Atlanta Falcons

OTAs aren't exactly make or break practices, but it's nice when your best players are present. It appears our two best linebackers won't be available for the first part of OTAs. [Stephen] Nicholas, who led the team with 116 tackles last season, had sports hernia surgery. [Sean] Weatherspoon, who had 114 tackles, had arthroscopic knee surgery. Both surgeries are considered minor by the team and Nicholas and Weatherspoon are expected back by the end of OTA practices in June and definitely by the team’s mandatory minicamp that’s set for June 18 through 20. We knew about these injuries and we knew about these surgeries, so this isn't exactly breaking news. This was sort of a foregone conclusion really, though it was possible that one or both men would be good-to-go by now. To be frank, there's not a better time for them to take the time they need. It's a long, physically demanding season. Ideally they are fully cleared by training camp. There's just no need to rush it. Really it's not problematic from their perspective. Both players are seasoned veterans, and both players have a season of Mike Nolan defense under their belts. Stansly Maponga is also missing the first part of OTAs, and honestly, that's potentially problematic, but by no means fatal for the young TCU alum. Your thoughts?

The Falcons have been linked to Richard Seymour for a while now, but we're finally seeing some sparks to go with all that smoke. Fox Sports South reports that the Falcons are in on Seymour, the 33-year-old defensive tackle with a long history of success in the NFL: FOX Sports.com and FOX Sports South.com has learned that Seymour and the Falcons are currently in contract talks, although the Falcons do not have a great deal of salary cap room at this point. Seymour had indicated he would only play for a contender, which is probably why so many were making the Seymour/Falcons connection in the first place. He also reportedly wanted a lot of money, which would seem to cross him off this team's list. Either the Falcons are expecting to have plenty of money after Tyson Clabo's cap hit comes off the book on June 1 and they extend Matt Ryan's contract, or Seymour's demands were overblown in the first place. Either way, this would be a big signing for the Falcons, who could really use a defensive tackle who can rush the passer and someone to add size up front. Seymour may be aging, but he's still an effective player and he would give the Falcons a potent force at defensive tackle and defensive end, depending on how they're deploying their front seven. Stay tuned, but it seems increasingly likely that this will get done. How do you think Seymour would fit on the Falcons?

Dec 9, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) makes a catch in the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Julio Jones is one of the most explosive young players in the NFL.  After only two years as a pro, he secured his spot as one of the top receivers.  I have had many debates on how good Julio Jones is.  Most people try to compare him to A.J. Green and most are in agreement that Green is better.  That’s just simply not true.  Some people don’t want to put Julio as a top 5 receiver in the NFL.  But I implore you to come up with five receivers that are legitimately better than Julio.  Green, the one most commonly compared to Julio has more receiving yards.  Of course he does.  He’s the number one guy and the Bengals don’t have a lot of receiver behind him.  Look past the receiving yards and you see that Julio leads him in just about every category.  Throw to Julio as many times as Green is targeted and I guarantee you that Julio will be known as the better receiver with no argument. I can really only think of two players in the entire NFL that can be thought of as better and that is Calvin Johnson and Roddy White.  A case can be made for Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, but they are aging.  Having two of the top five receivers in the NFL on one team and one of the best tight ends in the history of the NFL is great for a quarterback.  But I digress; I just get so hyped up on these receivers. Last year, Julio Jones caught 79 passes for 1,198 yards, 15.2 yards per catch and 10 touchdowns. Those are impressive numbers for a sophomore season.  Those are even more impressive for the number two receiving option for a quarterback.  Even more impressive than that is that Matt Ryan has five reliable targets.  Julio is progressing beautifully and will someday be a top pass catcher.  He still needs a little work on his rout running, but we all see his capabilities and with a little work, that won’t even be an issue.  Sometimes he does drop the occasional ball, but his hands are so great, that’s hardly a factor.  He’s also one of the fastest guys on the roster and one of his biggest talents is just flat out beating a defender in a foot race. Julio Jones is the future of Atlanta’s wide receivers.  He’s making strides to becoming the number one option in Atlanta and even possibly the best receiver in the league at one point.  But I don’t think it’ll be this year.  I do, however, think he’ll make another push to being the go-to option.  I’ll cut to the chase and predict another amazing season. I believe that 2013 looks like this: 85 receptions at 15.3 yards per catch and 1,300 yards. I think Roddy White will still have a slightly better season, but Julio is on his way to stardom. What are your predictions?

