Lawyer Milloy, Falcons to part ways

Indianapolis — Lawyer Milloy, the Falcons’ starting safety the last three seasons, will not be returning to the team.

Milloy, 35, one of the team’s top tacklers, will pursue signing with other teams when free agency starts on Friday.

“We did meet in Indianapolis and at this point it’s in his best interest to explore other opportunities,” said Todd France, Milloy’s agent.

Milloy started 48 of 49 games in three seasons with the Falcons. He helped provide leadership to a young secondary last season.

“We felt as an organization that it was in the best interests of both parties to go in our own directions and let him test the market in free agency,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said Sunday. “We feel that Lawyer has been a significant contributor to the Falcons organization both on and off the field. We are very proud to have had him involved here. We wish him all of the best in his future career in football and life outside of football.”

Milloy broke in with the New England Patriots after being selected in the second round of the 1996 draft. He played seven seasons with the Patriots and three with the Buffalo Bills before signing with the Falcons in 2006.

“I’ve seen him play at New England and he’s proven that he’s a major contributor in the league,” Dimitroff said. “We feel going forward as an organization that we have acquired players through the draft and free agency in the secondary. We will continue to rebuild the secondary.”

Milloy, who was raised in Tacoma, Wash., has said that he wants to end his career with the Seattle Seahawks, where he’d be reunited with former Falcons head coach Jim Mora.

Milloy and free safety Erik Coleman served as the last line of defense for the Falcons in 2008. Coleman led the team in solo tackles with 82 and Milloy was third with 76. They were second (127) and third (117) in overall tackles behind weakside linebacker Keith Brooking (133).

Milloy had a role in two touchdown plays in the Falcons’ 30-24 wildcard playoff lost to the Arizona Cardinals. He made some missteps on Anquan Boldin’s 71-yard touchdown catch and came up too fast on a flea-flicker touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald.

Despite that game, Milloy provided some backbone to the unit with his hard-charging style. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first team All-Pro in 1999.

In an attempt to replace Milloy, the Falcons have been busy interviewing some of the top safeties in the draft here at the NFL scouting combine.

They have interviewed Alabama’s Rashad Johnson and Missouri’s William Moore. They also are scouting Western Michigan’s Louis Delmas closely.

“I sat down with the defensive backs coach,” Johnson said. “We went through some defenses. I showed him some things. He was really impressed with the details and the terminology that I used.”

Moore also enjoyed his interview with the Falcons.

“They seemed very interested,” Moore said. “They are a great football team. I can tell that’s the missing piece to their football team. That kept them from the Super Bowl.”

Johnson is especially attractive because he played in a pro style defense under Nick Saban.

“His system is very complicated, but at the same time when you learn it and get the details of it, that helps you in becoming a play maker,” Johnson said. “You make the calls out there on the field. You put yourself in what you think is the best possible coverage to play.”

Moore has dropped about five pounds to get down to 220. He wants to show teams that he has the range to play safety and cover fast receivers.

“Just to disprove the doubters,” Moore said. “I’ve been hearing that I might be too big.”