The sometimes harsh and cold business reality of pro football rears its ugly head in the offseason.
On Friday, it struck at the Falcons’ facilities, when former All-Pro players Michael Turner and John Abraham, along with cornerback Dunta Robinson, were released to create salary-cap space that will allow the team to re-sign some of their own free agents.
“They were business decisions,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said Friday. “They were decisions made for us to continue to look at the direction of this football team.”
The Falcons reached the NFC Championship game last season, but a potential game-winning drive stalled on the 10-yard line in a gut-wrenching 28-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Turner’s release saved the team $6.4 million under the salary cap. Abraham’s saved $5.75 million and Robinson’s saved $3.75 million. In all, the team saved $15.9 million under the cap by releasing the veterans. Robinson also was due a $3 million roster bonus March 17.
The Falcons’ adjusted cap for 2013 is $124.3 million, according to NFLPA documents. Before the moves, they had $4.1 million in cap space.
So, with a few days remaining before free agency starts March 9, the Falcons have some cap room to try to re-sign offensive tackle Sam Baker and safety William Moore.
“As far as free agency, given these three moves, again our focus has always been to make sure that we hone in on our players that are currently on our team in our attempt to re-sign our football players,” Dimitroff said. “That’s going to be our focus, first and foremost.”
In addition to Baker and Moore, the Falcons have 12 other potential unrestricted free agents and two restricted free agents. Tight end Tony Gonzalez is included in the unrestricted group.
Dimitroff said the player moves were unrelated to Gonzalez’s decision to retire or return for another season.
“Very little of it took into consideration Tony’s situation,” Dimitroff said. “Very little.”
To release the three veterans, the Falcons must be confident that they can find replacements in the draft and/or free agency or believe that the replacement already is on the roster.
“We have a number of positions that we need to hone in on, whether it’s in the draft or potentially acquiring (players) in free agency,” Dimitroff said. “That’s all that I can really say at this point because there are a lot of moving parts.”
Also, the Falcons are closely watching the situation in St. Louis with Rams running back Steven Jackson, who’s expected to void his contract and become an unrestricted free agent, according to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
After the Ray Edwards debacle — $27.5 million contract, $11 million guaranteed, virtually no return — the Falcons will be extremely selective in free agency. They have discussed adding defensive linemen Dwight Freeney and Osi Umenyiora.
Also, with Matt Ryan’s contract on the financial horizon, the Falcons need more younger players at lower salaries.
“In 2008, we came in here and we were the youngest team in the NFL,” Dimitroff said. “This last year, we were one of the oldest teams.”
In five seasons with the Falcons, Turner, 31, rushed for 6,081 yards and a franchise-record 60 touchdowns. Last season, he split time with running back Jacquizz Rodgers. Turner averaged only 3.6 yards per carry last season, as he finished with 800 yards on 222 carries.
“This is a tough business, but I understand its nature and respect the process,” Turner wrote on his official Facebook page. “I’m excited to begin a new chapter of my career and truly believe I have a lot left in the tank.”
The Falcons acquired Abraham in a trade with the New York Jets in 2006.
One of the better defensive ends in the NFL over the past 13 seasons, Abraham was selected 13th in the first round of the 2000 draft by the New York Jets. One of the game’s premier speed rushers, he has registered 122 career sacks.
Abraham had 68.5 sacks in his seven seasons with the Falcons, second-most in team history. He had a career-high of 16.5 sacks in 2008.
"I am 34-years old and I still feel like I have a couple of more years left in me so hopefully someone has enough trust in me and enough faith that I still got something in me," Abraham said. "I still have a couple of more miles left on these wheels.”
The Falcons signed Robinson to a six-year, $57 million contract March 5, 2010. He brought a certain swagger to the team with his hard-hitting style that led to several concussions, but he struggled at times in coverage.
“These three men contributed a great deal to the success of this organization,” Dimitroff said. “I would like to personally thank John, Dunta and Michael for the all the contributions and (wish them) all the best to their success in the future.”
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