Report: Weatherspoon 'leaning toward' Arizona Cardinals

FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon is "leaning toward" signing with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, according to a tweet by Rand Getlin an NFL Insider for Yahoo Sports.

He cites a "league source." (Agents are not league sources. They don't work for the league, but it's either an agent or a team source.)

Weatherspoon, the team’s first-round pick in the 2010 draft (19th overall), was headed into a contract season before rupturing his Achilles tendon while running with the training staff in June.

Weatherspoon, 26, was coming off a tough campaign in 2013. The 6-foot, 1-inch and 241-pound linebacker, spent part of the season on injured reserve/designated to return with a foot injury before making it back, only to exit again with a knee injury.

Arizona has been mentioned by Kent Somers of The Arizona  Republic as a possible suitor for if he can't reach a deal with the Falcons.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team wants to re- sign Weatherspoon.  Last Saturday after the Black College Hall of Fame ceremony, Dimitroff expressed optimism that a deal would be done before the league's new year starts at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.