Eric Weems

Aaron Wilson of Scout.com reports that Falcons wide receiver Eric Weems has signed a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears. Weems has served primarily as the team’s return specialist over the past three seasons, becoming one of the league’s more productive dual threats on kickoffs and punts. He earned a bid to the Pro Bowl in 2010 due to his prowess on special teams.

Weems first joined the team as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2007, was cut and then made the practice squad in 2008. In four years with the team, Weems started 6 of 55 games catching 24 passes for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had 11 catches for 90 yards this past season. He has also recorded 41 stops on special teams in that span.

The Falcons announced that they have re-signed free agent quarterback Chris Redman. Falcons wideout Harry Douglas tweeted that he will be staying in Atlanta, indicating that he has come to terms with a deal to keep him a Falcon. An official announcement came shortly thereafter. Per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, Redman signed a one-year deal, and Douglas a four-year deal.

The free agent signing period began today at 4 pm eastern, and the Falcons have to make any moves. Redman joined the Falcons in 2007. He has made 6 starts since then as injury replacements. He played in 5 games this past year, where he completed 18 of 28 passes for 188 yards and an interception.

Douglas was a third round pick by the Falcons in 2008. He missed all of the 2009 season with a torn ACL. He is coming off a season where he set career highs with 39 catches, 498 yards, and 1 touchdown.

Yesterday I went over the offense and the changes that may be ahead for the team.  Those changes will continue on the defensive side of the ball. Not only does the arrival of Mike Nolan bring changes to the defensive philosophy the changes will also be noticeable in the personnel.  Most of this will obviously be in the front seven and that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone at this point.

SAFETIES:  The starting safeties from last season, Thomas DeCoud and William Moore,  will return for the 2012 season with DeCoud’s recent re-signing.  The way the contract is structured it seems that it’s more of a 2 year audition for DeCoud that could lead to a very good deal for both parties.  Who will back them up is the better question.  Shann Schillinger returns as one of the better special teams players on the squad.  James Sanders is an unrestricted free agent and it’s unclear whether or not the team will re-sign him.  The draft isn’t very deep at safety this year but it’s certainly possible the team draft one in the later rounds or simply sign Sanders or another free agent to round out the squad.

CORNERBACKS:  Brent Grimes received the franchise tag but shows no indications of wanting to play under the 1 year tender.  If I had to guess, the sticking point may be the length of the contract.  At 29, teams often shy away from longer term contracts while Grimes most certainly wants to ensure he makes the most of his opportunity to secure his future.  Hopefully the situation will not turn into a hold out situation but that is something the team will have to prepare for.  Dunta Robinson, Christopher Owens and a rapidly improving Dominique Franks return along with Darrin Walls who opened eyes last preseason.  Kelvin Hayden is an unrestricted free agent and my guess is that he will not be re-signed.  This is one area of the team that I’m almost certain that the front office will use a draft pick to add depth, competition as well as guard against a potential hold out.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS:  Starters Stephen Nicholas and Sean Weatherspoon return along with reserves Spencer Adkins and Robert James.  Mike Peterson is the lone free agent of the group and should be re-signed to provide quality depth to the unit.  More on this position a little later on when defensive ends are covered.

MIDDLE LINEBACKERS:  The most noticeable change is most likely coming at middle linebacker.  With Akeem Dent drafted last year and the recent signing of Lofa Tatupu, I can’t help but think that the Falcons and free agent Curtis Lofton are parting ways.  There is just entirely too much “smoke” that indicates the team has one value for Lofton while he and his agent have another and feel they can get that value on the open market.  That said, I’m sure the door is still open but probably not as widely as it once was. Whether or not another middle linebacker is added remains to be seen as the team is not tipping it’s hand but I would not be surprised to see it happen.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:  Jonathan Babineaux, Corey Peters and Peria Jerry are all under contract.  The fourth in the rotation, Vance Walker, is a restricted free agent and all indications are that he will return under the one year tender.  I’m not of the opinion that this group is the final group though.  A role player through free agency may be added or just as likely, a draft pick spent.

DEFENSIVE END: With Lawrence Sidbury, Ray Edwards,  last year’s draft pick addition, Cliff Matthews and the newly re-signed Kroy Biermann the Falcons return a youthful group of ends.  Free agent John Abraham has been reported to have priced himself  far out of the team’s range and it appears that the team will make a very strong push for free agent to be Mario Williams.  I’m of the opinion that a rotation of Sidbury and Biermann would yield production from the right end position but things may not be as straight forward as that.  With Mike Nolan’s defense, there will be 3-4 situations that would show Williams as a pass rushing linebacker or even Biermann as a linebacker at times as well.  This will be and already is the most discussed issue (along with whether or not Lofton will return) among Falcon fans.  I could just as easily see a role playing type defensive end (Kendall Langford is one that has been mentioned) added if Williams is not added but again, I expect the Falcons to pull out all the stops to acquire Mario Williams.

