Atlanta Falcons

The greatest #FlashbackFriday photo ever - WR Harry Douglas. #RiseUp

Sean Renfree Here is my breakdown of the Falcons final pick in Duke quarterback Sean Renfree: Height: 6-3 1/8 Weight: 219 School: Duke Class: Senior Speed: 4.76 (estimate) Was recruited by Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, but ultimately chose Duke when Andrew Luck landed there. Became the starter as a redshirt sophomore. Showed improvement with his production every year, culminating in career highs in completions, completion percentage, and touchdowns as a senior. Posted his best record as a starter that year, leading Duke to a 6-6 record and their first bowl appearance since 1994. Nearly led the Blue Devils to a win over Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl, but a last minute touchdown pass lifted the Bearcats over them. Wound up injuring himself on the last play of the game, getting hit and tearing his pectoral muscle. That torn pec led to him not throwing in the off-season and not working out at either the Combine or his pro day. Is expected to begin throwing at some point in May before training camp begins. Renfree was coached by David Cutcliffe, a noted QB guru, at Duke. Pretty much every starting QB that has played under Cutcliffe since 1991 has played in the NFL: Heath Shuler (1991-93), Peyton Manning (1994-97), Tee Martin (1998), Romaro Miller (1999-00), Eli Manning (2000-03), Brady Quinn (2005), Erik Ainge (2006-07), Thad Lewis (2008-09), to Renfree. He was a three-time Academic All-ACC selection as well as served as Duke’s team captain his final two years. CAREER STATS 2012: 12 GP/12 GS, 297 comp., 441 att. (67.3%), 3113 yds, 19 TDs, 10 INTs; 1 rush TD 2011: 12/12-282-434-65.0-2891-14-11-4 2010: 12/11-285-464-61.4-3131-14-17-4 2009: 5/0-34-50-68.0-330-4-2-0 2008: redshirted - Missed 1 game in 2012 with an elbow injury - tore ACL in 2009, missing final 2 games of season 2012 GAMES WATCHED at Wake Forest (9/29): Short ( at Virginia Tech (10/13): Short: 14 of 18 (77.8%), 98 yds (5.4 YPA), 62 YAC, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2 drops, 2 throwaways; Deep: 6 of 15 (40%), 137 yds (9.1 YPA), 37 YAC, 1 TD, 1 INT, 4 poor throws, 2 drops vs. Miami (11/24): Short: 28 of 41 (68.3%), 175 yds (4.3 YPA), 117 YAC, 1 TD, 0 INT, 4 poor throws, 3 drops, 2 throwaways; Deep: 8 of 18 (44.4%), 261 yds (14.5 YPA), 105 YAC, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 4 poor throws, 3 drops vs. Cincinnati (12/27): Short: 29 of 31 (93.5%), 215 yds (6.9 YPA), 183 YAC, 0 TDs, 1 INT, 1 throwaway; Deep: 7 of 17 (41.2%), 138 yds (8.1 YPA), 20 YAC, 1 TD, 1 INT, 6 poor throws, 2 drops, 1 throwaway 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 Arm Strength (6.5) – Capable of making all of the throws. Shows some decent touch on some of his vertical throws, particularly deep posts or seam throws. Has a nice quick release that can get velocity on the ball coming out on his intermediate throws. Shows potential to drive the ball if he can step into his throws, but rarely does on the vertical routes. Has a tendency to put a lot of air on his deeper throws, floating some throws which can allow defenders to make plays on it. Underthrows his receivers quite a bit on intermediate/deep routes, but then will also overthrow them at times, particularly when he’s asked to throw towards the sideline on wheel routes. Accuracy (6.0) – Has decent accuracy. Shows some anticipation and good accuracy on some throws, throwing before his receivers come out of his breaks. Will lead guys over the middle at times. At times will throw away from the defender, able to put the ball where only his guy can get it. But doesn’t do that consistently. Too often will throw behind his receivers and make his guys work extra hard on what should be short, easy throws. Can be late on some reads and throws. His accuracy is erratic when he’s asked to throw intermediate/deep pass

We've wrapped up the offense, so we're on to the defense. Defensive end is one of the positions on this roster that could be safely considered in flux. Osi Umenyiora will lock down one side of the line, but Kroy Biermann isn't necessarily going to be a full-time starter on the other side. The Falcons have a lot of youth here, and not all of these players will stick. Let's explore the position as currently constructed. On The Roster Osi Umenyiora, StarterKroy Biermann, StarterMalliciah Goodman (R)Stansly Maponga (R)Jonathan MassaquoiCliff MatthewsCam Henderson (R)Brandon Thurmon (R) There's a lot of talent here, and they're fighting for what's likely to be five spots on the final roster. You have to believe that Goodman and Maponga will stick, being recent draft picks, but you never know. It's open after Duff Man and Osi. I'll turn it over to you guys. Who makes the final roster at DE?

