I’m listing some players that I think depending on their Combine performances over the next few days will start to pick up more steam as potentially draft picks for the Falcons, as well as guys that could be in a position to rise up other teams’ draft boards in general.

RB Robert Turbin, Utah State
Like many underclassman, Turbin has generally gone under the radar so far. It is generally the Combine where some of these lesser known players can rise. While it doesn’t seem like the running back position is going to be a high priority for the Falcons this April, it would behoove them to start thinking about the future of this position. Turbin is an excellent physical specimen, with a short, squat, but think build similar to Michael Turner. He probably is not going to have a blazing 40 time, but if he can run in the low 4.5s, he’s a player that can start to solidify his status as a potential Top 50 pick.

WR Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech
The local product is trying to follow in the steps of Demaryius Thomas as one of the premier second tier wide receiver prospects. Hill has excellent size and athleticism at 6’4″, and like Thomas he’s more a long strider. That can bode very well when it comes to the 40-yard dash. Again, the Falcons probably won’t be looking to make a major move at the wide receiver position given they just drafted Julio Jones, but Hill has the potential to solidify his status as a second round pick with a strong workout.

TE Orson Charles, Georgia
Because Charles is a junior, he’s not going as much love. But Charles can do something similar to Ben Watson did several years ago, which is if he has a strong workout, he can start to rise up boards. Watson ultimately wound up being a late first round pick. Who the top tight end off the board is ripe for the taking, and strong combines helped Watson and Dustin Keller a few years later improve their draft stock greatly. While a strong Combine could probably mean Charles will be drafted before the Falcons are on the clock, his moving up the board could have several implications on which tight end might be in the Falcons range.

TE DeAngelo Peterson, LSU
Peterson is another good athletic SEC tight end, that was a bit underused in LSU’s offense this past year. If he has a good Combine workout, much of that lack of production can be forgiven in scout’s eyes. And while he’s more of a middle round pick at this point, he could start to rise and be in the mix in the second round range, where many suspect the Falcons could target a tight end.

TE Ladarius Green, UL-Lafayette
Green is another tight end that could start to see his stock rise with a good Combine. And coupled with these other players near the top of the class, could turn what was previously conceived as a mediocre draft class at this position into a strong one. Green is the physical specimen of the group, standing 6’6″ and playing more like an oversized receiver. If he can couple that size and athleticism with a good 40 time, he might be in the conversation as well for the Falcons top pick.

OT Bobby Massie, Ole Miss
Massie followed Michael Oher at Ole Miss and despite not receiving the same acclaim, is probably as good an athlete as his predecessor. Massie spent his entire career at right tackle, but certainly possesses the sort of athleticism that teams look for and want in their left tackles. A strong Combine workout that displays that athleticism could solidify him as one of the Top 5 tackles in this draft class.

OT Matt McCants, UAB
McCants played at the Senior Bowl, and did not use that opportunity to really solidify his draft stock going up against some of the top pass rushers on the South team. But he’ll get another chance at the Combine. As mentioned previously, teams fall in love with athletic tackles, and McCants has that potential with his size (6’6″) and long arms, he every bit looks the part of a top NFL left tackle. He’ll need a strong Combine, and he might start to move up to the late second round as a potential target for the Falcons.

DE Chandler Jones, Syracuse
There’s no doubt the Falcons need to upgrade their pass rush, and Jones is another underclassman that has gone a bit under the radar. While he’s already being projected to go in the second round range, a strong Combine workout where his size and athleticism will be on display could really cause his stock to rise, and he may be the favored target of Falcons draftniks when projecting which pass rusher hopefully is there for the team in Round Two.

OLB Terrell Manning, N.C. State
Another position that the Falcons aren’t really in the market for, but Manning definitely has a chance to improve his stock greatly. As an underclassman that surprisingly came out, he’s gone under the radar. But Manning has the sort of speed and athleticism that reminds you a lot of a younger version of Sean Weatherspoon before he polished his game completely during his final years at Missouri. If Manning can clock a strong 40 time, his stock should jump high.