SPECIAL TEAMS:  Last year’s draft pick, Matt Bosher, started off on the shaky side but quickly worked through it and became a very consistent punter.  The future looks very bright for Bosher and I look for him to establish himself much like Michael Koenen did early in his career with the team.  Matt Bryant returns along with his consistency as the placekicker.  Returner Eric Weems is a free agent.  If he doesn’t return, a receiver like Eddie Royal may be added to not only be the returner but also fill receiver duties.  Another option would be cornerback Dominique Franks as well.  In the end, I expect Weems to return to the team.

In two days, when the free agency doors swing wide open, there will certainly be a frenzy of signings.  The path of the future of the Falcons will be paved and the direction of the team will be clearer as question marks are erased with each signing.

Lofa Tatupu

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Falcons have reached an agreement with free agent linebacker Lofa Tatupu, a player they worked out yesterday. Prior to joining the Falcons, Tatupu played six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2005-10) and made three Pro Bowls.

Tatupu missed all of the 2011 season due to lingering knee issues from double arthroscopic surgery on both knees from January 2011. But apparently is healthy and ready to go. Tatupu gives the Falcons a solid insurance policy at middle linebacker if the team is unsuccessful with re-signing Curtis Lofton, who will become a free agent on Tuesday.

As everyone knows, the Falcons have fallen short of expectations the past two season and all indications from the postseason press conference are that there will be significant changes to not only the coaching staff but also some tweaking of the roster.  With that in mind, here are some things to think about when next Tuesday arrives:

QUARTERBACK:  The big question here is what direction will the team go for a backup quarterback.  While Chris Redman has been serviceable, he’s also carried a rather large cap number ($2.55 million and previously $3.05 million).  The problem lies with how few snaps he actually takes.  Last season saw him take only 11 snaps due to injury (and they were brief injuries where Ryan returned in both the Detroit and New Orleans games) and 2010 saw him no meaningful snaps (other than mop up duty in blow outs).  Perhaps the team will want to use those millions to pursue other needs and instead turn the backup job over to John Parker Wilson.  While highly unproven, he carries a significantly cheaper cap charge and would do more than well enough in the situations described above.  The other options are to sign one or draft one but again, I think the Falcons will try to go the cheaper route.

RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK:  I was very surprised to see the team bring back Snelling.  It’s definitely not a negative that he’s back but with Coach Smith indicating a larger role for Jacquizz Rodgers, I was unsure of where the carries would come from to support the move.  The playing time may not come all at half back but he may see an increased role at fullback.  It’s hard for me to envision Ovie Mughelli returning at a cap number approaching $4 million and also difficult to imagine any kind of extension considering he’s coming off a major knee injury and turning 32 in a few months.  When looking at run blocking, Mike Cox proved to be equal to or maybe even better than Mughelli in the same amount of snaps.  Further compounding the problem is that the Falcons used a fullback in only 25% of the plays last season.  I’m leaning towards the idea that Cox will be in the backfield for the tough yards and true run blocking situations while Snelling will not only get some carries at running back but also be featured in two back sets with both Turner and Rodgers at times to give defenses multiple looks and also involve more screen options which is something that Coach Smith has foreshadowed.  Not to mention that freeing up $3 million of cap space would do wonders for the Falcons free agency needs.

TIGHT ENDS:  With Gonzalez and Palmer back, that only leaves the #3 spot open to compete with Palmer at #2.  If you had asked me prior to the combine, I’d have really believed that there would be a 50% chance that the Falcons would be drafting Coby Fleener or Orson Charles with the second round pick.  Fleener is still a possibility but Charles obviously shot himself in the foot with his DUI.  I do expect the team to do something at tight end but it may be nothing more than signing one in hopes of striking gold and waiting for next year to find Gonzalez’s replacement.