Atlanta's players, coaches, cheerleaders and staff joined wounded veterans to enjoy a day of fishing on Lake Lanier on Wednesday. Fishing with the Falcons is an annual event, and based on the tweets from the Falcons and others involved, it seems like everyone involved greatly enjoyed the day. Today is the annual Fishing with the Falcons event. Players are going fishing with military veterans. #RiseUp twitter.com/Atlanta_Falcon… — Atlanta_Falcons (@Atlanta_Falcons) May 22, 2013 Long snapper Josh Harris gets it. Can't wait to do some fishing with the team alongside the men and women who give us the freedom to do so! #fishingwiththevets — Josh Harris (@aujharris) May 22, 2013 Retired wide receiver Brian Finneran continues to participate in the event each year. Ex-Falcons WR Brian Finneran generously gives his time every year to fish with veterans who protect our country. twitter.com/FalconsHistory… — FalconsHistory (@FalconsHistory) May 22, 2013 My man Arthur part of #woundedwarriorproject And Purple Heart recipient. Lets catch some fish!! #RiseUp twitter.com/BFinn86/status… — Brian Finneran (@BFinn86) May 22, 2013 Falcons rookies were excited to be a part of Fishing with the Falcons. Fishin with the soldiers at Lake Lanier! Game time! twitter.com/MalG93/status/… — Malliciah Goodman (@MalG93) May 22, 2013 Gon fishin out on lake Lanier with some of the Army vets from Iraq! Pretty sweet opportunity. It's about go be a great time — Ezekiel Motta (@zekemotta) May 22, 2013 Happy to be fishing with the Falcons and the U.S vets #Riseup — Kemal (@B4_Kemal) May 22, 2013 Here's @sethdoege7 with our second catch. An 18 inch striper. #riseup twitter.com/FalconsJAdams/… — Jay Adams (@FalconsJAdams) May 22, 2013 It wasn't just the players getting involved. Coaches and cheerleaders enjoyed the day as well. Coaches are out here today as well. Here is defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and secondary coach Tim Lewis. #RiseUp twitter.com/Atlanta_Falcon… — Atlanta_Falcons (@Atlanta_Falcons) May 22, 2013 Woohoo! Just caught a 32 inch Bass! 🐟🐟🐟 twitter.com/AFC_NatalieS/s… — Natalie S (@AFC_NatalieS) May 22, 2013 In general, the players seemed to view the opportunity to fish with wounded veterans as a privilege rather than an obligation. Lake Lanier fishing with wounded war vets. #riseup #goodlife #jackofalltrades @ Lake Lanier instagram.com/p/ZoCvXkn5rO/ — Corey M. Peters (@CoreyPeters91) May 22, 2013 Boat number 6 for this afternoons Fishing With The Falcons Wounded Warrior event! Thankful for the opportunity... twitter.com/bewing34/statu… — Bradie Ewing (@bewing34) May 22, 2013 Fishing with The Wounded Warriors Project today. Angel, a soldier, caught one today! #FalconsGiveBack instagram.com/p/Zoh8T0nErt/ — Brian Banks(@BrianBanksFREE) May 23, 2013 AtlantaFalcons.com has a full gallery of photos from Fishing with the Falcons available. Falcons owner Arthur Blank has high expectations for community involvement and service, and the Falcons organization continually demonstrates a commitment to serving others. It's just one more reason for fans to be proud of this Falcons team.

It's not a stretch to say that Jessie Tuggle is a beloved Atlanta Falcon, perhaps one of the most beloved ever. After 20-plus years as a fan of this team and almost seven years with this blog, I've seen hundreds of players wear the uniform, and Tuggle remains my favorite. The Hammer was the kind of tackler the Falcons would love to have today, someone who patrolled the field and could take down anyone he came across. The team was right to retire his number, as he was one of the most productive players in team history and always a quiet professional. I know there's plenty of love for Tuggle on this site, which is why I wanted to point you in the direction of this Pro Interviews chat with him. Give it a read for nuggets like this, about having his number retired: That was pretty cool because to have your number retired means they really have to respect you as a person and a player. I feel they had that respect for me, for what I did for the game and left on the football field, but also for my character and who I am and what I represent. It was an honor to have my jersey retired, and also to retire the jersey of a guy who came in un-drafted. Go check out the interview for a lot more. It's worth your time.

