’d been injured at Ole Miss and whose NFL career hasn’t taken flight, you have your quibble.

On the plus side: Konz is a value pick who could help fill a crying need. He was ranked the draft’s best center. (Sorry, Ben Jones.) ESPN ranked Konz the 41st-best player available; NFL Draft Scout 300 slotted him 37th. Both Pete Prisco and Clark Judge of CBS Sports had him going in Round 1. When you’re sitting at 55, that’s not a bad find. And it’s better still when you recall the three failed fourth-and-1’s that defined the Falcons’ 2011 season.

If Konz adds depth this year, and can fill in at center and guard, while taking over for McClure next year, this will turn out to be a great pick.

Lamar Holmes (T – Southern Mississippi)
After trading back a few spots, the Falcons landed tackle Lamar Holmes in the third round with the 91 overall pick. For their troubles, Baltimore sent ATL a 5th round pick (No. 164, 29th of the round).

Holmes looks more like a project, but if he brings some nasty aggressiveness that was sorely lacking last year, maybe he will turn out to be the surprise pick of the draft. One can always dream, right?

Go Falcons!

As a lifelong, card-carrying Falcons fan; I am obviously biased when it comes to anything Saints related. My second favorite team is whoever is playing the Saints. That sort of thing; the stuff that makes rivalries so enjoyable.

When it comes to Bounty-Gate, I have no sympathy with Saints and fully agree with the punishment handed down by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Obviously the Saints fan disagrees, but really, who are they kidding? It is one thing to keep “plays for money” on the “down-low;” the Saints went over and beyond.

The punishments for the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program are severe and unprecedented. Goodell has suspended coach Sean Payton for a year, general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight games of the 2012 season, assistant head coach Joe Vitt for the first six games and banned former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely. He has also hit the Saints with a $500,000 fine and taken away their second-round draft picks for 2012 and 2013. The league also has said 22 to 27 players were involved and discipline for them will come soon.

No question this is severe, but has Goodell really intentionally destroyed the franchise, like so many New Orleans fans seem to think? No, he hasn’t and anyone that thinks that simply is shooting the messenger — the guy who had the nerve to tell them that their beloved head coach and team weren’t quite as perfect as they had been made out to be.

Falcons Compensatory Splash
In Falcons news, due to salary cap reasons, or just “our coordinators sucked last year” reasons, the Falcons have not made a splash of any sort in free agency this year. I don’t rate the signing of previously injured LB Lofa Tatupu and OG Vince Manuwai unless they both prove healthy and win starting positions. Bottom line – the Falcons like their current roster and think new coordinators will put them over the hump.

Falcons get an extra 7th Round pick; if they are lucky this pick will turn into a practice squad player, or better yet a sometimes active roster special team player that may manage a 3-4 year career. In other words, the extra compensatory pick is just above not being totally worthless.

Go Falcons!