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Reading this article by ESPN a few names jumped out at me since we know that the falcon's need better players either starting or backing up and they did not go out and get these players.Seems like every year the Falcon's mostly neglect this part just letting other
teams get quality players.This needs to be improved on otherwise the Falcon's are asleep at the whell.Mckay what are you doing to improve right tackle and center?
1.Melvin Fowler -has played center 3 yrs and may be better than starter Jeff Faine.With Mclure being undersized and the falcon's interior off line not able to block big and fast def tackles,they get overpowered Fowler would have been a nice addtion.Fowler could at least been a backup but nope Mckay didn't even look at this player.
2.Scott Gragg - How many times have we said right tackle needs upgraded.Gragg is no spring chicken but for one year I bet he can do a better job than Weiner.At least sing Gragg for backup and if Weiner falls on his face which I expect Gragg is there.As usual no reinforcements of quality and another team gets a quality player.I doubt if any of the practice squad makes an impact either.What is Mckay doing not looking at Gragg. Every player can be a difference maker whether starter,backup or special teams. We can't afford to be asleep having other teams get solid starters or backups especially playoff teams!
Colts, Steelers among teams that helped themselves (Cont.)
"They've lined up and played, and played well, when they have had opportunities," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "We think we helped ourselves."
A few other teams that feel the same way:
• Philadelphia: In plucking three-year veteran Lamar Gordon off the waiver wire, coach Andy Reid got the bigger tailback he needed to complete his depth chart, and proved just how virtuous a little patience can be. The Eagles' staff didn't panic when it lost Correll Buckhalter to a third season-ending knee injury in four years. Instead of signing an older veteran such as Dorsey Levens or Eddie George, the Eagles trusted there would be a younger, serviceable back released by another team. Gordon runs tougher than people think, has some wiggle, and is a nice alternative to the munchkin-sized tandem of Brian Westbrook and rookie Ryan Moats. Philadelphia also signed former Washington wideout Darnerien McCants, another veteran who gives the Eagles a size dimension they lacked in their backup receivers.
• Pittsburgh: He is currently listed as the No. 4 wide receiver, but Quincy Morgan, signed after he was released by Dallas, will make an impact on the Steelers' passing game by the middle of the season. The 2001 second-round draft choice can run, presents a far bigger target than any of the team's other wideouts, can make the big plays and return kickoffs. His career needs a bit of a jump start, but reuniting Morgan with receivers coach Bruce Arians, his offensive coordinator in Cleveland, might be the ticket.
• Dallas: OK, we're still not sold on wide receiver Peerless Price, but maybe quarterback Drew Bledsoe, a former teammate in Buffalo when Price had his most productive season, can help get him turned around. The last-minute move that could pay bigger dividends in the long run, though, was the acquisition of former Kansas City starting linebacker Scott Fujita for a pair of draft choices. Fujita has had some ankle problems, but he is only 26 years old and led the Chiefs in tackles in each of the last two seasons. Linebacker has been a problem area for Dallas as it makes the transition to the 3-4, and it now looks as if projected starter Kevin Burnett will miss some time with a knee injury. Fujita has the kind of size (6 foot 5, 250 pounds) coach Bill Parcells covets, and he could be a starter by the second month of the season.
• Minnesota: Someone will have to explain to us why, after excising Randy Moss, coach Mike Tice decided to take on wide receiver Koren Robinson. The Vikings' wide receiver depth chart was already one of the most impressive in the league. The better move, which got buried because it occurred late Saturday night, was the deal for center Melvin Fowler. There are some people from the former Cleveland Browns staff who thought Fowler, a three-year veteran, was a better player than starter Jeff Faine. With four-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk out for the season and replacement Cory Withrow a little on the light side, the Vikings might have stabilized the middle of their line. And all they surrendered was tackle Nat Dorsey, a second-year veteran who didn't figure into their plans anymore.
• New York Jets: At some point this season, Jets coaches will be glad they signed veteran right offensive tackle Scott Gragg to a one-year deal. That's not to say first-year starter Adrian Jones will stumble. But at least now, if he does, there is a proven reinforcement. A 10-year veteran, Gragg has started 14 or more games in each of the last nine seasons, is a big-time character guy and makes for a pretty nice insurance policy.
• Teams seeking return specialists: Arizona coach Dennis Green spent much of the spring looking for someone who might put some sizzle in his kickoff return game and, when Houston released veteran Reggie Swinton, he might have found a guy who can fill the bill. Tennessee signed Jacksonville castoff Troy Edwards more for experience at wideout, but with first-round pick Pacman Jones struggling to hold on to the ball, the veteran now will return punts for the Titans. Bounced by the Patriots, veteran return man Chad Morton isn't nearly as good as he was a couple of years ago. But he looked good enough to the Giants, who averaged just 6.7 yards per punt return in 2004. The man Morton replaced on the New York roster, Mark Jones, was quickly signed by Tampa Bay
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