Zeke Motta Here’s a look at the second safety the Falcons selected in the seventh round in Zeke Motta. Height: 6-2 1/4 Weight: 215 School: Notre Dame Class: Senior Speed: 4.71 (Campus) He split reps with Jamoris Slaughter during his sophomore and junior seasons at strong safety, playing opposite Harrison Smith. After Smith was drafted in 2012, he moved to free safety as a senior in his lone season as a full-time starter. He had career highs in tackles. Not a great coverage guy, Motta has good size and is an active run defender. But like many of his Notre Dame brethren, Motta’s stock was hurt by the fact that he had an underwhelming game against Alabama in the National Championship. He did lead the team with tackles in that game, recording a career-high 16 but many of those were made several yards downfield after successful Alabama runs or throws. Then his stock was hurt even more with a slow 40 time at the Combine (4.83). His first name is short for Ezekiel. CAREER STATS 2012: 13 GP/13 GS, 77 tackles, 2 TFLs, 0 sacks, 0 INTs, 3 PD, 0 FF, 1 FR 2011: 13/8-40-0.0-0.0-1-3-1-1 (1 FR for touchdown) 2010: 13/8-50-1.5-0.0-1-3-0-1 2009: 12/0-12-0.5-0.5-0-0-0-0 2012 GAMES WATCHED vs. Stanford (10/13): 2 targets, 1 rec., 22 yards (11.0 YPA), 3 YAC (3.0 avg), 0 TDs; 1 missed tackle vs. Pittsburgh (11/3): 0 tgt, 0 rec, 0 yds, 0 TD at USC (11/24): 2 tgt., 0 rec, 0 yds, 0 TD; 1 TFL vs. Alabama (1/7): 2 tgt., 1 rec., 27 yds (13.5 YPA), 3 YAC (3.0 avg), 0 TDs, 1 PD; 5 missed tackles SKILLS These are general skills required for his position and relative to not only top collegiate prospects, but also NFL players. Grades are based on a 10-point rating scale: 1-pathetic, 2-poor, 3-weak, 4-below average, 5-average, 6-above average, 7-good, 8-very good, 9-excellent, 10-elite Speed (5.5) – Plays faster than his timed speed and shows good closing burst on the edge. Has enough speed to get to the edge and prevent speedy back from turning the corner. Good short-area burst to come downhill and defend the run. Shows decent speed and burst to close on crossing receivers over the middle. Tackling (6.0) – Does a pretty good job wrapping up. Is a capable hitter that shows some pop against smaller receivers. But struggles to tackle powerful backs as well as quick ones as they can slip his tackles or run him over. Really struggled against Alabama with the jump cuts to the outside. Man Coverage (4.0) - Shows decent footwork when working in coverage, but he’s not a guy that is good at turning and running with receivers. Not a guy you want matched up on an island against speedy wideouts, as they continually run by him. But his size and speed might be enough of a match against tight ends, albeit he’d struggle against the top ones. Zone Coverage (5.0) – When working in centerfield, too often lets fast receivers get behind him. Does his best work when he’s allowed to keep things underneath and does a good job closing on the receiver and ball to make the hit or stop immediately after the catch. Ball Skills (4.0) – DIdn’t have many opportunities to make plays in coverage and rarely did. Has a decent nose for the ball when defending the run, but will take some bad angles from time to time. Range (5.0) – Doesn’t have ideal speed and range to make that many plays outside the numbers when he’s asked to cover the deep half in Cover-2. Shows decent range when working in centerfield. VALUE Motta is a solid player, but has limited potential at the next level because he’s lacking as a playmaker in coverage. He’s a smart player that is a capable run defender, but his upside on defense will be limited by his less than stellar speed, range, and cover skills. He’ll have to contribute on special teams to stick long-term at the next level. He’s worth a look in the seventh round due to his special teams ability and ability to add decent depth. Grade: 3.0 – Has enough tools to st

Having tackled the guards yesterday, it's time for us to center on the centers. I'll drop it. Center is a position in flux for the Falcons. Todd McClure had started in the middle of the offensive line for over a decade, so his loss leaves a young player to step up. Fortunately, these Falcons are not without young talent at the position. They're also not entirely without depth. Let's take a closer look. On The Roster Peter Konz, StarterJoe HawleyMatt Smith (R)Harland Gunn You'll get plenty of back-and-forth arguments on whether Konz or Hawley is the eventual starter, but I'm sticking with Konz. Hawley, Gunn and the intriguing Smith provide potential depth at the position. The Falcons may not have the strongest offensive line in football come 2013, but it should be a deep enough one. Project those who will stick at center, if you would.

