It’s time to look at who’s stock is up and down after the second preseason game. The Falcons have just one more preseason game before they much begin to make roster cuts and decisions.

Stock Up

WR Troy Bergeron - With the season-ending injury to Meier, the Falcons are likely in need for some roster help at this position. And right now, Bergeron is probably the only one of the “camp bodies” at wide receiver that has thus far distinguished himself in preseason games. He’s tied for the lead among all receivers with four receptions, including a nice run after the catch on a 19-yard score vs. the Patriots. Bergeron’s eligibility for the practice squad has expired, so the only way he can stick is to be on the team’s 53-man roster when all is said and done. And right now, he’s given the team the most to date to why he deserves over the other guys who actually can go on the practice squad.

TE Justin Peelle - Not only is Meier’s injury a potential boon for a player like Bergeron, it might also help Justin Peelle. With all the injuries and question marks the Falcons are facing at the wide receiver, there is no question as to what Peelle’s value is. And if those issues linger at wide receiver, the team may be forced to use a lot more two-tight end sets as the regular season begins. And Peelle thus far has shown that he is ready for the increased workload with 4 receptions thus far in the preseason, including 3 vs. the Patriots. To date, Peelle has caught more passes from Matt Ryan than Harry Douglas has, so relatively speaking he is a trusted option that can take pressure off the other receivers as the season nears.

DE Lawrence Sidbury – While Kroy Biermann has garnered most of the headlines and hype this summer, Sidbury has quietly done a good job pressuring the quarterback as well. He got a sack in what was essentially garbage minutes vs. the Patriots, but he’s shown a greater burst and quickness off the edge than he displayed last season and summer, and looks like he is well on his way to being a key contributor in the team’s rotation.

Stock Down

CB Dominique Franks - This is not in reference to what Franks can do on defense, as he showed some improvement this past week vs. the Patriots in coverage. This is in regards to his special teams production. Franks is in the midst of a competition with Eric Weems over return duties, but thus far has been unimpressive. He has fair caught four punts, and his lone return vs. the Patriots was a 7-yard loss in which he looked amateurish, trying to run to break a big play but rather picking up a loss of yardage. This week vs. Miami may be his last chance to really shine and unseat the much more battle tested and consistent Weems.

S Matt Giordano – While Shann Schillinger made his preseason debut with a couple of tackles and a nice interception, Giordano premiered vs. the Patriots by being the victim on two bad plays where he was caught out of position. One of which resulted in a touchdown. While the fourth safety spot was likely always Schillinger’s to lose, Giordano did little to at least make it interesting and inspire confidence in the coaching staff that a veteran hand like his is necessary. Barring a brilliant performance next week vs. the Dolphins, and a flop on the part of Schillinger it would seem that the job is locked up.

RB Dimitri Nance – While he still may maintain a slight lead on Antone Smith in the competition for the fourth running back position, Nance did little vs. the Patriots to separate himself from the pack. Despite looking promising on two touchdown runs vs. the Chiefs, and thus far being the more reliable of the pair as a receiver out of the backfield, Nance’s fumble vs. the Patriots has made this battle much more even. And while some of the blame may rest on the blocking he’s received up front, his 2.1 yards per carry average is far from impressive. Especially when Smith has it practically doubled.

It’s time to look at a handful of players whose stock is up or down based on their performances through the first game of the preseason.

Stock Up

Kroy Biermann, DE - Expectations that Biermann would be able to step up his game were not let down with a good preseason opener. Two tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble indicate that Biermann seems poised to build off a breakout year as a pass rusher.

Dominique Franks, CB – He is not in the mix to be a starter this year, and probably doesn’t have a realistic shot of winning the nickel role, but Franks has reportedly had a strong camp so far, and continue to flash his ability in the game against the Chiefs. He showed his tackling ability with two good sticks on Chiefs receivers. He missed another tackle by taking a bad angle and gave up another long play in coverage, indicating that he still has a ways to go before he can be a reliable contributor on defense. But if his tackling ability is any indicator, Franks should be a valuable contributor early on special teams. Chris Owens had a similar path a year ago, going from special teams maven into regular contributor on defense by year’s end.

