Falcons Rumors: Maxwell, Thomas, Bryant

Earlier today, in our round-up of a few NFC South items, we passed along a couple of noteworthy Falcons-related tidbits — the team has yet to instigate negotiations on a contract extension for standout wide receiver Julio Jones, and new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan received a three-year deal when he was hired by the club. We’ve had a few more Falcons updates trickle in since then, so let’s check those out:

  • There’s “a lot of talk” that the Falcons will be a strong suitor for free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). As Garafolo points out, Maxwell played under new Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn in Seattle, so there’s a logical connection there. Seahawks GM John Schneider also indicated earlier today that he expects the cornerback to reach the open market.
  • The Falcons will likely be interested in Broncos tight end Julius Thomas, another prospective who looks poised to hit the open market, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta has been looking for an upgrade at the position since Tony Gonzalez retired, but the club would likely have plenty of competition for Thomas, who will be the top tight end available this winter.
  • There have been some talks between the Falcons and kicker Matt Bryant, but no substantial progress has been made so far, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The team will meet in Indianpolis with the agent for Bryant, who is eligible for free agency next month
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