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Monday, March 5, 2007
Free agents: Solid, not flashy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ovie Mughelli, a fullback, and Marcus Wilkins, a backup outside linebacker/special teams player, are what the Falcons have delivered in the first weekend of free agency. Not big names. Solid parts, but not big names.
The bigger news was probably the releasing of linebackers Ed Hartwell and Ike Reese, the top two free-agent signings of 2005.
The timing of Hartwell’s release was more of a favor to him because the Falcons decided they weren’t going to keep him. So they let him go early so he might be able to catch on with another team.
As of now, it appears Keith Brooking will slide to the middle to take over for Hartwell, as he has for most of the past two seasons when Hartwell was hurt. There is a chance Jordan Beck will get a shot to start in the middle, especially if outside linebacker Demorrio Williams, a restricted free agent, gets lured away and Brooking has to remain as the weak-side starter.
Atlanta had enough money to try to sign at least one big-name free agent (it would take some careful crafting of contract structure). However, there was a conscious decision to use restraint in a wild free-agent market that has seen a decent amount of non-franchise-type players get paid outrageous sums of money.
That’s why the Falcons are going to let the market settle down before they decide if they want to pursue free-agent wide receiver Joe Horn.
There has been dialogue between Atlanta and the former Saints’ wide out, who could be a needed in-your-face guy in the locker room, especially for the relatively young group of receivers. Even so, any move on Horn likely would come later rather than sooner so the Falcons can measure their cap flexibility over the next few weeks.
The Falcons probably will bring in some second-tier offensive linemen — they met with Seattle’s Floyd Womack last weekend — to slowly beef up a unit new coach Bobby Petrino wants to enlarge. Cornerback Will James, formerly Will Peterson, is coming in for a visit Wednesday.
