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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons Express Interest In Montee Ball

By | at September 7, 2015 3:33 pm

The Falcons are among the teams that have expressed interest in running back Montee Ball, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Ball, who was cut by the Broncos yesterday, is set to become a free agent today if he clears waivers.

A Hesiman finalist while at Wisconsin in 2011, Ball was selected by Denver in the 2013 draft, and was expected to be inserted as the starting running back in the Broncos’ high-powered offense. But over the course of two seasons, Ball was never able to secure a role as the No. 1 back, losing the job to Knowshon Moreno in ’13 and C.J. Anderson in ’14. All told, Ball saw less than 200 carries during his time with the Broncos, and totaled less than 800 yards on the ground.

Still, Ball is just 24 years old, and has some upside. Teams with unsettled running back situations, such as the Titans, Browns, or Cowboys could kick the tires on the ex-Bronco even if they don’t place waiver claims.

As for the Falcons, it looks like they could head into the season with rookies Tevin Coleman and Terron Ward as their only healthy backs, with Devonta Freeman said to be still nursing a hamstring injury.

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Falcons Keep Brooks Reed On Active Roster

By | at September 7, 2015 8:52 am

MONDAY, 8:52am: The Falcons have elected not to place Reed on IR with the designation to return after all, according to McClure (Twitter link). The move suggests that the team is confident the linebacker’s recovery time will be shorter than the eight weeks he would’ve been sidelined had he landed on IR-DTR.

SUNDAY, 3:34pm: The Falcons will place linebacker Brooks Reed on injured reserve with a designation to return, sources tell Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Reed won’t be eligible to practice for six weeks, and can’t return to game action until Atlanta’s ninth game.

Reed, 28, underwent groin surgery last week to repair an injury that he suffered in August during training camp. His recovery time was listed as six weeks, so by going on IR-DTR, he’ll get the time he needs plus a few extra weeks to heal. Per McClure, veteran Kroy Biermann is expected to replace Reed in the team’s base defense.

The Falcons signed Reed, who had spent the entirety of his career with the Texans, to a four-year, $22MM deal during the offseason. He was one of several additions, including Adrian Clayborn, Justin Durant, and draft picks Vic Beasley and Jalen Collins, that was expected to turn around Atlanta’s defense under new head coach Dan Quinn.

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Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South

By | at September 6, 2015 5:52 pm

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Falcons Mince Roster Down To 52 Players

By | at September 5, 2015 3:37 pm

The Falcons are among the final teams to unveil their regular-season roster, and they did so by leaving one spot open.

Atlanta’s roster now sits at 52 players, one below the limit of 53, according to AtlantaFalcons.com.

The team parted ways with Antone Smith, who reached an injury settlement with the team. Out since the Falcons’ preseason opener with a hamstring injury, the 29-year-old backup did not suit up for the team again and will now avoid injured reserve due to this settlement.

Also rehabbing from a broken leg sustained last November, Smith signed a one-year, $1.4MM deal in March to stay in Atlanta.

Injury-plagued veteran tight end Tony Moeaki also couldn’t make the roster. The 28-year-old spent last season with the Seahawks before signing on with the Falcons in March. Atlanta will go with Jacob Tamme and Levine Toilolo as its top two tight ends.

The Falcons placed Jon Asamoah, fullback Collin Mooney and cornerback Travis Howard on injured reserve. Asamoah, a high-priced signing in 2014, suffered a hip injury during preseason workouts.

Those also cut are as follows:

  • LB Derek Akunne
  • OL Pierce Burton
  • CB Akeem King
  • OL Eric Lefeld
  • LB Stansly Maponga
  • NT Joey Mbu
  • WR Carlton Mitchell
  • OL Adam Replogle (waived/injured)
  • RB Jerome Smith
  • TE D.J. Tialavea
  • LB Tyler Starr
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Falcons, Antone Smith Working On Injury Settlement

By | at September 5, 2015 9:55 am

The Falcons are working on an injury settlement with running back Antone Smith, reports Zach Klein of WSB (ABC-TV) in Atlanta (via Twitter). If the sides can’t come to an agreement, Smith will be placed on the injured reserve.

The former undrafted rookie out of Florida State has bounced around a bit since entering the league in 2009, spending time with the Lions, Vikings, Texans and Falcons. The 29-year-old has 29 career carries for 286 yards and four touchdowns. He also has 15 receptions for 232 yards and three scores.

The speedy back inked a one-year, $1.4MM deal with Atlanta back in March. He was expected to contribute this season with the Falcons, but a hamstring injury limited him throughout the preseason. In addition to Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, the Falcons also have running backs Terron Ward and Jerome Smith under contract.

 

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Falcons Waive Six, Roster Down to 68

By | at September 5, 2015 8:48 am

The Falcons cut a pair of quarterbacks yesterday in Rex Grossman and T.J. Yates, but that wasn’t the end of the organization’s moves. Atlanta’s website announced that the team had waived six other players:

The Falcons roster is now down to 68 players. The team acquired Andy Levitre from the Titans yesterday, requiring them to cut an additional player.

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Falcons Release Rex Grossman, T.J. Yates

By | at September 4, 2015 3:27 pm

3:27pm: The Falcons have cut Yates as well, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). That leaves Ryan and Renfree as the only quarterbacks on the roster at the moment.

