The Falcons and the Oakland Raiders completed a trade Thursday night that will send two-time Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall to Oakland in exchange for two draft picks.

The Falcons will receive the Raiders' second-round pick this year (34th overall) and their fifth-round pick next year.

Hall signed a seven-year contract that will total $67 million. The NFL Network is reporting $24.5 million of the contract is guaranteed.

It was necessary for Hall and the Raiders to come to terms before the trade could be consummated. Hall was entering the last year of his Falcons contract and sought a lucrative long-term deal, which the Falcons were reluctant to extend. The Raiders did not want to sacrifice draft picks for a player who could walk away after the season.

The Falcons were in a similar situation two years ago when they traded a first-round pick in a deal that included the Jets and Broncos for New York's defensive end John Abraham, who agreed to a six-year, $45 million contract before the swap could take place.

Besides receiving the two draft picks, the Falcons will clear almost $3 million in room under the salary cap by moving Hall.

The trading of Hall follows him repeatedly expressing concerns about the direction of the team, even under newly hired general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith. Hall said he was tired of losing, even though he is headed to a team with a far more dubious situation of late than Atlanta's.

Hall's desire for a new contract factored into the decision, but the Falcons also are reconstructing an aged, broken-down roster after suffering through quarterback Michael Vick's dogfighting indictment and other struggles over the past three seasons. Owner Arthur Blank is trying to re-cast a more positive image, and Hall's discontent and outspokenness didn't fit the mold.

The trade with Oakland gives the Falcons fairly ample means to rebuild, even though the process could take longer than a season. They possess 10 draft picks, four in the top 48 selections — including the No. 3 overall choice.

The Falcons, who were roughly $12 million under the $116 salary cap before the trade, could find Hall's replacement in the draft or go outside their roster.

Chris Houston, who is entering his second season, is expected to start at one corner. Von Hutchins, a free-agent acquisition for Houston, has started at cornerback and safety. Neophytes Brent Grimes and David Irons are the other two cornerbacks on the team.

Also, the Falcons continued contract negotiations with free-agent kicker Jason Elam, who spent a second day meeting with team officials in Atlanta. Elam, who is from Snellville, is one of the top kickers in NFL history, and he has spent all 15 of his NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos. Denver has made offers to re-sign Elam.