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For the casual Falcons fan, the name Gino Gradkowski may not ring a bell. It might not ring a bell for seasoned fans either. Either way, the center position was one of the most unstable aspects of last year's Atlanta Falcons, and it's sure to see some changes during the offseason. Could Gradkowski be in the mix going forward into next season? We're gonna' talk about it, y'all.
One Sunday at the Georgia Dome
After Mike Person's consistently poor snaps in an otherwise solid year, Gino Gradkowski was called to action during the Week 17 match-up against none other than the New Orleans Saints. I walked away from Gino's tape in the final week actually really impressed with his performance. Outside of one off-snap and a sack that could have easily been accounted to Chester, Gradkowski gave Atlanta some true stability on the interior in the final hour of 2015.
As I'm sure we all recall, Atlanta lost to the Saints that week, but Gradkowski was able to keep clear of angry fan's blast radius following the game. For what he was, we can be nothing but happy with how Gino turned out.
Contract Status
Gino was brought in on a one year deal off waivers, and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2016. Hopefully he can be brought back to camp on a small deal this offseason to have a shot at competing for the gig a second time.
What's 2016 looking like?
I don't expect Gradkowski to start for Atlanta in 2016, but basing my opinion on his Week 17 performance alone, he's definitely a guy Quinn and Dimitroff should look to bring back for training camp over the summer. If he makes the team, I'd feel comfortable knowing that our depth for the position group has had prior experience with the guys around him.
Your opinion on Gradkowski?