Falcons Release CB Tye Hill, Sign S Matt Giordano

by Dave Choate on Mar 16, 2010 3:31 PM EDT in Falcons News Comment 41 comments

You may have thought that the Falcons had set their cornerback corps after trading Chris Houston. You would have thought wrong.

The Falcons clearly weren't happy with the minimal progress Tye Hill made over the course of last season, because they straight up canned him Tuesday, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. While he's always had the physical tools to be a difference-maker, Hill never really did anything with him, and the team wasn't about to give him another season on the roster to see if he'd transform, as buried on the depth chart as he was likely to be. An interception return for a touchdown alone does not a Falcon make, I guess, and I can't say I'm sobbing hysterically now that he's gone.

The move leaves the Falcons with five cornerbacks and may signal that the team will target another corner in the middle-to-late rounds in the NFL Draft, as Mike Smith clearly likes to have a ton of depth at the position. In a group made up of Dunta Robinson, Brent Grimes, Chris Owens, Brian Williams and Chevis Jackson, there's a pretty decent amount of talent, so I don't expect any of them to be released before the season begins. We'll see what the team does now.

In other news, the Falcons brought aboard special teamer and safety Matt Giordano, a former Colt and Packer. Giordano, a willing tackler, will immediately assume the Antoine Harris Memorial role as a backup safety who can do a little bit of everything, but if he's starting it means we're flat out screwed. Keep that in mind.

What are your thoughts on Hill's release?

Poll

Was it a good move to release Tye Hill?

Yes, he was no good

319 votes

No, he was so good

74 votes

I'm ambivalent

163 votes

I'm ambulatory

33 votes

589 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 41 comments |

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Comments

No shut down corners!

We have quite a variety of cornerbacks: veteran. 2nd yr, small and a little pbigger, but do we have a shut down corner that can get the job done? I don’t know…

by Gjmoody on Mar 16, 2010 4:25 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I think we'll find out soon if Dunta can regain his form

When he was on, he was pretty damn close to shut down.

by Dave Choate on Mar 16, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

RE: I think we'll find out soon if Dunta can regain his form

I sure hope so, because our secondary is garbage.

by Quan on Mar 17, 2010 7:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Shut down corners...

are damn hard to come by and are almost never available in their prime via a reasonable trade or in FA.

In fact, there are only a small handfull of players in all of the NFL who can accurately be categorized as such, so I don’t really blame the Falcon brain trust for not securing one. We (like the vast majority of teams) will simply have to win with average to good CBs.

As for cutting Tye Hill, I not very torn-up about it. Players acquired for a 7th round pick either in the draft or in a trade get cut all the time in the NFL. We took a flier on a guy with talent who didn’t mature. No big loss.

Honestly guys, I’m more optimistic now about the state of the franchise than I have been in a long time. In just two years TD and Coach Smith have acquired franchise-quality players at some of the most important positions in offense and have injected the defense with young-but-promising talent. That said, we still have the second half of FA left along with the Draft.

I can understand having concerns about our CB situation, but I have faith in the folks running the Falcons to get it solved. Just think how bad our QB, RB, or TE situation was before they took over. I’m not saying they can solve everything overnight, but we are making clear and significant steps forward at ever opportunity. Can’t really as for more than that.

by Leon07 on Mar 16, 2010 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Here's a short vid...

of Matt Giordano bringing the wood. Wait, maybe I should rephrase that. He hit a guy. I’d like to see some of this on special teams.

"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta

by TomQ on Mar 16, 2010 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

....Word choice, Mr. Q. Word choice...

by Dave Choate on Mar 16, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL

That was the name of the video!

"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta

by TomQ on Mar 17, 2010 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions

The community seems to feel that giving up Tye Hill for nothing is ok, but giving up Meh for Detroit's 6th round pick was bad.

Longest Atlanta Falcons winning-seasons streak: 2008 - current
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by Jason Kirk on Mar 16, 2010 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

If I may weigh in on that

Chris Houston was at least decent in coverage. Outside of that interception, Tye Hill was completely useless, and this is coming from a guy who advocated for him to start before I saw him in action. There was no way we could get anything for Hill.

by Dave Choate on Mar 16, 2010 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't know that he played enough

to say whether he might come around or not. The only time I remember him being on the field was that INT/TD against Washington. I’m not even sure he even played special teams. He just didn’t seem to catch on too fast. It brings us full cycle though. The pick we got for Houston is basically compensation for the one we gave up for Hill during training camp when we were desperate. I just hope they use it wisely.

by zooker on Mar 16, 2010 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, they aquired him for a 7th, and he was total garbage. No team was going to give up anything for him.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by orang3b on Mar 16, 2010 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions

exagerrate much?

Founder and Proud Member of the JASON SNELLING AIN'T ALL THAT AND A BAG O' CHIPS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

by FrankyWren on Mar 16, 2010 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I would've given Tye Hill another shot.

