With the NFL free agency period quickly approaching, the Atlanta Falcons continue to gear their focus towards re-signing key players currently on the roster. After deciding not to use a franchise tag on William Moore, the Falcons are "ramping up" their negotiations with the 27-year-old safety before the deadline strikes.

Unsigned players will officially hit the market at 4 p.m. this coming Tuesday. The Falcons don't want Moore getting anywhere near open waters for other safety-hungry teams to have a chance at signing him.

According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the AJC, Atlanta's goal is to prevent Moore, along with left tackle Sam Baker, from reaching full-fledged free agency. The interest in Moore will be substantial. The Falcons aren't interested in a bidding war with another team.

I discussed Eric Weddle's contract in a previous post about Moore. Weddle signed a five-year, $40 million contract with the Chargers, but his $13 million signing bonus allowed the team to structure a more cap-friendly deal. Moore could be looking at a similar scenario.

Be prepared for major news entering the weekend. It would not be surprising to see Moore signed to a multi-year deal within the next few days. Baker will likely receive a new contract as well before next week. Thomas Dimitroff continues to hammer the importance of re-signing current Falcons, and that's what he intends to do before free agency gets the best of anyone.