The Atlanta Falcons have only one month left to get ready for the NFL Draft

Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff probably remembers it fondly. It was three and a half months after he left the New England Patriots. He only had eight pairs of bike shorts and his pomade collection was modest. The future of a delicate franchise was left in his capable hands and he had to choose: Glenn Dorsey or Matt Ryan.

The former was the “safe” pick, and heck, up and coming professional sports blogger Dave Choate endorsed Dorsey. He couldn’t pick Ryan. He couldn’t! But then Dimitroff did it. He made the most important decision in franchise history.

Fast forward a decade. Dimitroff has a few more gray hairs and the collective cardiac health of the fan base is damaged beyond repairs. We’ve had ups, we’ve had downs, we’ve had the most successful decade in franchise history. In one month, Dimitroff will preside over his eleventh draft as an NFL GM. After months of preparation and countless prospect interviews, Dimitroff will take his seat in the war room and do what comes naturally now.

As a fan, stability feels good. It’s reassuring. The Falcons aren’t in this position because they’re lucky. That is, they aren’t a perennial NFC stalwart because Dimitroff keeps a lucky rabbit’s foot in his bike shorts. Sure, they’ve whiffed on occasion. (I’m looking at you, Jimmy Williams, Peria Jerry, etc.) But on the whole, they know what they’re doing.

Right or wrong, I trust that they’ll use this final month wisely and hit this one out of the park. (That or I’m suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.) Do you?