The Falcons Should Add A Tight End

I hope I won't offend either Tommy Gallarda or his immediate family with this post, but I think the Falcons ought to be looking for another tight end on the open market.

Obviously, you don't want to spend a ton of money on someone who will be, for all intents and purposes, the third tight end. Tony Gonzalez is going to start and Michael Palmer is going to back him up, coming in to throw the occasional block or as part of a two tight end set on offense. I know not all of you are Palmer fans, but that seems more or less set in stone.

The question then becomes whether you want to roll with Gallarda as your third tight end. It's possible that he has more upside than we've realized, but the Falcons went the blocking-only backup route a year ago with Reggie Kelly and were "rewarded" with a pretty disappointing season. I'd like to see someone a little more well-rounded, so the Falcons have yet another weapon to trot out there when the situation calls for it.

Fortunately, this is a quality market for backup tight ends. Even with Evan Moore going to the Seahawks, you can get your hands on slightly dented but still useful players like Michael Hoomanawanui, Kellen Winslow and Chris Cooley. Each of them have their issues—Hoomanawanui has battled injuries, Winslow is a knucklhead and oft-injured, Cooley has suffered major knee problems—but each is a reasonably talented tight end who can catch a pass or two.

Given the likelihood that all three will come cheap, the Falcons should be in the market for one more tight end. That's my conclusion. Do you agree with it?