Ajc: Falcons At Drafting O-Linemen; Not Quite An O-Fer, But Close

[g-dawg]

Falcons at drafting O-linemen; not quite an 0-fer, but close

September 9, 2015 | Filed in: AJC Sports, Atlanta Falcons / NFL.

By: Mark Bradley 35

Here’s Jake, the last man standing. (AJC file photo)

Since Thomas Dimitroff became general manager in January 2008, the Atlanta Falcons have drafted nine offensive linemen. Not a lot, when you think about it — nine in eight drafts — but still: That’s the number of O-linemen they took. We now call the roll of all those who remain on the active roster.

Jake Matthews.

End of roll call.

Technically, Lamar Holmes is on the physically unable to perform list, but everyone else is gone. Joe Hawley was just cut. Peter Konz took an injury buyout and went away. Sam Baker was released in June. Mike Johnson retired in June. Jake Rodgers, who was a seventh-round pick in April, got cut. (He was considered a project, but still: Who made that pick?)

Under Dimitroff, the Falcons have drafted one offensive lineman — Baker — who was able to hold a job. (We assume Matthews will, but he was, given that he was the sixth overall pick in 2014, underwhelming as a rookie. He was also hurt. Funny how many Falcons draftees get hurt.) I’d argue that Baker was actually given a bad rap in this burg: The Falcons needed a left tackle to give the then-rookie Matt Ryan a chance, and Baker sufficed. Then he got hurt, too.

But there are your numbers — nine linemen drafted over eight years, one on the 53-man roster. The Falcons did sign Ryan Schraeder (now a starter) and James Stone (sometimes a starter) as undrafted free agents, but botching nearly every O-line pick means you have to scrounge. And now, with rookie head coach Dan Quinn given control of the final roster, we’re seeing how desperate this team has become.

The Falcons’ depth chart lists Mike Person, who has worked in five organizations since 2011, as the starting center. The starting guards are Chris Chester, released by Washington in May, and Andy Levitre, who started for the Titans (a terrible team) last season but was available in trade for two draft picks. Backups include Gino Gradowski, waived by Denver; Tyler Polumbus, benched in Washington last season and on his fifth organization since 2010; Bryce Harris, released by New Orleans last week, and the aforementioned Stone.

The good news, I guess, is that this cobbled-together line cannot possibly be worse than its predecessors. (Well, can it?) The bad news is that the Falcons, on the cusp of Opening Night, are still in the market for linemen. On Wednesday they signed another — Ben Garland, cut by Denver last week — and assigned him to the practice squad.

If nothing else, we might have gotten an answer to the question often asked: Why didn’t Dimitroff draft more linemen? Maybe because he realized he wasn’t very good at it. As Inspector Harry Callahan of SFPD famously said: A man has to know his limitations.

[gazoo]

Doesn't surprise me we don't see yet another negative article from Bradley just as the season is about to kickoff. So many awesome things he could report on to start the season, he does another hit piece as a follow up to yesterday's rumor.

He still hasn't apologized for unmercifully attacking Arthur Blank during the offseason and portraying him as a bumbling, inept fool running off all the good coaching candidtates, while exactly the opposite was happening behind the scenes and Blank ended up with the most highly sought of the candidtates of all.

Bradley, until, you apologize for such lazy, slipshod reporting your new hit piece is is considered by me to be just more fecal matter.

[g-dawg]

Doesn't surprise me we don't see yet another negative article from Bradley. He still hasn't apologized for unmercifully attacking Arthur Blank during the offseason and portraying him as a bumbling, inept fool running off all the good coaching candidtates, while exactly the opposite was happening behind the scenes and Blank ended up with the most highly sought of the candidtates of all.

Bradley, until, you apologize for such lazy, slipshod reporting your new hit piece is is considered by me to be just more fecal matter.

thanks for trying to derail this thread before it starts, gazoo. Everyone please ignore gazoo's post here - he has a Bradley agenda -

btw Gazoo, the article is factual in nature - much moreso than your opinion above.

[gazoo]

thanks for trying to derail this thread before it starts, gazoo.

I'm here for you g-dawg

While there is merit to the content, his timing of a hit piece the day after the rumor started by discredited Russell Lande and just a couple of days before our opening game of the season is just par for the course for this jaded azzole Mark Bradley.

And of course, a trademark dig he always makes sure to include "The good news, I guess, is that this cobbled-together line cannot possibly be worse than its predecessors. (Well, can it?)" is buried in the article.