WIDE RECEIVERS:  The Falcons are set with White and Jones as the main starters for the foreseeable future.  The question to ask is what happens with the slot receiver.  Harry Douglas and Eric Weems are both free agents and Douglas understandably wants a chance to start.  With the wide receiver pool deep in free agency, he may not get that shot and find himself back with the team.  Meanwhile, Weems offers a diverse set of skills from not only as a returner but also as a tackler (second on the team to Akeem Dent) and is a capable receiver (targeted 12 times and catching 11 passes last season, the lone incompletion was not a drop).  Kerry Meier returns along with Kevin Cone who was added to the team late last year.  If both Douglas and Weems return then I would only expect a late round draft pick at most to be added.  If only Douglas returns then you’ll see us draft one earlier that would most likely have return ability.  A Travis Benjamin type receiver who could develop into the slot position while serving as a dangerous return man comes to mind.  If Weems returns then he would man the slot and you might would see Dominique Franks take over return duties.

TACKLES:  I do not believe that the starting left tackle is currently on the team.  While Will Svitek is a valuable player to have, he’s not the bookend left tackle that the team will want to hitch their wagon to.  With the struggles of Sam Baker and a cap number of $4.1 million, there’s an opportunity to shave $2.5 million off the cap and use that along with other moves mentioned to sign someone like a Marcus McNeil or Demetrius Bell.  Tyson Clabo has the right side locked down. I would not rule out a draft pick, be it early or late, being used at tackle and almost expect it.

GUARDS:  Likewise, I also don’t think the Falcons are done at guard.  While Blalock is solid at left guard, right guard is wide open.  Garrett Reynolds just isn’t a guard in my opinion and tends to play too high (and that’s largely due to his height).  He’s much better suited to be a tackle but with Clabo on the right side, I don’t see that happening.  Mike Johnson missed last season with an injury and will get a chance to compete for the position again this season.  Last year’s draft choice of Andrew Jackson will be added to the mix again as will newly signed Vince Manuwai.  Manuwai missed last season after being cut in camp due to conditioning and an ankle injury.  If he returns to form of 2009/2010 then the Falcons problems at guard may very well be solved–at least short term.  Manuwai will be 32 when season starts so a longer term solution will probably be sought.  One player I would really love for the Falcons to snag is Geoff Schwartz.  According to reports, he is not likely to be tendered by Carolina.  Although he did miss last season with a hip injury he proclaims to be 100% healthy and ready to go.  At 25 years old, he’s young and has a huge upside.  Starting for Carolina in 2010, he graded out by Pro Football Focus to be the #7 right guard in the league and also started 5 games at right tackle and graded out well there too.  That kind of versatility is very valuable and would come at a very reasonable price.  The reward easily outweighs the risk.  The draft is also very deep at guard this year and provides even more options.

CENTER:  I don’t get the impression that the team will be re-signing Todd McClure.  While thankful for all of his years of service, all signs and comments point towards taking a step towards the future with this position.  I believe that Joe Hawley (drafted in 2010 for this very purpose) will be given the shot to man the position.  I do expect the team to possibly re-sign Brett Romberg to backup or possibly draft a center to compete with Hawley.  A great draft year for interior linemen, I find myself intrigued by David Mock who will most likely be around in the mid to late rounds.

While adding a player like Carl Nicks, Evan Mathis or other big name free agent offensive linemen are definitely appealing, I don’t get the impression that is the direction the team is going to go but I do think they will and have addressed needs as far as offensive line goes.  With a new offensive coordinator and a new offensive line coach, it will be interesting to see what direction the team goes in but signing Manuwai paired with Blalock shows that they may want to go a lot bigger than they have in the past.

Tomorrow, I’ll break down the defense and special teams as we continue to take a look at what the future might hold.

Vince Manuwai

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reportsthat the Falcons have signed offensive guard Vince Manuwai. Manuwai played eight seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, including under coaches Mike Smith and Dirk Koetter.

He sat out the 2011 season after showing up overweight following the NFL lockout last summer. Previously, Manuwai spent eight seasons with Jaguars, starting a total of 105 games after being a 3rd round pick in 2003. He played almost exclusively left guard during his career with the Jaguars, although he did get some work on the right side of the line during mini-camps prior to the 2010 season. He missed all but one game in 2008 due to a torn ACL suffered in the season opener. After that point, he started to have issues with his weight. He suffered a torn tendon in his foot late in the 2010 season, which prevented him from getting into shape headed into the 2011. Manuwai played in Hawaii’s heavy passing attack during his college career, but adapted himself well to run blocking in the NFL as he played under Jack Del Rio.

Manuwai could potentially be penciled as the Falcons current starter at the right guard position, a problem area throughout the 2011 season.

Adam Schefter of ESPN tweets that the Falcons worked out free agent linebacker Lofa Tatupu earlier today. Tatupu sat out all of the 2011 season due to injuries after being released by the Seattle Seahawks last summer after the lockout. Tatupu has been making rounds with workouts since the end of the season, including working out with the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints last month.