Most of you didn't join the Falcons fanwagon post-Michael Vick. Some of you did, but most of you experienced at least part of the infamous dark years. Yes, the dark years, those years which shall not be mentioned. Heck, some of you experienced forty plus years of them. Now, as franchises go, the Falcons are top notch. There's only one big reason that's true: the front office. Two of [Thomas Dimitroff's] former directors of player personnel — Les Snead, St. Louis' general manager, and David Caldwell, the general manager at Jacksonville — now run their own clubs and both appear to be steering their franchises in the right direction. Two recent columns by Don Banks of Sports Illustrated and Jason La Canfora from CBS Sports ranked the front offices in the NFL and Dimitroff and his current staff is high on those lists. Nothing to see here, just accolades en masse for the Falcons' front office. Huzzah!

Nov 29, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez (88) catches a touchdown over New Orleans Saints middle linebacker Curtis Lofton (50) in the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports I try to be as impartial when writing about the Falcons as possible.  I am a fan and I am optimistic, but I try to at least keep it realistic.  I’m not going out of my way to tell you why Matt Ryan will score fifty touchdowns, or how the Falcons will go undefeated.  But I will put this out there:  I love Tony Gonzalez.  I was extremely excited when he came to Atlanta in 2009, and I sang Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah all day when he announced he was returning for another year. It’s not that he’s the legs of the entire team, or that without him; the Falcons wouldn’t go very far at all.  It’s that he’s just a perfect player.  Off the field, he’s a leader, friendly, and a great family man. In the locker room, he’s a leader, a friend to the players with a great sense of humor, and on the field, he’s an otherworldly game changer.  Along with being the greatest Tight End to play the game, he’s a great personality and a man worth looking up to.  In my opinion, he’s the perfect player.  On top of all that, he just won’t quit.  He’s on top of his game even in his 16th season showing no signs of aging.  I’m pretty sure he could keep playing into his 40s.  But like I said, he’s a family man. Last year he caught 93 passes for 930 yards at 10 yards per catch with 8 touchdowns. He is extremely reliable.  If he can get his massive hands on it, he’ll end up with the ball.  He also knows exactly where his feet are, how many times did he catch a pass in the corner of the end zone with his two feet just barely in bounds?  I lost count a long time ago. Another thing he does very well, however, is help Matt Ryan improve.  When Ryan was young, Tony was there to catch the ball on third down, even if there wasn’t a whole lot of accuracy.  He served as sort of a crutch.  As Ryan improved, he used Tony more as a weapon than a fail-safe.  This year, with a meaner and more improved quarterback, and a grand exit season for the star tight end, This will be the season of a career. Tony will no longer be a crutch for Matt Ryan.  So I don’t think he’ll get as many as those last second third down throws because Matt will probably see other options with an equally improved Julio Jones and an equally productive Roddy White, but he’ll be an unstoppable force in the red-zone just like always. Next year, I look for Tony G. to have 80 catches and 900 yards at 11.3 yards per catch.  I see him getting 10 touchdowns this year, 5 of which will be only inches from out-of-bounds.  I cannot wait to see this guy in action for his final year. How do you feel Tony Gonzalez goes out?

Hello, friends (Jim Nantz voice). It's been a while since I've posted, so I apologize. Surely you all have missed my writing. Seriously, don't respond to that. The Falcons offseason continues to drag on, but one headline should all make you feel good about next season. Atlanta has already surpassed the mark for most season tickets sold in its 47-year history. Nice job, folks. According to the Falcons official figures, over 90 percent of season ticket holders from last season renewed for 2013. The Falcons are also "on pace to head into the 2013 season opener with more new season ticket holders than any team in the NFL." There are less than 900 general season tickets left to be sold, if you're still looking to become a member of that prestigious club. The Georgia Dome averaged 70,096 fans per home game during the 2012 season, sitting at 98.4 percent full and ranking Atlanta No. 11 in the league in attendance. Average attendance has increased over the last two years, despite an overall decrease in paid attendance around the NFL. Right now, the Dome can hold a little over 71,000 for Falcons games. Earlier this week, the morning show on 680 The Fan discussed what the capacity should be for the new stadium. Leo Mazzone said somewhere around 75,000, while Perry Laurentino thought they should have less seats than the Dome. It seems like they don't have much of a problem selling out games right now. Of course, a winning team with consecutive playoff appearances is easy to get on board with. What do you guys think about seating capacity for the new stadium?