3:23pm: A little over a week after signing him to a contract, the Falcons have released quarterback Rex Grossman, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Because he’s a vested veteran, Grossman won’t have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent.

Grossman, who turned 35 last month, hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass since 2011 in Washington, and we heard earlier in August that he was still recovering from an injury he sustained while training. However, the veteran QB has a history with Kyle Shanahan, so it was no surprise when the new Falcons and their new offensive coordinator brought in Grossman.

It’s a little surprising that Grossman only lasted about a week and a half on the roster, but it could be a case of the team intending to re-sign him after Week 1, when veteran salaries are no longer guaranteed for the season. For now, T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree remain on Atlanta’s roster as Matt Ryan‘s backups.

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Falcons Acquire Andy Levitre From Titans

By | at September 4, 2015 12:03 pm

12:03pm: The Titans have officially confirmed the trade, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online, who tweets that Tennessee will get a 2016 sixth-round pick and a conditional pick in a future year from the Falcons.

11:31am: The Falcons are acquiring a veteran guard in a trade with the Titans, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reports (via Twitter) that Andy Levitre is heading to Atlanta. Levitre himself first hinted at the move, tweeting out the message “#RiseUp” from his official account.

Levitre, 29, has started all 16 games for the Titans at left guard in each of the past two seasons, and has never missed a game in his six-year NFL career. However, while his consistency and ability to stay on the field is an asset, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the veteran lineman as just the 45th-best guard out of 78 qualified players last season, giving him a -5.8 grade.

There had been plenty of speculation that Levitre would be released by the Titans before the season, since his cap charge for 2015, and for each of the following two seasons, is an exorbitant $8.6MM. By trading Levitre, the Titans will still be on the hook for $2.1MM in dead money this year and $4.2MM next year, but it would reduce his cap hit significantly.

As for the Falcons, they’d take on Levitre’s $6.5MM salary, which seems like an awfully steep price to pay for a guard who’s not among the league’s best. Atlanta released another veteran guard, Justin Blalock, earlier this offseason, and Blalock didn’t carry as large a cap number as Levitre does.

Still, we don’t have the full details on the move yet, so it’s possible there are other factors in play here — Levitre may have accepted a pay cut as part of the deal, or the Titans may be paying a portion of his 2015 salary, for instance.

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Extra Points: Hardy, Asamoah, Falcons

By | at September 3, 2015 10:04 pm

Greg Hardy is waiting for a final recommendation from the NFL Players Association before deciding on whether to make a legal challenge on his four-game suspension, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Even if he does, Florio writes that it’s hard to see the Cowboys star getting that four-game ban cut down based on the timing of everything. If Hardy files something now, he won’t get a final ruling before Monday, September 21st. There’s also the possibility of a PR backlash against Hardy, who has already had his suspension stemming from domestic violence reduced significantly.

Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Falcons guard Jon Asamoah wasn’t seen with the team tonight during its preseason game and that led some, including ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (on Twitter) to speculate that he could be involved in a trade. However, the Falcons quickly took to Twitter to declare that Asamoah is not being traded. Still, Chris Chester has taken the spot of the former third-round draft choice and it’s conceivable that he might not survive the cutdown to a 53-man roster. Prior to the 2014 season, Asamoah inked a five-year, $22.5MM deal including $8MM guaranteed with Atlanta. After the game, coach Dan Quinn told reporters, including McClure (link), that Asamoah and Jake Matthews were excused from the game with injuries.
  • The Falcons announced linebacker Brooks Reed underwent groin surgery, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport hears that Reed will be out for six weeks and that is a tough blow for the Falcons’ front seven.
  • Bills coach Rex Ryan is less-than-pleased with kicker Dan Carpenter. “I’m tired of seeing us miss a field goal. We’ll certainly be looking. Nobody earns this job by default,” Ryan said, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (on Twitter). If the Bills cut Carpenter, they would save $1.3MM this season and $1.75MM next season.
  • The Vikings have added a veteran lineman after final cuts the last two years and Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter) would not be surprised at all to see them do the same thing again this year.
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NFC Notes: Hardy, Crowder, Falcons

By | at September 3, 2015 8:14 pm

Earlier today, we heard that the Tom Brady decision by Judge Richard Berman had prompted Greg Hardy‘s camp to reconsider whether or not to challenge his own suspension in court. The Cowboys defensive end appealed his 10-game suspension and had it reduced to four games, but there was a belief that he and the NFL Players Association would consider a lawsuit for anything over two games.

According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), it has seemed all along as if Hardy would rather not go to court over the suspension, preferring that the issue is laid to rest instead. The NFLPA, on the other hand, would like to fight the ruling.

As we wait to see which side wins out, let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFC….

  • An NFL spokesman has told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that Washington receiver Jamison Crowder won’t face league discipline stemming from a domestic violence accusation on social media.
  • Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio last night, with Marvez and Gil Brandt speaking to him about the team’s extension with Julio Jones, how player evaluation has changed under Dan Quinn, and the club’s up-and-down offensive line. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides a transcript of some of the GM’s more notable comments.
  • In the wake of Dimitroff’s comments, Ledbetter published a second AJC story wondering aloud if it was a mistake for the Falcons to cut veteran linemen Sam Baker and Justin Blalock.
  • Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com examines whether or not the Eagles should have any interest in trying to acquire Robert Griffin III, who is a candidate to be traded or waived by Washington.
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