Smith turns attention to rebuilding defense

Dana Point, Calif. —- The Falcons took the sandblaster to their offense last season, and their relative inactivity in free agency this year makes it clear that the defense is now under construction.

Five starters left through free agency, and the Falcons are set to rebuild their linebacker unit around second-year player Curtis Lofton.

“We felt very good about what Curtis Lofton was able to do as a rookie for us and start in our base package,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said earlier this week at the NFL owners meeting. “Curtis is going to get an opportunity to be a three-down player this season.”

Last season, Lofton played on first and second downs but left the game on third downs or in other obvious passing situations. Among NFL rookies, he was second with 94 tackles behind New England inside linebacker Jerod Mayo, who had 128.

This season, Lofton will be the lone returning starter after outside linebackers Keith Brooking and Michael Boley signed with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, respectively. Three other starters —- nose tackle Grady Jackson (Detroit), cornerback Domonique Foxworth (Baltimore) and safety Lawyer Milloy (unsigned) —- also will not return.

“They went in free agency,” Smith said. “We didn’t let them go.”

Coy Wire, who replaced Boley late last season in running situations, was re-signed after becoming an unrestricted free agent, and Smith said Stephen Nicholas, a third-year player, will compete for a starting job.

The Falcons’ biggest offseason signing was linebacker Mike Peterson, a former starter with Jacksonville and Indianapolis who will get the first shot at replacing Brooking on the weak side.

Smith said Peterson is capable of playing all three linebacker positions. Smith also said the weakside and strongside linebacker positions are “interchangeable” in his defense, which puts a premium on speed and attacking the ball.

Instead of the Brooking-Lofton-Boley group, the Falcons used the majority of last season, the rebuilt unit figures to be Peterson-Lofton and Wire or Nicholas. The Falcons also have linebacker depth with Robert James, a fifth-round draft pick in 2008 who spent the season on injured reserve, and Tony Gilbert, who was on the roster all season but inactive. Smith said the team likely will add at least one linebacker in the April 25-26 NFL draft.