At least for a part of the season. He did have that TAINT (where he ran faster than anyone I’ve ever seen) last year.

I hate to seem him dropped for nothing, especially with his replacement being an Antoine Harris reference. I don’t know that I completely approve.

"Ryan, under center. Single receiver set, to either side. Ryan, gonna throw. First professional pass.....CAUGHT!! Jenkins! 30! 25! 20! 15! 10! 5! He lives in Atlanta!!!" -Wes Durham

by Zippo729 on Mar 16, 2010 4:46 PM EDT reply actions

Is his taint more aerodynamic than others'?

"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta

by TomQ on Mar 17, 2010 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

You mean like this guy's?

by zooker on Mar 17, 2010 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly like that guys...

"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta

by TomQ on Mar 17, 2010 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Great success!

Founder and Proud Member of the JASON SNELLING AIN'T ALL THAT AND A BAG O' CHIPS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

by FrankyWren on Mar 16, 2010 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

Setting up some potential interesting tandems….

Either we get the ex Golden Bears tandem of deCoud & Giordano or

the Mizzou tandem of Moore and Wheatherspoon……

Glad to see Tye gone. Don’t need to pay that salary. Now if we can trade Norwood & Jamaal Anderson for some more draft picks, I’d say we playing this off season perfectly.

This is going to be an exciting year with Perry, Douglas, Moore, Williams coming back plus all our draft picks in a deep deep draft.

Life is good.

by JCush on Mar 16, 2010 8:07 PM EDT reply actions

There are strong corners available in this draft available in later rounds. I say we use our 4th pick on this position. I still believe 3rd will be a surprise in that we take a WR, TE or RB.

by JCush on Mar 16, 2010 8:09 PM EDT reply actions

was he

in the L. Robinson trade or did we give up a draft pick for him?

by gritzblitz on Mar 16, 2010 8:25 PM EDT reply actions

We gave up a seventh rounder for him

by Dave Choate on Mar 16, 2010 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions

now that was a bad trade

by gritzblitz on Mar 16, 2010 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Even if Robinson didn’t like to go over the middle, he was still a baller. I knew after the 2 games he played in STL before he got hurt that we let him go on the cheap. Easily there #1 Receiver if he recovers to full health, but thats not same much looking at the Rams now days.

by EdSales on Mar 16, 2010 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I think his issue was downfield blocking, not receiving.

He was a good, fast, fluid runner and a reliable receiver, he just wasn’t an asset in the run game.

How many more days, Lord, must I walk through the wilderness?
GO FALCONS!!!

by AnOldBird on Mar 17, 2010 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions

There goes an Expensive Bench Player

I didn’t much care for Tye Hill when he was coming out of college. Infact, when the Rams drafted him, I figured he would flame out in a few years. He had blazing speed and is athletic as all get out, but he just never adjusted to the pro game I guess.

As far as keeping around for the added depth, hey, who wouldn’t want to have a player who has 1st Round Potenial on there team, even if he is just a depth player? The problem with that is, he also carries a 1st Round Salary. We can easily burn a 5th Rounder and grab another Wilrey Fontenot or a William Middleton, or just sign some scrub on the cheap.

I am a little sad to see him go, because I was hoping our staff would be able to coach him up a bit, but we saved more money than we lost talent.

by EdSales on Mar 16, 2010 9:09 PM EDT reply actions

Again I ask

how many busted 1st round picks does it take to fix a defense? Non-producers must go.

Rule #1: Double tap.

by Ball Hawk on Mar 16, 2010 9:22 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

saints fan here

I want an opinion. what do y’all think of losing mike bell but signing Justin fargas in his place?

by saintfever09 on Mar 17, 2010 1:01 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Regardless of which one of the two you use

it won’t make a difference. Your offense wasn’t made or broken by Bell so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

"Ryan, under center. Single receiver set, to either side. Ryan, gonna throw. First professional pass.....CAUGHT!! Jenkins! 30! 25! 20! 15! 10! 5! He lives in Atlanta!!!" -Wes Durham

by Zippo729 on Mar 17, 2010 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions

very true

but I liked the mentality he brought to our offense.

by saintfever09 on Mar 17, 2010 1:35 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

always liked Fargas

never thought he got a decent shot in Oakland

by gritzblitz on Mar 17, 2010 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions

"Losing" Mike Bell would be no big deal

Football Outsiders stats say he was the worst of your 4 RB’s last year. He wasn’t particularly good in short yardage situations. He doesn’t catch passes out of the backfield. A 30 year old Fargas is nothing special, but like Zippo said, it won’t make any difference. As long as you guys have Jahri Evans & co. you could put anybody as your #3 RB and be OK.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by orang3b on Mar 17, 2010 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions