FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff spent part of last week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, and coach Mike Smith will return from the Pro Bowl early next week -- then the team's search for a new quarterbacks coach will shift into overdrive.
They must find a replacement for Bill Musgrave, who left to become the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 19.
Also, Jeff Fisher's resignation in Tennessee created another opening for a coach, and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey may become a candidate there. Denver and Cleveland received permission to interview Mularkey this offseason. He interviewed with the Browns and canceled his interview with Denver. Pat Shurmur was named the coach in Cleveland, and former Carolina coach John Fox landed the Denver job.
With Mularkey, 48, one of the hot head-coaching candidates, the quarterbacks coach eventually could replace Mularkey as the offensive coordinator. There is some thought that if Mularkey doesn't get a job this offseason, he'll get one in the future.
"We are going to make sure that we have a very detailed search," Dimitroff said.
The Falcons also will consult third-year quarterback Matt Ryan about his new position coach.
"There is no question that coach Smith and I will have a very detailed conversation with Matt," Dimitroff said.
Once the coaching situation settles, the Falcons, who also are preparing for the draft, will have to address some key free agents on special teams.
Kickoff specialist and punter Michael Koenen and kicker Matt Bryant both are set to become free agents.
Koenen was one of the top-paid kickers/punters in the NFL last season, with a base salary of $2.731 million. Bryant made only $755,000 last season and is set for a big raise. Both were extremely productive in 2010.
Of Koenen's 88 kickoffs, 23 were touchbacks (26.1 percent), which ranked fifth in the league. He also placed 29 of his punts inside the 20, which was tied for eighth in the league. While his net average punt (35.6 yards) was ranked 26th, he got a lot of hang time and had 24 fair catches, which was third in the league.
Bryant, who turns 36 in May, made 28 of 31 field goals and all 44 extra-point attempts. Bryant was 8-of-10 on field goals of 40 to 49 yards. He made his only attempt over 50 yards.
Bryant, who made three game-winning field goals, was the first alternate for the Pro Bowl.
Overall, the special-teams units had a solid season. There were some missteps, however, including a 72-yard punt return by New Orleans' Lance Moore, an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Tampa Bay's Michael Spurlock and a blocked punt by San Francisco's Taylor Mays that he recovered for a touchdown.
"The coverage units have to be where you excel first," said Keith Armstrong, the Falcons' special-teams coordinator. "When we go into a game, obviously we want to shut you down. That's the first objective. The way we started the year off, we weren't getting that done."
The team fixed the coverage issues by putting starters Kroy Biermann and Stephen Nicholas on the coverage units.
The biggest bright spot for the units was the development of Eric Weems, who returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns. He also was the top special-teams tackler and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.
"He has a big heart," Armstrong said. "He's tough as nails. He's the epitome of what you are looking for in special-teams players."
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Falcons’ offseason
We take a look at the areas the Falcons will need to improve upon in order to advance further in the NFL playoffs next season.
Thursday: Offense
Friday: Defense
Saturday: Special teams/coaching
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