Kerry Meier, WR – We continue to hear nice things about the fifth round pick who has snagged everything so far at camp. Meier finished the preseason opener with two catches for 27 yards. He isn’t likely a serious option to fill in time for the vacant Michael Jenkins, but if Meier continues to play at a high level, he may get opportunities on offense rather than being relegated to special teams duty only. He has a chance to pass Eric Weems as the teams’ No. 4 receiver with Jenkins out of the lineup.

John Parker Wilson, QB – It seems the Falcons decision to enter camp with only three arms (one short of the usual in the NFL) seems to be a smart move since Wilson has performed at a level that makes a fourth arm pointless. Wilson didn’t have a great night statistically, completing 8 of 16 passes for 80 yards, but shined at times making some really good throws and showing his NFL arm.

Stock Down

William Moore, S – Moore has missed time by re-aggravating a groin injury he suffered in the spring. Many expected Moore to be a serious challenger for a starting position at strong safety, but he has yet to prove he can remain healthy for a long enough stretch to give the coaching staff something to think about. Barring some absolutely brilliant performances in the remaining preseason games, it would appear Erik Coleman is locked in as the starter for at least another year.

Antone Smith, RB – Despite leading the Falcons in rushing on Friday night’s game against the Chiefs, Smith had at least two key drops in the passing game. He is in direct competition with undrafted rookie Dimitri Nance for a potential fourth running back spot on the depth chart. Given that spot’s role likely to be limited to third downs and special teams, whichever of the two proves to be the more reliable receiver would likely go a long way to settling the competition.

The Falcons will have an open competition at the kicker position. Matt Bryant is expected to be the frontrunner, but he will be pushed by Steven Hauschka.

Bryant has the experience which likely gives him the edge since the Falcons would like to avoid any inconsistency at the position. But Hauschka has the bigger leg and longer range. The problem is that he has not been particularly effective in clutch kicking situations and showed a tendency to miss some fairly easy kicks last year in Baltimore, leading to his release. But Hauschka also has the added advantage of being 10 years younger than Bryant.

The Falcons will have options, and will likely go with the more consistent of the two. More than likely, the team will alternate them in preseason games to maximize their opportunities.

At punter, Michael Koenen’s job is safe. And while Hauschka was an effective kickoff guy for two years in Baltimore, he doesn’t like he’ll be a serious challenge to Koenen even if he wins the job over Bryant. Joe Zelenka’s job as long snapper appears safe after a good last month of the season in 2009.

The return situation will also feature some heavy competition. Eric Weems is the incumbent returner, and while he may lack explosive speed to really get a lot of big plays, he is fairly consistent with his ability to give the team good field position. Jerious Norwood has more explosive speed on kickoffs, but the team may feel his value on offense makes Weems more desirable there. As a punt returner in 2008, Harry Douglas was fairly good. But he didn’t show the most reliable set of hands and coming off an ACL injury it doesn’t seem like he’ll have that same explosive burst. Dominique Franks will get an opportunity as well. He doesn’t have great speed, but if he can show he can be a reliable set of hands and show some big play potential there, he has a shot to unseat Weems.

Dunta Robinson

The cornerback position may face the most competition of any unit on the roster from top to bottom.

Essentially the only player that is assured a roster spot is free agent pickup Dunta Robinson. Robinson was the Falcons most major addition to the roster this off-season. Solid preseason play from this position has been a rarity since Mike Smith took over, and the Falcons hope Robinson can help reverse that.

The other starting position will face heavy competition. Brian Williams is the incumbent, re-signed to a one-year contract, but is coming off a knee injury. Williams had already lost a step before the injury, and it remains to be seen if he still has enough in the tank to hold off the youth the Falcons have at the position.

His chief competition should come from Brent Grimes and/or Chris Owens. Grimes played well in the nickel role last season, and was a playmaker late in the year as a starter. Owens didn’t get a ton of playing time until the last month or so of the season, but showed promise. It would appear the team would prefer having one of them manning the other outside spot opposite Robinson.

Williams was utilized as a slot corner last year, and he it remains to be seen if either Owens or Grimes will get opportunities there as well. Last year when WIlliams went down, that position was manned by Chevis Jackson. Jackson had a disappointing sophomore year, but the coaches hope he can bounce back with a strong summer. Because of his experience playing in the slot, he has a legit chance of earning the nickel back position.

