Falcons release veteran WR Horn

Flowery Branch — The Falcons ended the standoff with unhappy wide receiver Joe Horn and released him Tuesday.

“They saw I was disgruntled, they saw that me sitting to the side and watching and we know it wasn’t going to work out well for either of us,” Horn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We made the right decision. They allowed me to go and I’m just happy to know that I’m leaving with good character.

“I talked to Smitty [coach Mike Smith] and I talked to [general manager] Thomas Dimitroff. We shook hands and we wished each other the best.”

The Falcons notified Horn of his release around noon and he quickly cleaned out his locker before leaving the team facility. Horn’s agent, Ralph Vitolo, said that he immediately made calls to find Horn a new team.

Horn has stated publicly that he would like to play for the Dallas Cowboys or Philadelphia Eagles. A report by the Palm Beach Post Tuesday said Vitolo contacted the Miami Dolphins hours after Horn was released.

Team owner “Arthur Blank is one of the biggest reasons I came to Atlanta, him and Michael Vick,” Horn said, referring to the star quarterback who was imprisoned last year on felony charges related to dogfighting after Horn signed. “Michael Vick had a lot to do with that. By Mike Vick being incarcerated, I knew my career wouldn’t go that well in Atlanta.”

Horn, 36, said last May that he would like to be traded or released because he felt the Falcons were going through a rebuilding phase with younger players and that he didn’t feel part of the plan. Management consistently said that Horn had a place in the lineup, but that never materialized.

Horn skipped all voluntary workouts, conditioning and other team functions in the offseason. Shortly after reporting to training camp July 25, Horn was behind because he said he did not study his playbook. He then suffered a hamstring injury that he said was minor, but it was problematic enough for him not play in either of the Falcons’ two preseason games.

“I’m disappointed that Joe didn’t get a chance to compete because of his (hamstring) injury in training camp and because he didn’t choose to come to [offseason workouts],” Smith said. “So he didn’t get a chance to compete. We’re going to move forward. We feel very comfortable with the receiving corps that we have. I wish Joe the best of luck as he moves on.”

The situation became increasingly bitter over the past few days, as Horn grew more isolated from the team and the team moved forward with little acknowledgement of him.

“It’s a business so I understand how things were handled,” Horn said. “What if some of their receivers went down? They would have had me around to help. I knew that and understood.

“If I couldn’t play I would retire, but I know I can still play.”

In cutting Horn, the Falcons have to eat his guaranteed $2.5 base million salary for 2008. It is the final portion of $7.5 million in salary and bonus money Horn was paid after signing a four-year, $14.5 million free-agent contract last season after a seven-year career with New Orleans.

The Falcons would have preferred to trade Horn but there were no takers. Atlanta also held talks with Horn’s agent about forsaking some salary in order to be cut. Those talks were spurred by Horn telling the AJC last week that he contemplated forfeiting money to expedite his departure.

Vitolo refused to provide any financial relief and now Horn’s salary counts against Atlanta’s 2008 salary cap. In terms of base salary, only guard Kynan Forney, linebacker Keith Brooking and defensive end John Abraham were to be paid more than Horn this year.

Horn was at the bottom of the Falcons’ wide receiver depth chart. The top four wideouts include Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Laurent Robinson and Harry Douglas. Brian Finneran, Adam Jennings, Eric Weems and Chandler Williams are battling for the fifth spot — if the Falcons keep five wideouts. The team also could sign a free agent at the position.

Horn started 12 games in 2007, catching 27 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown. He was bothered by a hamstring injury, much as he was the final two seasons in New Orleans.