Falcons: We really do need a strong and full draft this year.

[FullMetalFalcon23]

The way I see it is we will start with the following.

Round 1 pick
Round 2 pick
Round 3 pick
Round 4 pick
Round 5 pick
Round 6 pick
Round 7 pick

Then we should have at least 2 comp picks.

A 3rd or 4th for Lofton
Maybe a 5th or 6th for Weems

Going by position this is my needs assessment.

QB: none needed. We have out Franchise guy. We have a great development prospect. And we have an exoerienced back up.

RB: whether we keep Turner or not we need at least 1 more back. Way I see it in a world without Turner we would see Jacquizz doing work along with the other back. And Snelling being that powerful back.

FB: between Cox and Ewing we are sorted. Both are pathfinders and both are good out of the back field which would give us a great personnel set going 2 wr 1 te and 1 RB and 1 FB set in pro or I where both backs can execute any of the back requirements. This would be a good play action set.

TE: Coffman and Palmer are an ok pair. Adding a third guy who is an All rounder is the most important thing here. I used to think they needed to be a field carver but they need to run good routes and get good position separation when it counts. My guy would be Fauria or Lutz out of the draft. FA could be an option Dennis Pitta and the guy out of Tennessee are FAs.

O Line: unless its Barrat Jones there is no way we put a Rookie infront of Matt Ryan. The centre is already on our Roster whether it is Konz or Hawley is the question. I think we bring back Baker Blalock is gonna be there as will Clabo. RG if Konz takes Center I see Reynolds in that spot not Hawley.

Wr: we know what we have in 1 and 2. I think with a lesser talent in TE we will see Koetter scheme more for the 3rd receiver to be the guy that gets sprung. I see that being Harry's Job to begin with and if he can't do it then Drew Davis. I think a late rounder could be spent on a receiver. I don't see Cone being here though.

I think the receiving core is going to start to develop as our biggest strength on O similar to GB. But we will still retain and look to levy a more productive ground game where as they have given up on it.

DL: Our DTs are good they are mainly mid round picks or lower but it is clear we are able to find and develop a type that fits our system. I would love a bigger guy. Not a traditional Nose more a guy a bit bigger than our systems prototypical but still great agility. However between Peters Babs walker and Jerry if we bring him back. I think we could get production so unless a guy we grade highly reaches us and the staff really don't miss I don't see it being paramount not with Robertson in there at the back as well.
DE: different story totally. It's time to spend a 1st or 2nd rounder on a pass Rusher. We are hurting badly here and we need impact sooner than later. Whether this is a tweener or a True 4 3 end I don't know as Abe to me is more a tweener as he isn't strongest against the run. But then again when he right up on the line with his hand in the dirt neither is Kroy.
Matthews goes hard but if he doesn't get home he gets ridden out of the play. Sid is a Ghost and Massaquoi I don't think he has seen the field but I get the feeling that he projects more like Kroy in that jack in the box type role.

LBs. Dent is gonna be manning the middle next year. That guy has gone from strength to Strength and was great at the weekend. He is what we need in a guy who is essentially a role player in our system. Sean and Nich are good to go obviously. Behind that though we have the Robert James enigma. We have Kroy as a Hybrid and Massaquoi too. Pat Schiller as a traditional but talent really unknown where it matters. We will need to draft at least 1 guy and FA sign a veteran who player.

DBs

Dunta: Good for another year at least I feel whether that is on the outside or inside either way I am comfortable with what he brings here.

Asante: His Savvy will keep him performing well but we can't get to complacent here. So long as his health keeps up. Having him for the next year two years is giving us an opportunity to compete and develop at the same time. We benefit now and in the long term from having him here as he coaches our players up as well.

McClain: Whether he is on the edge or in the middle this guy is here to stay. We would be wise to resign him to a better contract this year. At this point it doesn't have to be massive and it can be weighted more to the back end of say a 4 year contract with say Harry Douglas type money. He's good but he isn't getting Tramon Williams type money without getting them Int's.

Owens: Has been suffering this year. I don't know what happened to him he looked great at the top of the year as a depth player. We could bring him back relatively cheaply and it not cost us anything in development of other players as it's clear Nolan is the type who will move someone out performing you in practice above you regardless of your tenure. Eg McClain over Franks and Owens.

Franks: Unless we want to keep him as a safety now, I think he is gone.

We have Peyton Thompson in practice squad he impressed some but in all honesty we can't commit our future to chance. I think either this year or next we could see a relatively high pick spent on a corner in comparison to how we normally draft them.

Safety: Decoud and Willie Mo Are gonna be together like Bert n Ernie
What's behind them though is vague, uninspiring and worrying to be frank. I don't know that Chris Hope returns next year. But he has done well for us when called upon for the most part.


I think it would be folly for us to trade up this year, we need a volume draft this year as we have gone 2 straight with reduced picks. Here is where we infuse the the roster with talent around the star talent. The positions that between draft and FA that need to be crucial hits are RB and DE. These guys need to be contributors whether as starters or heavy rotational guys who spell with the starters on a 60:40 ratio from day one. Tight End will need to be addressed also but with Gonzo likely out the door I think we must accept that the PYP offense will have to evolve to make more of the slot and less of the tight end. Having a multiple backs that can catch out of the back field and who can run without a lead blocker in pass or run type downs and distances is gonna be crucial for this as Tony's touches are going to be redistributed between a Tight End who may see 50 touches (not targets) the Slot seeing about 50 touches also. Then More targets going to Julio and Roddy with the rest being a combination of carries and catches to the backs.

Our current ball distribution by receptions/carry as I can't get target numbers for the top personnel playing percentage wise is as follows.

Tony Gonzalez 93
Roddy White 92
Julio Jones 79/6
Jacquizz Rodgers 53/94
Harry Douglas 38/2
Jason Snelling 31/18
Michael Turner 19 /222

That's nearly 100 productive touches to be re distributed throughout the roster. THe PYP offense in its current form may return again if a TE on our roster starts to take off, but the way Koetter is, you know this offense is about to evolve again this year. I'm excited to see this new form. I think it could take pressure off of Matt particularly if we get a more productive run game going again.

Any way no more waffling from me.