There'll be something more in-depth up soon, but given that it's 2 a.m. as I write this you're getting the succinct version now.
The Falcons have now locked up four of their picks from the 2010 NFL Draft, inking center Joe Hawley and cornerback Dominique Franks yesterday. For those of us who like our draft picks in camp early, this is welcome news. Hawley should offer value as a backup in year one, and Franks could be competing for a return job. It was critical to get these guys ready to go so they can maximize what they offer the Falcons in 2010.
Of course, anytime you have moves like this, there's an unequal but opposite set of moves to go with it. In this case, it means kicker Garrett Lindholm, cornerback Dominique Daniels, long snapper Justin Drescher and defensive tackle Trey Bryant have been released.
Drescher and Daniels were far from locks to last on the roster, but I did think Bryant had a chance to compete for a spot somewhere down on the totem pole. Trey Lewis might be breathing a sigh of relief about now. The release of Lindholm means that currently, the Falcons have Steve Hauschka and Matt Bryant duking it out for kicking duties. I still think Hausch of Pain will win that one, but it's worth watching.
Thoughts?