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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons Not Planning McGary Redshirt Year

August 4th, 2019 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kaleb McGary does not have a return timetable. One of the Falcons’ two first-round offensive linemen, McGary is sidelined indefinitely because of a heart procedure he recently underwent.

The Falcons can expect to be without the former Washington Husky for a while, but they are not preparing for a full-season absence. Dan Quinn said (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, on Twitter) the team is “by no means” planning a redshirt season for the talented blocker. Reports of the procedure’s effectiveness have been good thus far, Quinn added.

The minimally invasive operation McGary underwent is not new territory for him. He had the cardiac ablation procedure done twice in college and missed approximately two months’ worth of time after each instance. It seems reasonable Atlanta will have to make adjustments to its projected Week 1 line, however.

At full strength, Atlanta’s line was supposed to include two Pro Bowlers, two first-round picks and a free agent addition (either James Carpenter or Jamon Brown). Now, guard Chris Lindstrom looks like he will be the only rookie in the Falcons’ lineup in September. McGary was in line to eventually seize the team’s right tackle job. Ty Sambrailo, who signed an offseason extension, would stand to fill that spot now.

Falcons Bring Back QB Matt Simms

August 3rd, 2019 at 1:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Matt Simms‘ most recent NFL stay occurred in 2017 Falcons training camp. He will resurface in Atlanta two years later, creating a three-Matt Falcons quarterback depth chart.

The Falcons signed Simms on Saturday. This comes after third-string quarterback Kurt Benkert suffered a toe injury — one NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport described as “major” (on Twitter) — in Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game.

Benkert, a 2018 UDFA, was vying for the backup job to Matt Ryan with veteran Matt Schaub. The latter made a late re-entrance Thursday after Benkert’s toe malady forced him to leave the Canton game. It appears Benkert will be out a while.

Simms has not thrown a pass in a regular-season game since the 2014 season, which he spent with the Jets. He will turn 31 in September. His most recent NFL connection came in a September 2018 workout with the 49ers. The son of Phil Simms, Matt Simms spent the summers of 2016 and ’17 with the Falcons and was on the 2016 NFC champions’ practice squad. He worked in both Kyle Shanahan and Steve Sarkisian‘s offenses and will now attempt to stick around in Dirk Koetter‘s.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/19

August 2nd, 2019 at 8:20pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: S Ronald Martin, CB Hamp Cheevers
  • Waived: CB Rashard Causey, LS Kyle Vasey

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: TE Mik’Quan Deane
  • Waived/injured: WR Blake Jackson

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: OL Jamar McGloster
  • Claimed off waivers from Cowboys: OL Larry Allen Jr.
  • Waived/injured: LB Tre’von Johnson, OL Cole Toner

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Redskins

Falcons’ Kaleb McGary To Undergo Heart Surgery

July 31st, 2019 at 2:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Falcons rookie offensive lineman Kaleb McGary underwent a cardiac ablation procedure on Wednesday, per a team announcement. McGary had this surgery twice before and missed approximately two months after the last operation while at Washington. 

The good news for the first-round pick is that the cardiac ablation procedure is a minimally-invasive surgery. The club will have a better sense of his timetable after he comes out of the operating room.

The Falcons used their first Round 1 pick (No. 14) overall on Boston College guard Chris Lindstrom. But, they weren’t done revamping their offensive line, and they refused to let McGary get away. The Falcons traded their second- and third-round picks to the Rams to move back into the first round and snag McGary at No. 31 overall, giving them an alternative to Ty Sambrailo at right tackle.

Latest On Julio Jones Extension Talks

July 28th, 2019 at 11:48am CST by Rory Parks
  • It’s now been over a year since the Falcons and Julio Jones renegotiated his contract, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com observes. That means that the two sides are free to make a new deal official, though McClure still does not think it will happen before Michael Thomas signs his extension with New Orleans.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/19

July 26th, 2019 at 8:13pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A batch of minor transactions on a busy day across the league:

Atlanta Falcons:

  • Signed: LB Richie Brown
  • Waived: OT Lanard Bonner
  • Placed on IR: DL Michael Bennett

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: LB Drew Lewis
  • Waived: LB Tre Thomas

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: OL J.J. Dielman

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Claimed off waivers from 49ers: CB Alex Brown

San Francisco 49ers

 

Falcons To Sign Stephone Anthony

July 26th, 2019 at 1:53pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have agreed to sign linebacker Stephone Anthony, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The former Saints first-round pick profiles as a depth option and special teams player for Atlanta.

Anthony seemed to have a great deal of promise when he entered the league in 2015, but he’s been unable to make good on that potential thus far. After starting in all 16 games as a rookie, he was moved from middle linebacker to strongside linebacker with poor results. The Dolphins acquired him for a fifth-round pick in 2017, but the change of scenery didn’t do much for him. Anthony had just seven tackles across 16 appearances last year and the Dolphins declined his fifth-year option, making him a free agent this offseason.