OLB Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy
He might be a bit more on the Falcons radar because he’s a pass rusher that played end in college. But he’s being projected as a 3-4 linebacker because of his lack of ideal size. But if Massaquoi comes to Indianapolis and tips the scales around 260 and still is able to showcase his athleticism and speed, he might start to gain more traction as a defensive end. Troy has produced a number of good pass rushers over the years (e.g. Osi Umenyiora, Demarcus Ware), and Massaquoi intends to be the next in line.

ILB Mychael Kendricks, California
Drafting an inside linebacker is hopefully not in the cards for the Falcons given this team’s potential to re-sign Curtis Lofton. But if that were not to occur and the Falcons were looking for an eventual replacement, Kendricks might be a guy that comes on their radar. He’s not the biggest guy out there, being listed at around 5’11″ 240, but he’s got excellent straight-line speed and was an adept pass rusher in Cal’s 3-4 scheme. If he clocks a fast 40, he should see his stock rise.

The Falcons have two free agents that they have to decide whether to keep or let test the market: starting free safety Thomas DeCoud and utility backup James Sanders. In a perfect world the Falcons probably manage to hang onto both, but given other priorities, it’s possible one or both players slip through the cracks.

DeCoud has been up and down as a Falcon, but he’s generally been solid as the team’s free safety. Sanders was a nice late summer addition because he can play either safety spot, filling in that depth role vacated by Erik Coleman. There was some hope that when Sanders was signed, he could give the Falcons cause to let DeCoud walk if need be. But Sanders did not quite play at that level this year. He was serviceable when asked to fill in, but was not a significant upgrade when he was on the field versus when DeCoud suited up.

New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will have to make a decision on whether he thinks DeCoud or Sanders can potentially be the quarterback of the secondary in this new scheme. Or he will have to find another option.

One obvious alternative choice would be DaShon Goldson, a player that Nolan drafted in San Francisco. Goldson is coming off a breakout season where he had 6 interceptions. The concern with Goldson is that up until this year, he really was not anything more than an above average player. And any team that is going to pay him will have to determine if his emergence was due to his natural progression and development, or simply because of the introduction of a new scheme by Vic Fangio. If it’s the latter, then there is a buyer’s beware on him.

Outside Goldson, there are few free safeties that jump out for the Falcons to sign. Jim Leonhard (Jets) has a bit of the intangibles that the Falcons probably would want as leader in their secondary, but he’s finished his second straight season on injured reserve and will be 30 in October. His teammate Brodney Pool is a ballhawk, but a bit too one-dimensional as he’s a suspect run defender.

Reggie Nelson is known by head coach Mike Smith, and played well as a rookie in 2007. But in the ensuing years after Smith’s departure, his play dropped off significantly. But he had a nice bounce-back season this past year in Cincinnati. But the issue with Nelson is whether you can count on him to maintain that level of play.

One other player near the top of the list is Tennessee’s Michael Griffin. Griffin has not quite developed into the elite safety the Titans envisioned when they made him their top pick in 2007. But he is a fast, athletic safety that at least offers some upside.

But in truth, there are no obvious upgrades over a player such as DeCoud on the market. When examining their entire bodies of work, nobody’s really stands out above his. This is the classic sort of free agent market where mid-level starting safeties get overpaid. If the Falcons can re-up with DeCoud on a hometown discount, that probably makes the most sense.

If the Falcons lose Sanders and are looking for more of a utility backup, one option out there is Jordan Babineaux, younger brother of Jonathan. Babineaux can play either safety spot as well as nickel cornerback, giving the team options there. But in the end, the Falcons should probably try and keep both DeCoud and Sanders. If they were to prioritize one over the other, then DeCoud is probably the better choice. But if the Falcons are going to want to find a player that is a significant upgrade at free safety, they will need to focus on finding him in the draft.

This position is one of their biggest question marks entering the off-season. The Falcons will be in a position where the decisions they make here could really make or break their defensive success for years to come.

