Falcons focus on the free agents

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Falcons have completed the offseason evaluations of their veterans and have opened preliminary negotiations with the team’s free agents.

The franchise has 17 prospective free agents and will attempt to sign some of the key players, such as defensive end John Abraham, cornerback Brent Grimes, linebacker Curtis Lofton and safety Thomas DeCoud, to contract extensions. If they reach deals, that would keep the players from reaching free agency, which starts March 13.

What the Falcons are able to accomplish in free agency will directly impact their draft plan this season. Because of the Julio Jones trade, they have picks in the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

The draft is set for April 26-28.

The Falcons have 47 players under contract and are $30.75 million under last season’s salary cap of $120.375 million. The cap for 2012 is expected to be announced by the NFL in the next week and is not expected to increase greatly.

Quarterback Matt Ryan ($13.5 million), wide receiver Roddy White ($8.025 million), cornerback Dunta Robinson ($7.7 million), running back Michael Turner ($7 million) and tight end Tony Gonzalez ($5.9 million) have the top five salary-cap numbers for the next season.

In addition to trying to work out contract extensions with their key players, the Falcons likely will try to add help for their offensive line in free agency.

“To me, offensive line/defensive line have to be the priorities,” NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock said. “The biggest problem that Atlanta has is that they have to do a better job of protecting Matt Ryan.”

The Falcons have stated that they want to have more of a deep passing attack. In order to throw deeper routes, they have to protect longer. The line had problems doing that last season.

Also, the line had trouble in short-yardage situations against New Orleans in the regular season and the New York Giants in the playoffs. The Falcons repeatedly were stopped on fourth-down plays. It must be noted, however, that they were without Pro Bowl fullback Ovie Mughelli, one of the league’s top lead blockers.

Abraham was acquired in a trade with the New York Jets in 2006. Over the past six seasons, he has racked up 58.5 sacks, including 16.5 in 2008. He had 9.5 sacks last season while slowed by his problematic groin.

Abraham, who has 112 career sacks and would be the league’s top career sacker if he plays next season, wants to play for the Falcons.

He made a base salary of $8 million last season. In 2009, Jason Taylor signed a two-year, incentive-laden deal with the Jets worth $13 million.

While Abraham, who was on a snap count and got 3.5 of his sacks against hapless Jacksonville last season, turns 34 in May, his camp can make a plausible argument that he’s still one of the top five pass rushers in the league.

Talks with Grimes are in the early stages. He played last season for $2.61 million. An undrafted player from Shippensburg, he toiled the first five years in the league while making near the league’s minimum salary and is looking for a big payday.

The Falcons will be reluctant to apply the franchise tag — a $10.6 million commitment — on Grimes if they can’t work out a deal.

Lofton, a second-round pick in 2008, has outperformed a modest contract. He has registered 577 tackles, including 387 solo tackles, and has three career interceptions. He returned one for a touchdown last season.

San Francisco’s Patrick Willis, who’s widely considered the top young middle linebacker in the league, signed a seven-year, $53.51 million deal in May 2010. A total of $29 million was guaranteed.

The Falcons likely won’t try to put Lofton in Willis’ financial neighborhood.

DeCoud, a third-round pick in 2008, moved into the starting free safety spot in 2009. He has played well at times, but has a tendency to slide out of position. He fought off a challenge from James Sanders last season.

The Falcons may want to give him a modest deal and see if he can flourish in new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s scheme.

Upcoming

NFL Combine: Wednesday-
Feb. 28, Indianapolis

NFL draft: April 26-28