Pushing Jackson will be rookie Dominique Franks. A fifth round pick, Franks probably won’t be counted on to make a big impact as a rookie. He will have a chance to push for a reserve role, but more than likely the Falcons will utilize him on special teams at least early on. But a strong summer from Franks could spell and end to Willaims or Jackson’s Falcon career.

The other corner on the roster is Daylan Walker, an undrafted rookie. It’s also possible that fellow rookie Gabe Derricks may get opportunities here as well, despite being listed as a safety. Both players are long shots to make the roster, and essentially will need strong preseason performance to make the practice squad.

The Falcons will certainly keep five corners, but may opt to go for six, especially if Williams and Jackson show enough to merit being kept around.

Dominique Franks

Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post cites league sources indicated that the Falcons have agreed to terms with two more rookies: center Joe Hawley and cornerback Dominique Franks.

Per Wilson’s report, Hawley received a signing bonus in excess of $480,000. Franks had a signing bonus reportedly around $211,000.

Hawley was a fourth round pick for the Falcons out of UNLV. Franks was a fifth round picks out of Oklahoma. The Falcons now have four of their seven draft picks signed to deals.

Now that I’ve had a day to let the draft sink in, everybody wants to start grading drafts. Well, here are mine:

1/19. LB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
This pick didn’t have me jumping for joy, maybe because I expected it the minute Brandon Graham was snatched up by the Eagles. Perhaps I had set myself up to think we were going to fix our defensive end position with this pick. But that shouldn’t mean I’m disappointed with this pick at all. Weatherspoon is going to be a fixture on our defenses for years to come with the potential to make multiple Pro Bowls. He fits very well in our defense, with his speed, range, and his eagerness to hit. He has good coverage ability that means he’ll be able to cover tight ends like Kellen Winslow and backs like Reggie Bush in our division. His intensity and fierceness make him a near perfect match to put alongside Curtis Lofton. The only real question is just how soon will the Falcons try to reap the benefits of this selection. Weatherspoon is a natural weakside linebacker, and will be miscast on the strongside. The Falcons could move Peterson to the strongside where he played a bit in Jacksonville to try and put their best three linebackers on the field at once. Or they could keep Nicholas in the lineup, and instead trying to bring along Spoon a bit more slowly, incorporating him in subpackages, particularly on passing downs. It really doesn’t matter to me, either way I think Spoon will begin to make his presence known as a rookie. And he’ll almost certainly be the starter in 2011 regardless of what happens next year. GRADE: A

3/83. DT Corey Peters, Kentucky
Dimitroff indicated the team really wanted to address their depth at defensive tackle, and basically “reached” on Peters because they felt that he wasn’t going to be available later in the draft. I buy that, and I can understand why the Falcons liked Peters more than other defensive tackle prospects that were available. He has a good motor, is a capable pass rusher, and should fit nicely in our rotation behind our starters. I don’t really see starting potential with him, and in the middle of the third round you prefer to get guys that can start down the road. But Peters will definitely contribute even if it’s not as a starter. He should be the top tackle off the bench no later than 2011. GRADE: C+

3/98. OG Mike Johnson, Alabama
This pick really appears like the real coup of the Falcons draft. Johnson has Alan Faneca-like ability as a left guard. Johnson is one of the top run blockers in the entire class, and should be able to compete right off the start for a starting job at left guard. His ability to clear running lanes is exactly what the Falcons need at left guard, since Sam Baker is not exactly a road-grader. Johnson’s ability there will help offset that lacking ability from Baker, and allow the Falcons to be more productive running to the left. Johnson’s major weakness is that he’s inconsistent in pass protection. But Faneca has been the same way throughout much of his later career, but like Faneca he can also potentially be a fill-in at tackle as well, although his best position is left guard. Even if Johnson doesn’t unseat Blalock this summer, it’s highly likely that he’ll slide in as the starter in 2011 with Blalock headed to free agency. GRADE: A+