Fact is, Blank made Mark Bradley look like a complete fool this offseason.

[ki46dinah]

yup...awful at making an OL

Asamoah I think is a decent OL, but he got into the new coach's doghouse then got hurt

[FalconFanSince1969]

Bradley clearly thinks TD is the one scouting and drafting all by himself. Dimi didn't draft more linemen because he wasn't very good at it? No. The organization as a whole hasn't been good at it.

[Tuggle'2]

I personally can't hold Baker against him. He was fairly good when healthy. Sucks he was obliterated by the injury bug.

That is still pretty damn awful though. Please, please, let Jake stay healthy and become what he's supposed to!

[JDaveG]

I'm not a Dimitroff fan, and I certainly agree we've had terrible results drafting o-line. But when it comes to the draft, I don't think blaming Dimitroff for injured players like Baker (who was decent, certainly not great, when healthy) or Mike Johnson. Konz is a grade A bust for sure. Holmes could be argued either way -- I think he was a serviceable backup when healthy, but I definitely don't like him as a starter.

The bigger criticism I have of this piece though is that he says we can NOW see how bad things are because Quinn has complete control of the roster. This is a dodge. Smith certainly had a say in which o-line players he wanted to keep, and Dimitroff went out and got Asamoah in FA last season to help out. I guarantee you Dimitroff didn't say "we're cutting Mud Duck and Clabo -- you'll have to make do with what's left because we need a RB and we're going to re-sign Gonzo. Good luck!" Smith was involved in those decisions. It could be argued Smith acquiesced to them, but it's his job to state his needs clearly and make absolutely certain those needs are addressed. That's what Quinn is doing now. It isn't because Quinn has some magical powers over Dimitroff that Smith lacked. This is simple talent evaluation and addressing needs all the way up to and into the season. Quinn is doing his job. So is Dimitroff. Further, Smith had input on Dimitroff's draft decisions and, let's be honest, FA retentions (I'm looking at you Sam Baker). It's not like Smith couldn't have said "you know, Thomas, I can't win with these guys." No, he helped construct the team.

This seems to be some sort of beef between Bradley and Dimitroff more than any real criticism. It's a hit piece. Bradley is getting yellower by the season.

[YoungHeezy]

Bradley clearly thinks TD is the one scouting and drafting all by himself. Dimi didn't draft more linemen because he wasn't very good at it? No. The organization as a whole hasn't been good at it.

#Fact

All of the moving parts get ignored.

[MACK4ttACK]

法国海军尽管大多数分布 v 吃MarkVradlley过后风风火火

[Sun Tzu 7]

As they say you are what your record says you are but TDs failures along the oline have been well documented.

But to be fair what was Harvey Dahl before 2008? It's not like he was a high draft pick or bounced around the league. So guys like these can work.

too bad that when they tried to address the line in 2011 they completely whiffed.

[Duff_Man]

Not sure how TD can be held responsible for injuries, but then again the AJC is the AFMB of publications.

[Theyhateme : )]

They weren't good at when Vick was here. What's new?

[g-dawg]

I'm not a Dimitroff fan, and I certainly agree we've had terrible results drafting o-line. But when it comes to the draft, I don't think blaming Dimitroff for injured players like Baker (who was decent, certainly not great, when healthy) or Mike Johnson. Konz is a grade A bust for sure. Holmes could be argued either way -- I think he was a serviceable backup when healthy, but I definitely don't like him as a starter.

The bigger criticism I have of this piece though is that he says we can NOW see how bad things are because Quinn has complete control of the roster. This is a dodge. Smith certainly had a say in which o-line players he wanted to keep, and Dimitroff went out and got Asamoah in FA last season to help out. I guarantee you Dimitroff didn't say "we're cutting Mud Duck and Clabo -- you'll have to make do with what's left because we need a RB and we're going to re-sign Gonzo. Good luck!" Smith was involved in those decisions. It could be argued Smith acquiesced to them, but it's his job to state his needs clearly and make absolutely certain those needs are addressed. That's what Quinn is doing now. It isn't because Quinn has some magical powers over Dimitroff that Smith lacked. This is simple talent evaluation and addressing needs all the way up to and into the season. Quinn is doing his job. So is Dimitroff. Further, Smith had input on Dimitroff's draft decisions and, let's be honest, FA retentions (I'm looking at you Sam Baker). It's not like Smith couldn't have said "you know, Thomas, I can't win with these guys." No, he helped construct the team.