That decision is centered on whether they bring back Brent Grimes or opt to let him walk via free agency. Grimes is one of the few impact defenders on that side of the ball and based off that fact alone it should be a no-brainer to keep him. But the question isn’t that simple, as the factor of money plays a huge part in Grimes’ future in Atlanta.

Two years ago, the Falcons made Dunta Robinson one of the league’s highest paid corners by giving him a deal that averages $9.5 million a year and included $22.5 million in guaranteed money. That contract paid Robinson over $30 million in the first three years of his contract, paying him more money than what the Falcons gave to their top wideout Roddy White the previous summer.

Robinson was essentially paid to be a premier corner, the caliber of player that could take on the league’s best receivers, and not only contain them but potentially shut them down. But what has occurred in the time since is that Grimes has developed into that player. That became very obvious when he transformed into “Optimus Grimes” and contained the league’s premier receiver in Week 7′s win over Detroit.

So now the Falcons have a potential dilemma on their hands. If any player on this roster deserves to make Robinson’s salary, it is Grimes. But the Falcons don’t seem inclined to part ways with Robinson, thanks in large part to the minimal savings it would net towards this year’s salary cap. So the Falcons are essentially having to ask themselves the question: Can they afford to pay two guys that type of money?

And whether that answer is yes or no, will reflect whether or not Grimes is a Falcon in 2012.

And if the answer is no, then the Falcons defense could be in trouble. While Dominique Franks had his moments late in the season as an injury replacement for Grimes, he is still a very far cry from providing the caliber of skills that Grimes has over the past two years. And thus the Falcons are going to need to find more help at this position if they lose Grimes.

And if the Falcons are unwilling to pay a high premium for Grimes, it’s unlikely that they are going to get into bidding wars for the other top free agent corners on the market that include Cortland Finnegan, Carlos Rogers, Brandon Carr, Tracy Porter, and Terrell Thomas.

Instead, the Falcons will likely have to look at some bargain players. The chances that Kelvin Hayden returns will probably increase if Grimes departs. Players such as Kelly Jennings, Richard Marshall, Rashean Mathis, Jason Allen, and Will Allen are all available free agents that have past experience with members of this coaching staff. With the exception of Marshall, who is only 27, all of those guys are older veterans that can at least provide the team with a decent insurance policy in case Franks or Chris Owens aren’t ready to be the starter. But all would be short-term stopgaps at best, essentially no different than the team’s decision to sign Brian Williams a few years back.

Detroit’s Eric Wright, New York’s Aaron Ross, and Chicago’s Zack Bowman might also be worthwhile targets that will likely be allowed to test their markets by their respective teams.

Either way, it appears clear that the best option available remains Grimes. And while he could be one of the more expensive options, he’s a known commodity. But new DC Mike Nolan has generally shown a preference for bigger, more physical corners than Grimes, and thus might influence their decision to pass on keeping him under the expectation that he won’t be as good going forward in Nolan’s scheme as he has been in recent years under Brian VanGorder.

If the Falcons were to retain Grimes, then there would be little issue at this position. They could continue with Grimes and Robinson as the starters, and continue to develop Franks as the nickel corner with the hope that in the future he could develop into a capable starter. Re-signing Grimes makes things a lot easier on the team.

If not, then they will likely be looking for a stopgap for a year or so in the hopes that Franks takes a huge leap forward, Robinson starts to play up to his price tag, and/or buying them a year in the hopes that they can use a top pick on a corner in the 2013 draft. It’s a huge decision, and it really could color the outlook of this defense for years to come. If they keep Grimes, they should be fairly confident that it will stabilize the secondary for years to come, an area that has been a major weakness for the Falcons over the years. If not, then they are gambling that current players on their roster will step as well as hoping that they can find that stabilizing piece in future off-seasons.

As far as I see it, why roll the dice?

In lieu of the departure of director of player personnel Les Snead to take over general manager duties with the St. Louis Rams, the Falcons have promoted David Caldwell to Snead’s former position. Caldwell has spent the past four years as the team’s director of college scouting. The team also announced that pro personnel coordinator DeJuan Polk to become director of pro scouting.

