Tony Gonzalez Retirement Comments Up Ante For Falcons
by Dave Choate on Feb 3, 2012 12:05 PM EST
in Falcons Talk
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PrintIt was never a secret that the Falcons needed to find their tight end of the future in the next year or two. That need is suddenly more urgent.
By declaring his intent to retire after 2012, Tony Gonzalez has changed the game. The Falcons were undoubtedly aware that this was coming—I seriously doubt a guy like Gonzo blindsides them with this, and they did sign him to a one-year deal—but it ramps up the timeline nonetheless. If you want a rookie to come in, learn from the greatest of all time and then carve out a starting spot in 2013 after Gonzo retires, you have to draft him now.
There's really no time like the present. This is widely considered to be a deep class, with top-flight talent like Dwayne Allen and intriguing projects like Orson Charles. The Falcons have complementary pieces, a jack-of-all-trades in Michael Palmer and a young, promising blocker in Ryan Winterswyk. All they're missing is the starting tight end with good hands, a guy who can take on Gonzo's mantle and contribute to an offense the Falcons are hoping will be dynamic for many years to come.
I doubt they got the veteran route again, because this is a team that needs to develop young, dynamic offensive talent. It's a team that needs more than a year-to-year solution at tight end once Gonzo hangs it up.I would put the chances of them acquiring a young tight end at close to 100%,
Who do you think the Falcons will draft?
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I'm thinking we get Charles if he's still on the board when we pick
If Halladay, Lee, and Hamels all break their arms while playing tag in the clubhouse, We'll be set
by suicide bunting is a sin on Feb 3, 2012 12:08 PM EST reply actions
Now im thinking that the vision Fla Falcon had about us getting a TE with our second round pick is legit
If Halladay, Lee, and Hamels all break their arms while playing tag in the clubhouse, We'll be set
by suicide bunting is a sin on Feb 3, 2012 12:09 PM EST reply actions
Ladarius Green
This guy is a stud and is projected as a 3rd to 4th rounder (mostly due to weight). Once he puts on 15 pounds, he will be a matchup nightmare at 6’6 with excellent speed for a TE.
This is the most likely
I think we’ll pick up a guy like this in the 3rd or 4th round since we have TG for another year – we can afford to groom a replacement for a year.
Success is internally determined and externally executed.
I agree
We have a year to develop someone. I would also like to point out, to all of those who thought Michael Palmer was going to be the answer last year, we do not have a successor to Tony G on the roster. We have to draft one or sign one.
"He has lived up to the legendary billing... And the legend is born in Calvin Johnson!" -Wes Durham
by sportsfan4life2012 on Feb 3, 2012 1:53 PM EST up reply actions
Can't pick him up in the 4th...we don't have one of those...
would have to be 2nd, 3rd or 5th.
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That is the TE I'd go after
Also, unless his stock goes up dramatically at the Combine our first pick could be spent on a C, OL, DE or another position.
The only problem with that is money
I’m not sure the team can sign two high priced TE’s and keep them on the roster. Money could be used to sign the multitude of free agents we have. They should draft for value this year given their limited number of picks, they can’t reach.
A need is TE as you stated, take the best available with their 2nd rounder.
Coaching wins championships!
by Edgecrusher211 on Feb 3, 2012 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Picks in the 3rd round
don’t get paid nearly as much as they use to. Also, it’s for one season and Green would learn a lot from TG.
Let HD walk and sign Jermichael Finley.
Then run a lot of single back + 2 TE sets with JJ & RW split out wide. You force the defense to honor the run and defend the middle of the field against two big TEs. We’d have the ability to chip on every down, as well as pulling either TE into the backfield as a FB.
Finley is going to get the Franchise tag by the packers.
Plus do we really need another pass catcher that likes to drop passes?
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Plus he's dropsy
Rather draft a TE.
by pierre02 on Feb 3, 2012 8:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
We draft OL 2nd round and TE third
THAT IS ALL!
Technically the glass is always full. 1/2 air. 1/2 water.
We should draft
T.D. McCatchesalot.
He was TE at Ball So Hard University.
GATA!
by Jman781 on Feb 3, 2012 2:53 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Great school
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I absolutely think we should go TE in the 2nd
I just don’t think we are gonna get a decent enough OL in the 2nd, OL in FA.
As for which TE? I’m hyped up on Coby Fleener, i also think part of the reason we paid TG the 7 million was to help mentor our brand new shiny TE.
This is a good point.
While I a don’t have an opinion (yet) on who we should draft, we can get better talent at TE than OL in the 2nd round.