This seems to be some sort of beef between Bradley and Dimitroff more than any real criticism. It's a hit piece. Bradley is getting yellower by the season.

While I agree that Mike Smith had some say in personnel - you cannot equate the Smitty/TD relationship to the Quinn/TD relationship. As George Costanza would say ""who has hand?" Many on here forget that TD hired Mike Smith and Mike Smith reported directly to TD. If it were not for Dimitroff, Mike Smith would never have gotten the Falcons HC gig.

While there was and always is collaboration, TD was "buying the groceries" - there is a reason why Bill Parcells always wanted to "buy the groceries" when he left the NY Giants for the Patriots and the Patriots to the Cowboys. I don't care about TD's fancy word like "simpatico", at the end of the day TD had final say on personnel and the 53 when he was w/ Smitty and there was a pecking order. All of this "post-Smitty firing" shifting of personnel blame to Smitty is garbage - it just did not go down that way - TD owns this roster and he owns the personnel mistakes - Smitty was "part of the process" (LOL) and was consulted and I'm sure he was asked what types of players at various positions he wanted - but at the end of the day, Dimitroff picked the players he wanted - the buck stops w/ him - and anyone on TATF trying to shift personnel mistakes away from TD is fooling themselves. I do think Soliai and Tyson Jackson were free agent pickups to placate Smitty/Nolan in 2014 - when they were all in trouble - but that's about it.

You own this TD

[g-dawg]

I'm here for you g-dawg

While there is merit to the content, his timing of a hit piece the day after the rumor started by discredited Russell Lande and just a couple of days before our opening game of the season is just par for the course for this jaded azzole Mark Bradley.

And of course, a trademark dig he always makes sure to include "The good news, I guess, is that this cobbled-together line cannot possibly be worse than its predecessors. (Well, can it?)" is buried in the article.

Fact is, Blank made Mark Bradley look like a complete fool this offseason.

gazoo, you are linking things together aka "Russell Lande" that have no business being linked together. The offensive line is in a state of flux 5 days before season starts (and I am glad we made those moves) - the article is topical - h#LL, we have had probably 40 topics in the last month on the O-Line - but because Mark Bradley writes the same thing in the AJC - it is a conspiracy against Thomas Dimitroff?

c'monnnnnnn mannnnnnnnnnn!!!!

[FalconFanSince1969]

Let's talk about TD like this team is just terrible. Last I checked if it weren't for elementary coaching mistakes this team is 8-8 and in the playoffs? Is that amazing? No. It would mean that we would have a single losing season under tds watch though.

[falconstwopercentsized]

法国海军尽管大多数分布 v 吃MarkVradlley过后风风火火

Keke ^~^

[JDaveG]

While I agree that Mike Smith had some say in personnel - you cannot equate the Smitty/TD relationship to the Quinn/TD relationship. As George Costanza would say ""who has hand?" Many on here forget that TD hired Mike Smith and Mike Smith reported directly to TD. If it were not for Dimitroff, Mike Smith would never have gotten the Falcons HC gig.

While there was and always is collaboration, TD was "buying the groceries" - there is a reason why Bill Parcells always wanted to "buy the groceries" when he left the NY Giants for the Patriots and the Patriots to the Cowboys. I don't care about TD's fancy word like "simpatico", at the end of the day TD had final say on personnel and the 53 when he was w/ Smitty and there was a pecking order. All of this "post-Smitty firing" shifting of personnel blame to Smitty is garbage - it just did not go down that way - TD owns this roster and he owns the personnel mistakes - Smitty was "part of the process" (LOL) and was consulted and I'm sure he was asked what types of players at various positions he wanted - but at the end of the day, Dimitroff picked the players he wanted - the buck stops w/ him - and anyone on TATF trying to shift personnel mistakes over to TD is fooling themselves. I do think Soliai and Tyson Jackson were free agent pickups to placate Smitty/Nolan in 2014 - when they were all in trouble - but that's about it.

You own this TD

Do you contend someone else is buying the groceries now? Do you think Quinn made our picks in this year's draft?

Yes, TD owns this. But he doesn't own it alone. It's folly to pretend that Smith bears no responsibility for the roster. At the very least, he should have stepped in and said "I can't win with these guys." There is zero evidence he ever did. Smitty hasn't said he did. Dimitroff hasn't said he did. Blank hasn't said he did. No evidence at all. So even if one buys this notion that Dimitroff had the power to impose players on Smitty (he didn't), Smitty never once objected. He was a company man.

