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5 Ex-Falcons on the All-Unemployed team

FILE PHOTO -- 110801 Flowery Branch - Offensive tackle Tyson Clabo, left, and offensive guard Justin Blalock, right, who just signed a contract with the Falcons, watch practice but are not yet able to participate while players run through the first padded practice at training camp in Flowery Branch on Monday, August 1, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com FILE PHOTO -- 110801 Flowery Branch - Offensive tackle Tyson Clabo, left, and offensive guard Justin Blalock, right, who just signed a contract with the Falcons, watch practice but are not yet able to participate while players run through the first padded practice at training camp in Flowery Branch on Monday, August 1, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter

Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter

FILE PHOTO -- 110801 Flowery Branch - Offensive tackle Tyson Clabo, left, and offensive guard Justin Blalock, right, who just signed a contract with the Falcons, watch practice but are not yet able to participate while players run through the first padded practice at training camp in Flowery Branch on Monday, August 1, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com FILE PHOTO -- 110801 Flowery Branch - Offensive tackle Tyson Clabo, left, and offensive guard Justin Blalock, right, who just signed a contract with the Falcons, watch practice but are not yet able to participate while players run through the first padded practice at training camp in Flowery Branch on Monday, August 1, 2011. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
By
May 19, 2014

FLOWERY BRANCH – Five former Falcons – tight end Ben Hartsock, tackle Tyson Clabo, linebacker Stephen Nicholas, and cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson – are on the ProfootballTalk.com's All-Unemployed team over available veteran player.

Here’s a the entire team.

Hartsock started 11 games for the Falcons in 2008. He's started 48 games over 10 seasons as a blocking tight end from The Ohio State University.

Clabo has 116 starts and could be picked up by a team in need of help late in training camp like the Falcons, who suffered a rash of injuries and signed Jeremy Trueblood last season.

Nicholas made 50 starts for the Falcons.

Samuel has 51 career interceptions, but appeared to have lost some of his acceleration last season.

Robinson lost his nickel back job in Kansas City last season, his 10th in the league.

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Dezmen Southward ready to compete for playing time

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Falcons signed 20 undrafted rookie free agents, 5 from SEC 

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Explore Round 1 / 6 -- Jake Matthews, RT, 6-5, 308, Texas A&M
Explore Round 2/37 – Ra’Shede Hageman, DE, 6-6, Minnesota

Round 3/68 – Dezmen Southward, FS, 6-0, 211, Wisconsin

Explore Round 4/103 – Devonta Freeman, RB, 5-8, 206, Florida State
Explore Round 4/139 – Prince Shembo, LB, 6-1, 253 Notre Dame
Explore Round 5/147 – Ricardo Allen, CB, 5-9, 187, Purdue
Explore Round 5/168 – Marquis Spruill, LB, 6-1, 231, Syracuse
Explore Round 7/253 – Yawin Smallwood, LB, 6-2, 246, Connecticut
Explore Round 7/255 – Tyler Starr, LB, 6-4, 250, South Dakota

About the Author

Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.

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