Caldwell was hired by the Falcons in May 2008, after ten seasons as an area scout for the Indianapolis Colts.  Prior to joining the Colts, he spent two years as a scouting assistant with the Carolina Panthers (1996-97). He was a candidate for the Colts vacant GM position last month, which ultimately went to Ryan Grigson.

Last summer, the Falcons promoted Polk to pro personnel coordinator. Polk joined the Falcons in 2006 and worked as an area scout in 2008, and then moved back to the pro scouting department in 2009.

It’s still pretty early in the draft process, and subsequently you’re not going to find a lot of two-round mock drafts out there yet on the internet. But as more come in the coming months, I’ll keep adding them. One of the downsides for the Falcons lacking a first round pick is that there aren’t going to be the constant number of internet mocks out there projecting their pick.

To see my latest take on who the Falcons might look for in the second round with their top pick, click here.

2.13 – Draft Season (Lomas): Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia
2.10 – NFL Draft 101 (Doug Lancy): Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
2.09 – NFL Draft Geek: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall
2.09 – Walter Football (Charlie Campbell): Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas
2.08 – Optimum Scouting: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
2.08 – NFL’s Future: Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California
2.08 – FF Toolbox (Matt Binstock): Nate Potter, OT, Boise State
2.08 – My NFL Draft: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
2.08 – Draft Tek: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
2.08 – Walter Football: Leonard Johnson, CB, Iowa State
2.07 – FF Toolbox (Ricky Dimon): Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson
2.07 – Draft Ace: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami FL
2.07 – NFL Draft Blitz: Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia
2.02 – Great Blue North Report: Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia
2.01 – Draft Season (Ultimate): Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
1.30 – Blogging Dirty: Mike Brewster, OC, Ohio State
1.30 – NFL Draft 101 (Jared Counterman): Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
1.29 – Sideline Scouting: Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State
1.29 – Draft Breakdown (Ryan Lownes): Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
1.25 – Draft Season (Lupagus): Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Only a total of 14 mocks munched in the month of January. Stanford’s Coby Fleener was far and away the most popular pick, followed by Dwayne Allen. The pair combined to appear in half of the mocks, with 7 other players each making one appearance in a January mock. As usual, I’ll keep track of which are “unique” mocks, indicating a mock that was updated and had the Falcons taking a different player than that site’s previous projection. Since we just got started in January, and a relatively late start, all of them were unique.

January Mocks (14 total, 14 unique)
1. Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford (5 total, 5 unique)
2. Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson (2 total, 2 unique)

As in the past, any mock that goes four straight updates without changing their projection will be removed from the rotation until they do update with a new unique mock.

The Falcons primary goal this off-season at this position will be re-signing Curtis Lofton. Lofton is by all indications going to be one of the team’s highest priorities this off-season to keep, if not the highest priority among their 17 free agents. But there have been recent reports that while Lofton should be back in Atlanta in 2012, his role could change.

Those reports come from Len Pasquarelli, who indicates that the Falcons could perceive Lofton more as a two-down situational linebacker than a full-time everydown player. If that is the case, and the Falcons are successful at retaining Lofton, it could mean that they will be looking for more help at the linebacker position on the open market.

If the Falcons pull Lofton off the field in passing and nickel situations, they will need to find a player to replace him. That player could be Stephen Nicholas, but that seems unlikely since this team has over the years done their best to limit Nicholas’ role on passing downs. Unless Mike Nolan envisions something where Nicholas pass-rushing ability is added to the mix along with coverage duties. That does make some sense if the Falcons do plan to employ a mix of 3-4/4-3 looks, with Nicholas and Weatherspoon being their two best blitzing linebackers.

But the Falcons might also want to look at potentially adding an outside linebacker that can be more of a factor in coverage. The Falcons have had their issues covering the really good tight ends that populate the NFC and NFC South specifically in recent years. Collectively, Jimmy Graham, Jeremy Shockey, Greg Olsen, and Kellen Winslow combined for 33 catches for 365 yards, and 4 touchdowns this year in their combined 8 games against the Falcons. Particularly with Graham, if the Falcons can do a better job containing him, it will go a long way to trying to get over that hurdle that is beating the Saints on a consistent basis. The Falcons should be looking at options to help combat this issue. If the team opts to not keep Mike Peterson, then they will have a perfect opportunity to add another outside linebacker to the mix that can help in coverage to replace him.

