Latest On Falcons, Brandon Boykin
The Falcons are not signing Brandon Boykin at this time, according to a league source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The free-agent cornerback worked out for the team on Monday. 
Boykin was released by the Panthers back on May 16th. Prior to his signing, the 25-year-old was one of the more intriguing cornerbacks to linger on the free agent market in late March. Still, Carolina opted to bail on the low-guarantee, one-year deal. Even though the Panthers parted ways with Josh Norman this spring, they felt that they were already set at cornerback after adding three in the draft.
The Falcons (and three other teams) reportedly had interest in the slot corner before he signed with the Panthers in late March. Boykin, a Georgia native who played for the Bulldogs in college, seemed like a logical fit for Dan Quinn‘s defense.
Despite not seeing significant playing time in Pittsburgh, Boykin ranked as a top-40 cornerback in 2015 (out of 111 qualified players), per Pro Football Focus. The diminutive corner has always shown flashes of upside, particularly in his six-interception 2013 campaign, but has never really gotten the opportunity to be a full-time player with just seven career starts. He’ll now look elsewhere for his chance to shine.
While Boykin didn’t earn a spot on PFR’s top 50 free agent list, we placed him sixth among free agent cornerbacks when we broke down 2016’s top defensive free agents, placing him ahead of veterans like Leon Hall and Patrick Robinson due to his relative youth and upside.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jalen Collins: I Made A Mistake
- Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins told reporters that he “made a mistake” which led to his four-game suspension for PEDs (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). However, he did not indicate whether he will file an appeal. Atlanta had hoped the Collins would be able to become a starter on the outside, allowing fellow corner Robert Alford to move into the slot full-time. That transition can still happen, of course, but now the club will have to make do without Collins for a quarter of the season — a realization which may have precipitated today’s workout of nickel corner Brandon Boykin.
Beasley's New LB Role Will Still Include DE Work
- Although Vic Beasley will play a Bruce Irvin-like role with the Falcons after relocating from defensive end to linebacker, he’s still expected to return to a three-point stance on passing downs, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Atlanta’s coaches left the decision up to the 2015 first-rounder, though if it was their preference Beasley move to linebacker, this may have been a choice in name only.
Falcons Notes: Beasley, Hageman, Jackson
- The Falcons are making a few changes to their defensive alignment, including shifting Vic Beasley to strongside linebacker. The eighth pick in last year’s draft, Beasley spent his rookie campaign as a LEO pass rusher, as Kevin Patra of NFL.com notes, and totaled four sacks while playing in all 16 of the team’s games. The ex-Clemson star had a difficult time against the run, writes Patra, which would explain the switch. Beasley will now fill the role that former Seahawk Bruce Irvin occupied when Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was Seattle’s defensive coordinator in 2014. Patra, however, is skeptical of the decision because it’ll lead to fewer pass-rushing opportunities for Beasley.
- In addition to moving Beasley, the Falcons will give Ra’Shede Hageman a look at defensive end and try DE Tyson Jackson at D-tackle, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Hageman, a second-round pick in 2014, spent his first two seasons at tackle, amassing 43 tackles and two sacks in 32 games (11 starts). On playing end, the former Minnesota standout said, “It’s something I did in college. It’s a nice little move for me.” The Falcons believe the change will give the 310-pound Hageman a better opportunity to take advantage of his size and strength.
Falcons Sign Laurence Gibson
- The Falcons announced the signing of offensive lineman Laurence Gibson, a former seventh-round pick by Dallas, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets. Gibson, who was on the KC’s practice squad last year, can play both tackle and guard.
Falcons To Host Brandon Boykin On Visit
Days after the Panthers released him, Brandon Boykin will visit one of their rivals. The former Eagles and Steelers cornerback will visit the Falcons on Monday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The Falcons and three other teams reportedly had interest in the slot corner before he signed with the Panthers in late March, Ledbetter reports. Although, Atlanta is the first team to secure a visit with the 5-foot-9 player now that he’s again a free agent.
Only signed to a minimum-salary deal despite success in the slot for both Pennsylvania teams, Boykin did not stick on a Panthers roster that, despite losing Josh Norman to free agency, added three corners in the draft.