Tatupu managed to play and start in all 16 games in 2010, but finished with 88 tackles, a career-low in seasons where he played in 15 or more games. Tatupu was a second round pick for the Seahawks in 2005. He emerged quickly, earning a Pro Bowl bid as a rookie, helping to anchor a Seahawk defense that went all the way to the Super Bowl. He would also make the Pro BOwl in 2006 and 2007. He missed 11 games in 2009 with a torn pectoral muscle, but it was knee injuries that helped limit him in 2010. He would undergo arthroscopic surgery on both knees. Tatupu’s late father, Mosi, was a Pro Bowl fullback who spent nearly all of his professional career with the New England Patriots (1978-90).

Tatupu could be seen as a potential insurance policy if the Falcons aren’t able to retain free agent Curtis Lofton next week with the signing period beginning on Tuesday. Like Lofton, Tatupu was never the biggest or fastest player, but known for his toughness and leadership. Lofton has been criticized for his issues in coverage over the years, recording just 3 interceptions and 15 pass breakups in four seasons with the Falcons. That was an area that was considered a strength for Tatupu in the past, with 10 interceptions and 35 breakups in nearly five and a half season. However, any decline due to Tatupu’s injury concerns could make any upgrade potential negligible.

The team announced via Twitter that running back Jason Snelling has agreed to terms of a new deal. Snelling was an impending free agent, and joins Kroy Biermann and Thomas DeCoud as players that the Falcons have re-signed before the start of free agency next Tuesday, March 13.

Terms of the deal were undisclosed. Last summer, the Falcons re-signed Snelling to a one-year contract. Snelling split reps with Jacquizz Rodgers early in the season as the team’s third down running back. But when fullback Ovie Mughelli was put on injured reserve, he gained more playing time as a part-time lead blocker, sharing time with Mike Cox. In the past, Snelling has proven himself a valuable replacement starter at tailback. He had his best season in 2009, where he rushed for over 600 yards and 4 touchdowns, most of which came in the final 6 games due to the injury to starter Michael Turner. This past year, Snelling had 44 carries for 151 yards, along with 26 receptions. His ability to help out as a runner, receiver, blocker, as well as on special teams (30 tackles in five seasons) makes him an extremely valuable role player. Snelling was originally a seventh round pick for the team in 2007.

Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann tweeted today that he will be staying with the Falcons, presumably because he has agreed to terms to a new deal, a deal that was reported as imminent by D. Orlando Ledbetter last week. No official word has come from the Falcons.

Ledbetter reported that Biermann would sign a three or four-year contract worth $10-12 million. Biermann is set to become a free agent next Tuesday on March 13. Biermann was a fifth round pick for the Falcons in 2008, and started 14 games in 2010. In four years with the Falcons, Biermann has tallied 12.5 sacks and 106 tackles with 17 games started.

UPDATE: Ledbetter reports that Biermann signed a three-year deal. Exact terms are undisclosed. NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora reports that the team is worth roughly $9 million, with a maximum value of $12 million.

Mario Williams

The more I think about it, the more it’s hard to imagine a good reason why the Falcons shouldn’t pursue Houston Texans defensive end Mario Williams on the open market come next week.

Williams is likely to be one of the most coveted free agents in recent memory. Teams are constantly looking for top pass rushers, and few would argue that Williams is not one of the best currently in the league. The Texans did not slap him with a franchise tag, and thus are likely to lose him to the highest bidder.

Given recent deals that Julius Peppers, DeMarcus Ware, and Elvis Dumervil have signed that included $40 million or more in guaranteed money, the market likely will dictate that Williams will make more. Basically, Williams will make as much money as a franchise quarterback, exceeding the guaranteed dollars that Philip Rivers and Eli Manning have received in recent years and potentially approaching the guaranteed dollars of Tom Brady ($49 million).

In fact, if the Falcons attempt to extend the contract of Matt Ryan in the next 18 months, Williams’ contract could potentially rival Ryan’s for who is the highest paid player on the team. And so the question becomes can the Falcons afford two players on the roster that are guaranteed $40-50 million. Especially in an off-season where the Falcons are likely to pay premium dollar deals to cornerback Brent Grimes ($20 million-plus guaranteed), and Curtis Lofton (potentially approaching $20 million).

I think the answer is yes, but the Falcons have to be smart about their spending. Let’s examine the biggest contract for a defensive end signed by Julius Peppers with the Chicago Bears in March 2010. That deal was worth $84 million over six years with $42 million guaranteed. Another $7.5 million could be earned via incentives. Any deal with Williams, is likely to be structured similarly.

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