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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons Re-Sign Philip Wheeler

March 24th, 2016 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

4:40pm: The Falcons formally announced the deal, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

3:15pm: The Falcons have re-signed veteran linebacker Philip Wheeler, the team formally announced today in a press release. The news comes on the heels of head coach Dan Quinn confirming at the owners’ meetings this week that the two sides remained engaged in talks.Philip Wheeler

[RELATED: Courtney Upshaw visiting Falcons]

Wheeler, 31, began his career with the Colts after being selected in the third round of the 2008 draft. He spent four years in Indianapolis, one in Oakland, and two in Miami before joining the Falcons for the 2015 campaign. Appearing in nine game for Atlanta (two starts), Wheeler recorded 29 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.

Wheeler saw most of his 2015 playing time in the second half of the season, and may earn an increased role in 2016, but the Falcons have already ensured that linebacker Paul Worrilow received an RFA tender, and brought back Sean Weatherspoon in free agency, so we’ll have to wait and see how the defensive snaps shake out on Atlanta’s linebacking corps.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Courtney Upshaw Visiting Falcons

March 24th, 2016 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

2:18pm: The Falcons have confirmed Upshaw’s visit and announced that free agent guard Ted Larsen is also in town to meet with the team today (Twitter link). Larsen has 57 career NFL starts for the Cardinals and Buccaneers.

11:29am: More than two weeks into free agency, free agent outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw remains unsigned, but it appears a new suitor has emerged. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Upshaw is set to pay a visit to the Falcons. ESPN’s Vaughn McClure confirms (via Twitter) that the visit is taking place today.Courtney Upshaw

A second-round pick in 2012 out of Alabama, Upshaw didn’t miss a regular-season game for the Ravens in his four seasons with the team, making 51 starts, but he never really made the sort of impact the team may have expected. In his four NFL seasons, the 26-year-old has struggled to get to opposing quarterbacks, totaling just five sacks. In 2015, Pro Football Focus ranked him 84th out of 110 edge defenders, assigning him a much higher grade against the run than as a pass rusher.

The Falcons may be in the market for a replacement for O’Brien Schofield at their outside linebacker spot — a reunion between the Falcons and Schofield hasn’t been ruled out, but the veteran free agent said last week that the two sides weren’t “seeing eye-to-eye” in contract talks, so it appears Atlanta is exploring other options.

So far in free agency, Upshaw has reportedly visited the Jets, with the Ravens, 49ers, and Patriots among the other teams cited as potential suitors.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ohio State LB Darron Lee Working Out For Falcons

March 24th, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams
  • Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee is working out for the Falcons today, telling Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com that it’s the first workout on his schedule. “From what they told me at the combine, they need a lot of speed on the defensive side of the ball,” Lee said. Interestingly, McShay’s mock draft from today has Atlanta nabbing Lee with the 17th overall pick.

Falcons In Negotiations With Philip Wheeler

March 23rd, 2016 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams
  • Falcons head coach Dan Quinn confirmed this morning that his club remains in negotiations with free agent linebacker Philip Wheeler, who may end up returning, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Falcons To Meet With Florida S Keanu Neal

March 21st, 2016 at 8:23pm CST by Zachary Links
  • Florida safety Keanu Neal has a workout scheduled with the Falcons this week, according to league source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. McClure notes that Neal was recruited to Florida by Falcons coach Dan Quinn when he was the Gators’ defensive coordinator.

Contract Details: Starks, Compton, Michael

March 20th, 2016 at 9:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are several of the latest contract details on deals which were agreed upon or signed within the last week.

Falcons To Workout Cal TE Stephen Anderson

March 20th, 2016 at 4:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Cal tight end Stephen Anderson has visits and/or workouts set up with the Patriots, Titans, Falcons, and Texans, tweets Getlin.

FA Rumors: Upshaw, Cowboys, Hall, Dansby, Mays

March 16th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent linebacker Courtney Upshaw will meet with the Jets on Thursday, reports Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Upshaw has made 64 straight regular-season appearances (51 starts) since Baltimore took him in the second round of the 2012 draft. The 26-year-old recorded 51 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles last season. In terms of overall performance, Pro Football Focus ranked Upshaw 84th out of 110 qualifying edge defenders for his work during the 2015-16 campaign. He was an honorable mention on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents list.

The latest on some other unsigned players around the NFL:

  • Linebacker Karlos Dansby, whom the Browns released Wednesday, would like to join the Cardinals, Bengals or Packers, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Yeah, I think the Bengals are licking their chops right now,” he said. “I hope they are. We’ll see what it is.” Notably, Dansby started his career in Arizona as a second-round pick in 2004 and piled up 25.5 sacks before leaving at the close of the 2009 season.
  • The Cowboys aren’t working toward a deal with Wednesday visitor Leon Hall, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). The veteran cornerback has thus far spent his entire career with the Bengals since they chose him in the first round of the 2007 draft. Hall started in four of 14 appearances last season, picked off two passes, and graded as Pro Football Focus’ 33rd-best corner (111 qualifiers). Like Upshaw, Hall also earned an honorable mention from PFR before free agency.
  • Even though Hall to the Cowboys doesn’t exactly appear imminent, they are working on a deal with restricted free agent Benson Mayowa, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com. The Raiders gave Mayowa, a defensive end, an original-round tender. As a former undrafted free agent, that means they won’t get any compensation for him if they decide against matching a hypothetical offer. Mayowa, 25 in August, has accrued 30 appearances (three starts) and two sacks during his three-year career.
  • The Bengals “have made good progress” on a contract with Taylor Mays, writes Geoff Hobson of their official website. Mays is scheduled to miss the first four games of next season because of a suspension. Nevertheless, Cincinnati wants him back as a nickel linebacker to replace Emmanuel Lamur – who signed with the Vikings – Hobson notes. Mays spent 2011-14 with the Bengals before joining the Raiders last season.
  • Linebacker O’Brien Schofield took to social media Wednesday to discuss his future. “By no means have I counted the Falcons out but I’m waiting for the right opportunity for my family and I. It’s a business so I’m patient,” Schofield tweeted. The 28-year-old signed with Atlanta last offseason and then made 30 tackles and two sacks in 16 appearances (11 starts). Schofield said last week that he and the Falcons “aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on a contract.”
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