Traded from the Eagles to the Steelers last August, Boykin graded as Pittsburgh’s best cornerback last season — per Pro Football Focus — despite barely playing enough snaps to qualify for full-time status. Although not lauded for his work against the run at 183 pounds, Boykin graded as PFF’s No. 23 overall corner last year among full-time qualifiers. With the Eagles in 2014, he came in at 21st. The analytical praise notwithstanding, Boykin has only started seven games in five years.
Despite the Steelers not playing him much until injuries forced their hand in December, the 25-year-old Boykin hasn’t allowed a pass longer than 33 yards to be completed against him over the past two seasons, Sam Monson of PFF writes.
The Falcons also brought in Leon Hall for a visit but passed on the longtime Bengals cog after reviewing his medical records, Ledbetter writes. Atlanta plans to relocate Robert Alford to a nickel position and hopes Jalen Collins and win the No. 2 job opposite Desmond Trufant, although Collins must serve a four-game ban to start the season.
Boykin is a Georgia native who played for the Bulldogs in college.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Falcons Won't Sign Leon Hall; Blank Gives GM an 'A'
- The Falcons won’t be signing veteran cornerback Leon Hall, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. The 31-year-old auditioned for Atlanta last week, and considering coach Dan Quinn’s comments regarding the player’s injury history, McClure presumes that Hall didn’t check out medically.
- Despite suggesting that every team deserves an ‘A’ for their draft efforts, Falcons owner Arthur Blank was particularly happy with his team’s haul. “You think from our perspective, I would give our coach and general manager Thomas (Dimitroff) a grade A because I know that every single position they drafted very specifically for exactly what the coach wanted and the coaching needs in terms of defense or in terms of the offense,” Blank told Doug Roberson of AJC.com. “Hopefully, that will play out in a successful way over the next couple of years.”
[SOURCE LINK]
Falcons Owner Not Yet Sold On Vegas
- Reports continue to link the Raiders to Las Vegas, but Falcons owner Arthur Blank isn’t yet entirely sold on the idea. “I think whether or not there are enough people in Las Vegas to support a team is a question,” Blank told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “I haven’t seen the data on that to support it or not support it. It’s certainly a dynamic market. It’s a growth market. It’s got tremendous tourism, a lot of convention business. So it’s certainly a consideration.”
Matt Bryant Not Considering Retirement
Matt Bryant will celebrate his 41st birthday in a few weeks, but he’s not thinking retirement. The kicker says that he is looking forward to getting back to his old form in 2016 after a difficult 2015. 
“I’m good,” Bryant said, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. “Rest and not pushing it was the best. I could have played the last two games but without being 100 percent mentally sure about it, I expressed and it was agreed that it wouldn’t be the best for the team or myself. I still have some good, productive years left. I won’t let one anomaly of a year get in the way of what I’ve done and what I’m still capable of.”
Of course, it’s not a given that Bryant will have the Falcons’ kicking job this year. The veteran made 14 of 18 field goals through ten games in 2015 before being placed on season-ending IR with a quad injury. Bryant avoided surgery on the injured quad, but Atlanta still wants to see if he has maintained strength in his kicking leg. As a Plan B for the veteran, the Falcons have signed undrafted kicker Nick Rose out of Texas. Rose made 13 of 17 field goals last season and also gained some internet notoriety when he nailed an 80-yard field goal in practice.
Bryant is scheduled to make $2.85MM in 2016, with a $1.3MM roster bonus. He’s also under contract for 2017 and he’ll carry a $2.833MM cap number in that season if he remains on the Falcons’ roster. Bryant’s current salary places him as the 14th highest paid kicker in the NFL, according to the data at Over The Cap.
Photo courtesy of USA Today of Sports Images.
Falcons Not Closing Door On Schofield
- We heard last week that free agent linebacker O’Brien Schofield is interested in rejoining the Falcons. According to head coach Dan Quinn, the door is “never closed with Scho.” However, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com details, the two sides have been unable to agree on contract terms, despite the fact that Atlanta made Schofield an offer.