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC reports that linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and Stephen Nicholas will miss the start of Falcons’ organized team activities which begin next Tuesday due to their recoveries from off-season surgeries. Weatherspoon had arthroscopic knee surgery, while Nicholas is recovering from a sports hernia. Both players are expected back by mid-to-late June in time for the team’s mandatory minicamp which begins on June 18. Ledbetter also reports that a pair of rookies will be limited for the start of OTAs: defensive end Stansly Maponga who is recovering from surgery on his broken foot in March, and quarterback Sean Renfree who suffered a torn pectoral at the end of December both were limited throughout the pre-draft process and off-season.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports After fielding a less-than-impressive defensive line in 2012, the Atlanta Falcons are determined to improve their front four in 2013. The first move can in the form of pass-rusher Osi Umenyiora, and now it appears that the Falcons are ready to add another veteran to the mix. According to reports, the Falcons have begun contract discussions with defensive tackle Richard Seymour, formerly of the Oakland Raiders. The four-time Pro Bowler was waiting for a contender to come calling, which makes the Falcons a great fit. If Atlanta can offer a contract that works with the little amount of cap space they have available, Seymour will be a great fit for them and their defensive line needs. The fact that $4.5 million will open up when Tyson Clabo’s release goes into effect on June 1 should help get a deal done. The Falcons currently have Corey Peters, Jonathan Babineaux and a handful of young, unproven players at defensive tackle. While Peters and Babineaux are solid starters on the interior, the lack of depth doesn’t leave much room for a rotation. With a player like Seymour in the mix, the Falcons would have a lot more flexibility at defensive tackle. Above all, Seymour would bring an interior pass rush that the Falcons have been desperately looking for in the past few seasons. The 13-year NFL veteran has 57.5 career sacks and has always been known as a disruptive force as a pass rusher. The added presence of Umenyiora and Seymour could be just what the Falcons need to field a vastly-improved pass rush in 2013 while temporarily keeping defensive line coach Ray Hamilton off the chopping block. Seymour is one of the best free agents currently on the market, and would be a welcomed addition for the Falcons as they look to maintain their standing as a contender in 2013. Gil Alcaraz IV is a Content Planner/NFL Featured Columnist for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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?

Fernando Medina-USA TODAY Sports Typically, the responsibility of the defensive line coach is to develop young, potential-laden players into difference makers. So what has Atlanta Falcons’ Ray Hamilton been up to recently? Based on what his young group of defensive ends has accomplished over the past few seasons, not a whole lot. He was hired by the Falcons in 2008 after making a name for himself as one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL. Hamilton, however, hasn’t lived up to his billing since landing in Atlanta. Let’s take players like Lawrence Sidbury, Cliff Matthews and Jonathan Massaquoi for example. All three were drafted to help boost the Falcons’ lackluster pass rush, yet none have panned out up to this point. While other teams around the league are finding dynamic ways to get to the quarterback, Hamilton and Co. have watched promising players turn into busts. Sidbury had all the upside to become an elite pass rusher, but instead notched five sacks in four years and is no longer with the Falcons. Meanwhile, Matthews and Massaquoi have stumbled out of the gates. Just look at what happened with Ray Edwards. After proving himself as an impact end with the Minnesota Vikings, he floundered as a free agent acquisition with the Falcons. In two years in Atlanta, he managed 3.5 sacks and found a new career in boxing. Talk about a waste of talent. It’s more than just underachieving and bad attitudes, though. Apart from John Abraham, who is no longer with the team, and Kroy Biermann, the Falcons pass rush has been a mess. Players can’t shed blocks, turn the edge or get their arms around quarterbacks long enough to pull them to the ground. All of the technique that turns potential into production isn’t there. The majority of the time, it can be attributed mainly to a lack of coaching. While you can’t always blame the coaching for a lack of production, it’s hard to pin the blame anywhere else at this point. The rest of the Falcons’ roster has found ways to be effective – evidenced by their 13-3 finish in 2012 – but the pass rush has simply failed to develop despite the presence of several intriguing prospects. At least from an outside perspective, there’s been nearly zero improvement along the Falcons defensive line. If an entire position is struggling, there may be a deeper meaning. It’s time to stop blaming the players and point the finger at the coach that hasn’t given them the tools to succeed. Unless sack production sores, Hamilton deserves the ax in 2013. Gil Alcaraz IV is a Content Planner/NFL Featured Columnist for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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.