In other Falcons news, the club is optimistic about a new deal for Julio Jones.

Falcons Notes: Julio, Neal, Allen, Smith

July 23rd, 2019 at 8:45pm CST by Rory Parks

We learned earlier today that the Falcons may already have a new deal in place for star receiver Julio Jones, but GM Thomas Dimitroff declined to put a timetable on the negotiations. As Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes, Dimitroff did express optimism that the two sides would reach an accord.

Dimitroff said, “[w]e have the utmost faith that Julio is coming here and he’s taking care of his business while he’s here, and we’ll keep plugging away with [Jones’ agent] Jimmy [Sexton]. We have a very good working relationship and respect for Jimmy Sexton and CAA, and I’m confident [the deal] will get done.”

Sexton could not be reached for comment, but after getting long-term deals for Grady Jarrett and Deion Jones done this month, it looks like the Falcons will give Julio Jones his new contract in short order.

Now for more from Atlanta:

  • We heard back in May that the Falcons’ starting safety tandem of Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, who suffered major injuries that ended their 2018 seasons prematurely, were expected to be ready for training camp, and that turned out to be true. As Ledbetter writes, Allen returned to the practice field Monday and went through most of the team drills, and Emmanuel Morgan of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says that Neal has participated in drills and has taken reps with the first-team defense. Unfortunately, the club lost backup safety J.J. Wilcox for the season after he tore his ACL on Monday.
  • The Falcons plan to expand RB Ito Smith‘s role this season, as Morgan writes in a separate piece. Smith will serve as the club’s No. 2 back behind Devonta Freeman, and he will look to improve his pass protection and his ability to hit holes at full speed while continuing to refine his abilities as a pass catcher. Running backs coach Matt Brock hinted that the club may only carry three RBs, so the battle for the No. 3 spot behind Freeman and Smith is one that he expects to be highly competitive.
  • Defensive lineman Michael Bennett suffered a broken ankle on Monday, but he could return this season, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.
  • The Falcons signed veteran DL Allen Bailey yesterday.

Deal In Place For Falcons, Julio Jones?

July 23rd, 2019 at 10:17am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons and Julio Jones are working on a long-term extension, but depending on who you ask, that deal might already be in place. Multiple league sources “firmly believe that the Falcons already have a wink-nod deal in place” with the wide receiver, according to PFT’s Mike Florio.

[RELATED: Latest On Saints, Thomas]

Those sources believe that Jones’ deal will be finalized on Friday, the one-year anniversary of Jones’ last re-up with the team. The deal, which should position Jones as one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league, by at least a couple of metrics, may impact the talks between the Saints and star Michael Thomas.

Jones is reporting to Falcons camp, despite the absence of a new deal. The optimism he expressed earlier this summer may be an indication that a deal is not far off.

“Mr. Blank gave us his word. … That’s golden,” Jones said in June. “His word is that it’s going to get done. … There’s no stress on my end. I’m not thinking about it. [Blank] makes it easy for me to go out and just work every day and not have one of those situations where there’s a holdout or anything like that.”

Jones’ 7,994 receiving yards since the 2014 season are the most any player has ever compiled in a five-year span.

Falcons To Sign DL Allen Bailey

July 22nd, 2019 at 9:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Allen Bailey‘s lengthy stay in free agency is over. The Falcons reached an agreement to add the veteran defensive lineman on a two-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The former Chiefs defensive end did fairly well this late in free agency, with Schefter reporting (via Twitter) the two-year pact is worth $10.5MM. Bailey will receive $3.5MM guaranteed and $6MM in 2019.

This news comes hours after Falcons D-lineman Michael Bennett suffered a broken ankle. Bailey worked as a 3-4 defensive end with the Chiefs and profiles as a player who could help the Falcons on the interior. Bailey visited the Falcons in June. He also met with the Seahawks, Panthers and Patriots. The Seahawks are also on the hunt for interior help, after Jarran Reed‘s suspension, perhaps prompting the Falcons to act quickly.

Breaking in as a backup in the early 2010s, the former Scott Pioli third-round pick was a starter for the past five Chiefs defenses. Interestingly, Bailey’s visit occurred after Pioli had stepped down from his post as Atlanta’s assistant GM. But Bailey continues a defensive line pipeline of Pioli-drafted defensive linemen from Kansas City to Atlanta, following Tyson Jackson and Dontari Poe. Neither player, however, is still with the Falcons. And Bailey, 30, is from Georgia.

This marks the second straight Monday the Falcons have agreed to terms with a defensive tackle, with Grady Jarrett signing a much more lucrative contract to start last week. Bailey, who finished with a career-high six sacks last season, stands to play a key role on Atlanta’s D-line. He has registered 19.5 career sacks.

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