4/117. OC Joe Hawley, UNLV
I don’t know enough about Hawley to really have a strong opinion on this pick. He’s a center that can also play guard, a position he played more during his career than at center. But if he’s a physical player, and almost every thing I read suggests he is, he could be a nice developmental center. Basically he could be another Brett Romberg, and has a chance to be the heir apparent to Todd McClure at center at some point in the next year or two. He is not Alex Mack, but you don’t have to be in order to be a starting NFL center. GRADE: B

5/135. CB Dominique Franks, Oklahoma
Franks entered this draft early because the NFL draft advisory board probably told him he would be a second round pick back in January. Well they were obviously wrong, because he fell. But he could be a potential steal. Franks isn’t great, but is a solid corner that should definitely be able to compete for a starting job in the near future. For now, he’ll probably push Grimes and Owens for the nickel job, but with his size he could leapfrog both as the heir apparent to Brian Williams as the starter in 2011 and beyond. At the very least, he should add depth if not becoming a serviceable starter down the road. GRADE: B+

5/165. WR Kerry Meier, Kansas
Meier is a player you like when you watch him play. He has good hands, nice size, and does a good job moving the chains in Kansas wide-open spread attack. He was very productive, but I’m not convinced he’ll be a factor on offense at the NFL level because of a lack of burst and speed. He’s targeted to fill the role that Brian Finneran holds on the team, and his first duties will be on special teams. He’s a guy that I think could bulk up and work as a wideout/H-back, a role that Finneran filled for much of last season before he got hurt. GRADE: C

6/171. S Shann Schillinger, Montana
Schillinger was drafted to fill depth and will push Matt Giordano as the reserve free safety and special teams. Again, don’t know much about him, but I’m at least hopeful that there’s a chance he can be developed somewhat and fill the role as a reserve safety that Erik Coleman is expected to fill this year. If he can be a stud special teams player and a capable reserve a few years down the road, then this is a solid pick. GRADE: B-

OVERALL GRADE: B

This draft will largely be judged down the road on how good of NFL players Weatherspoon and Johnson will be. Both have Pro Bowl potential, and if they develop into that then no one is really going to care about the rest of this class. If Peters also develops into a solid No. 3 defensive tackle, Hawley is a competent starter, and Franks, Meier, and Schillinger can contribute off the bench, then that only makes this draft class stronger.

The Falcons gave up their fifth round pick (No. 149 overall) and their second sixth round pick (No. 189)  to the St. Louis Rams to move up 14 spots in round five to get a cornerback, Dominique Franks out of Oklahoma.

Franks adds some size (5’11″ 194) and speed (4.46) to the Falcons secondary. He provided big plays on Oklahoma’s defense, scoring 3 defensive touchdowns during his career. He also adds value as a punt returner.

Click here to read a scouting report on Franks.

Kareem Jackson

As stated in the defensive end section, the Falcons pass defense was among the worst in the league. And arguably as big a reason for that as the lack of a strong pass rush was the poor coverage displayed throughout the year by the team’s cornerbacks.

Brian Williams was the team’s best corner last year, but he got hurt in Week 6 matchup vs. the Bears. And at his age (31 in July), coming off a knee injury, it remains to be seen if Williams can be considered a reliable option as a starter this year. We’ll likely find out just based on whether the Falcons re-sign him as a free agent and how big a contract they give him.

At the other spot is Chris Houston who missed most of the end of the season due to injury. But Houston had an up and down, that was a lot more down than up. And he has yet to take his game to the next level as a consistent and reliable cover man since Smith & Co. took over. So it’s doubtful the team will hold out too much hope that changes in 2010.

In Houston and Williams absence, two young corners emerged as arguably the team’s best moving forward: Brent Grimes and Chris Owens. Both are short, but have good speed, and instincts to make plays. But it remains to be seen if the Falcons can afford to start two 5’9″ corners.

Also on the roster is Chevis Jackson and Tye Hill. Jackson had a promising rookie year, but took a step back this past year. He struggled in man coverage, and now there are questions about whether he has the hips and quickness to get better. Hill is another undersized corner that had a brief flirtation as a starter, but too many mental mistakes ended that experiment rather swiftly.

The Falcons truly lack a No. 1 corner that can go up against the top receivers and the league and match up. And not a single player on the roster appears to have the upside to become that player.

And the Falcons will likely target players at this position that can come in right away and compete as starters, rather than adding more depth that they hope can develop as starters down the road.

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