GATA!
The Falcons should hire Gonzalez as TE coach
that will only supplement our rookie’s success!
Ron Artest = Ron (sm)Artest - He Is The Most Interesting Man In The World
by JoshChildressAfroIsCure4Cancer on Feb 3, 2012 4:10 PM EST reply actions
Love this idea. I want manning to retire so we can hire him as QB coach
Then promote him to OC in a few years
by FLA_Falcon on Feb 3, 2012 4:34 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Fleener
That’s an effed up last name but he seams like a good draft pick should he fall to us. I like Allen and charles also.
Rule #1: Double tap.
by Ball Hawk on Feb 3, 2012 4:55 PM EST via mobile reply actions
He's the guy I like. Coby Fleener.
Currently a projected 3rd rounder, I wouldn’t mind if we reached just a little. He’s going to be a star.
by mr92687!!! on Feb 3, 2012 5:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Do you think if we lost HD
we would run some more two TE formations? If we drafted a stud TE and didn’t have a decent slot would this be the way to go? TG and Fleener would certainly create mismatches with JJ11 and Roddy on the outside.
I think it makes sense
Especially if we keep MT. We could run alot of different formations out of a run heavy set.
by pierre02 on Feb 3, 2012 8:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I Think We Need A Fast TE
Who can get up the field, last year teams gave us that 5-7yrd completion over the middle to TG cause he wasnt gonna burn them for YAC so the safties just played over top of roddy and julio, another problem with our old OC he didnt make the proper adjustment, using HD would of solved that, thats why if we resgin HD, get tonys replacment have JJ,RW,HD,TG or who ever on the field thats almost impossible to stop
ahem ahem
I seemed to recall that fantasy lineup was shutout just a few weeks ago.
Orson Charles
Not that anyone was on here clamoring for him, but I’d pass on him at this point. I’m a UGA fan and I think he’s got tons of upside, but he really blows at blocking….like really bad. If we had a couple years to groom him, I’d say yeah. But, I always thought he needed the 4th year in school to learn how to block.
Touchdown Georgia!!!!!
Orson Charles
Split offensive snaps about 50/50 with Aron White for 3 years.I still believe his playing time was inflated by the fact he was Murrays teammate in HS.We UGA fans always hoped for more from him than he ever delivered.
I'd rather line up a backup OT at TE for the next 2 years
than delay the necessary focus on the lines of scrimmage for another off season.
there could be a chance we get a 4th round pick either by trade or a possible
compensatory selection by losing a couple of players last year.
CORONATION STARSCREAM?THIS IS BAD COMEDY!! WILL ANYONE ELSE ATTEMPT TO FILL HIS SHOES?-GALVATRON
Coby Fleener should be well and truly gone
by the time the Falcons pick. ESPN has him the highest ranked TE in the draft and Todd McShay has him going to the Texans in the first round with the 26th pick. He might fall further than that, but hard to see him lasting to the Falcons late pick in the 2nd round. Especially given the NFL’s new love affair with TEs after what the Patriots have done with them this year.
A project like Ladarius Green seems more likely.
Another possibility
The Falcons don’t worry about drafting Gonzalez’s replacement in this draft. They do it in 2013 and retain TG in some sort of assistant TE coaching role to tutor the new guy in the ways of the tight end then. In the meantime, they put make do with a game-ready free agent in 2012. Not a big signing, just a solid blocking TE who can catch the odd pass. Someone in the Justine Peele mould.
This is the perfect year to draft a TE
with sick pass catching TE’s like Charles, Fleener, Egnew, and Green available when we pick, it would be invaluable to have one of them observe Gonzo in game day situations. Also, who’s to say Gonzo would be open to be a TE consultant gig?
I want Michael Egnew
out of Missouri. He has to improve as a blocker, since they run the spread down there, but he’s an athletic freak with very solid hands.
Check out the up-and-coming Mizzou blog: http://www.zoulogy.com
Yes
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by Caleb Rutherford on Feb 8, 2012 1:45 AM EST reply actions
How about signing a young TE FA?
I like •TE Martellus Bennett
out of dallas. He’s only 26 and been under witten for 4 years now. Then we use our draft picks to fix our lines. Whoever said you dont get good OL in 2nd rd is crazy. Thats where a lot of good OL come from. Plus they dont have the added pressure of being a teams #1 draft pick – alla Baker.
Now Gentlemen, get your butts up, and get back on that horse! You have no choice. The expectations are running much higher this year.
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