A player that immediately should shoot to the top of the Falcons list is Wesley Woodyard. He played under Nolan in 2009, where he served as the Broncos nickel linebacker. He has served in a similar capacity since, until this year he started 7 games at both weakside and middle linebacker. Woodyard played safety in college, and also one of the Broncos special teams captain. He is a player that is likely to be one of their higher priorities to re-sign this off-season, but the Falcons could show enough interest to try and lure him away since there’s no guarantee that he will start in Denver.

Another name from Nolan’s past could be Manny Lawson. Lawson was a player that the 49ers used a #1 pick on in 2006 under Nolan. He never developed into the feared pass rusher while there, but did develop into a capable coverage guy due to his athleticism. When Jim Harbaugh took over and brought in a 3-4 scheme that required the outside guys to be able to bring pressure, Lawson was cast off and settled in Cincinnati, where he had a nice season. Lawson’s newfound experience in the 4-3, plus his familiarity with Nolan’s 3-4 could make him an intriguing option that like Nicholas could be used both in coverage and as a pass rusher.

Another option could be Lawson’s teammate Brandon Johnson. Johnson, is a tall, athletic linebacker that has spent time as the Bengals nickel linebacker over the past few years and has been capable in that role. He probably would not be the Falcons top option, but a decent alternative if they cannot get Woodyard or Lawson.

A player that the Falcons might be holding out to get, would be Carolina’s Thomas Davis. Davis might be cut this off-season. Davis has torn his ACL in each of the past three years, having appeared in only a total of 9 games. But a healthy Davis, who is a Georgia native, is exactly the type of player that would provide what the Falcons are looking for on the outside: a guy that can help contain this top tight ends. The Panthers may opt to cut him, and obviously the health of his knee would prove to be a major concern. But it wouldn’t hurt to take a look-see if that day comes, and if the Falcons can get him at a discount, it could be a low-risk, high-reward scenario if Davis finally proves healthy.

Obviously, the Falcons will make it their first priority to keep Lofton. Mike Peterson’s status could be up in the air, especially if the team does intend to target another player that can provide more help in coverage. But this is definitely a position worth stabilizing for the team in free agency.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the St. Louis Rams have entered contract negotiations with Falcons director of player personnel Les Snead to take over their vacant general manager position. Subsequent reports have indicated that Snead has accepted the position. Snead was considered one of two finalists for the job, but the other candidate, George Paton opted to remain with the Minnesota Vikings.

Snead replaces Billy Devaney, a former Falcon executive that was hired by the Rams in 2008, but fired after this past season. Snead first joined the Falcons in 1998, and was promoted in 2009. Snead was also a candidate for the vacant GM positions in Indianapolis and Chicago this year. No word from the Falcons on who will replace Snead, who in his former position acted essentially as an assistant to GM Thomas Dimitroff in directing both the college and pro personnel departments. But it is likely that assistant director of player personnel Lionel Vital could get a promotion.

Unlike a lot of positions on the Falcons roster, the defensive tackle spot is relatively settled. The Falcons are very likely to return both starters in Jonathan Babineaux and Corey Peters. Vance Walker is a restricted free agent, but is also a fairly safe bet to return under a one-year tender. The one player currently on the roster that is on the bubble is Peria Jerry.

Jerry, as a former first round pic,k is being paid highly but the Falcons have yet to really get a substantial return on their investment as far as his on-field play goes. Jerry flashed some ability early in the season but then was fairly quiet the rest of the way. According to Jeff Schultz of the AJC, Jerry carries a cap hit of close to $2 million this year. It’s not very expensive, but the Falcons could opt to part ways with him.

But I would be somewhat suprised if Jerry is released this off-season. My reasons are: 1) The cap savings would not make a huge difference, 2) Jerry got a lot of praise last summer from teammates and coaches for making some strides in camp, likely indicating the powers that be believe the needle is pointing up, and 3) The Falcons seemed to give Jamaal Anderson probably one more year than he deserved as a former first round pick, and he wasn’t even one of their selections. With Jerry, who is one of the “their guys” it’s likely he’ll get a fourth year too.

At the very least, I would expect the Falcons to bring Jerry back to camp for one more summer and have someone try to push and compete for his spot and try to improve the rotation on the back-end.

Another interesting development is with the introduction of Mike Nolan as the new defensive coordinator, would the team target a bigger physical run defender that can play a bit more of a nose-tackle role if the team does choose to employ some hybrid 4-3/3-4 looks. That player is currently missing on the roster, with Vance Walker coming the closest.

It’s unlikely the Falcons would target a big name or higher priced free agent, since it’s no safe bet that any addition would even beat out Jerry for the job. So that probably leaves guys like Paul Soliai and Aubrayo Franklin, guys that once played under Nolan in Miami and Baltimore out of the mix. Not unless either were willing to come to Atlanta cheaply. But there’s always a premium on good 3-4 nose tackles on the open market.

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Coupled with their need to improve their offensive line, one could argue that the Falcons enhancing their pass rush is their second biggest key of the off-season.

The hope is that new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan with his experience running both the 3-4 and 4-3 will be able to bring some varied and multiple fronts to try and help confuse opposing quarterbacks and add more pressure. But at the end of the day you can’t just scheme your way to a good pass rush, you need good players that can provide that pressure.

The Falcons will first have to make decisions on two of their own free agents, which are John Abraham and Kroy Biermann.

Abraham was by far the team’s top pass rusher this past year, recording 9.5 sacks. But despite a drop-off in sack total from a year ago, Abraham was able to put more pressure on the quarterback this year and had his best season since 2008. He will be 34 when next season starts, and as has been the case the past two seasons he really is only a part-time player. With his age, the Falcons can probably only realistically expect Abraham, even as a situational player, to have perhaps one or two more good years left in him. It is similar to what happened with Leonard Little in St. Louis, who over the last two years of his career was able to combine for 12.5 sacks at ages 34 and 35 before he hung it up. With Abraham, it seemingly will come down to price. The Falcons should want Abraham back, but if he wants to be paid too much money to be a situational player, the team might opt to look at younger options.

Abraham’s departure will likely increase the odds that Biermann returns. Biermann after a strong start to the 2009 season, has disappointed each of the past two years. Biermann is an adequate defensive end that plays the run well, and is a decent pass rusher. But he’s clearly shown that he’s not the type of player that can consistently beat quality starting tackles, a skill that is necessary to be a starter at this level. So while the Falcons could want him back, they aren’t likely to pay him more than the average reserve salary.

If the Falcons plan to vary up their fronts by using more zone blitzes and dropping their ends more in coverage like 3-4 linebackers, then Abraham is their best option. Abraham is the only Falcons defensive end that has shown some comfort dropping into coverage, dating from his experience with the New York Jets in their hybrid scheme back in 2005. If that is the Falcons plan, then it could affect who they might look at on the open market. While the Falcons have stated clearly they intend to stick with the 4-3 scheme, they have been somewhat ambiguous about whether they intend to move to a 3-4 down the road. It could be a strong indicator if they target certain pass rushers on the open market that offer the versatility to play in either scheme. If the Falcons do pursue a free agent on the open market it will likely be at the expense of both Abraham and Biermann.

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Over the weekend in their NFC Whispers section, Pro Football Weekly indicated that Falcons sources while acknowledging the possibility that the Falcons could part ways with Michael Turner this off-season, the team seems committed to bringing him back for at least another season.

Some team observers in Atlanta have suggested the Falcons should at least consider parting ways with RB Michael Turner this offseason, but we hear the team’s commitment to him through at least 2012 — he’s signed through 2013 — is solid.

Turner turns 30 next week and is coming off a solid where his 1,340 rushing yards ranked third in the league. He carries a $7.5 million cap hit this year and there are indicators that his performance is starting to take a substantial dip.