In a lot of ways I respect Smitty for that. He's loyal and a good servant. But his job required leadership, and he didn't exhibit it. That's why he's gone. He's a super nice guy, but he works in a field where nice guys finish last. Sometimes you have to step up and say "this isn't going to work and I will not be a part of it."

[primetime]

gazoo, you are linking things together aka "Russell Lande" that have no business being linked together. The offensive line is in a state of flux 5 days before season starts (and I am glad we made those moves) - the article is topical - h#LL, we have had probably 40 topics in the last month on the O-Line - but because Mark Bradley writes the same thing in the AJC - it is a conspiracy against Thomas Dimitroff?

c'monnnnnnn mannnnnnnnnnn!!!!

GDawg I consider you a pretty good poster overall until it's a TD related article and then you just go TD angry and all your objectivity fly straight out the window. I'm in the 'meh' TD camp right now as he started strong, went bad in the middle and then followed up strong again recently. However when you and FFS1970 mention TD in a post I find myself just skipping to the next one as I already know what the content is. Move on bud let the hate go and you'll be a better man for it 😇 Edited September 11, 2015 by primetime

[MAD597]

I got a problem here with the lack of perspective of these articles, the majority of our OL whiff's were due to injuries, Baker, Holmes, Konz, M Johnson, Hawley etc. Had even half our of injured OL guys not gotten so injured this wouldn't even be a discussion. Most of these guys did not have major injury concerns in college. It is a complete crapshoot and not something I can directly blame TD for. Bad luck is all it is.

As the article says we have drafted 9 OL and signed numerous FA's, and the reason we are in this mess is clearly because of serious injury problems over the last few years that are completely out of anyone else's control. The OL is not the way it is due to lack of effort or not attempting to shore it up with reasonable choices. About the only thing I hold against TD as far as the OL is concerned is resigning Baker when we knew he was injury prone in the NFL after a few years. However as we see today our cap is in good shape and we can make any moves we want so it's not like that signing hamstrung us on moves.

Bottom line is we have made numerous attempts in the draft and free agency to fix our OL and the only single reason it is not fixed is due to an unprecedented amount of serious random injuries to our OL over the last several years.

Edited September 11, 2015 by MAD597

[Lornoth]

Do any other teams get blasted this much by their local papers?Or is it completely just AJC being jerks?

[JDaveG]

I got a problem here with the lack of perspective of these articles, the majority of our OL whiff's were due to injuries, Baker, Holmes, Konz, M Johnson, Hawley etc. Had even half our of injured OL guys not gotten so injured this wouldn't even be a discussion. Most of these guys did not have major injury concerns in college. It is a complete crapshoot and not something I can directly blame TD for. Bad luck is all it is.

Konz was horrible before he ever got hurt. He's a straight waste of a 2nd round pick. Not saying that is Dimitroff's fault, but it helps feed the perception that he can't draft o-line.

But your point is otherwise a good one. Hawley was good, Baker was good, Holmes was decent last season, all before they got hurt. I've never seen Johnson in the NFL before he got hurt, but he was a stud at Alabama, so you have to think the injury is part of the problem. I'm not saying these guys are all good enough, but they're gone this season primarily because they're all injured and can't stay healthy. Who knows what Quinn would have done with these guys a few years ago?

[delaigle]

2006 O-line draft pick Ojinnaka

2006 UDFA signed Clabo

2006 other notables Claxton, King, PJ Alexander

2007 O-line Draft picks Blalock and Datish

2007 UDFAs signed Dahl

2007 other notables Foster, Quarterman, Pennington, McCoy, Batiste

point ----his observations did not go back far enough --- the problems did not start with TD/Smith

the problems were pre-existing ----- TD/Smith just did not get them corrected even though they did make an effort

Reeves wanted a smash mouth 0-line

Mora wanted a finesse O-line

Petrino wanted a smash mouth line

Smith BVG MM wanted a finesse O-line

Smith Koetter wanted a smash mouth O-line

Quinn wants a finesse O-line

Hard to build when the requiremnts keep changing

[g-dawg]

Do you contend someone else is buying the groceries now? Do you think Quinn made our picks in this year's draft?

Yes, TD owns this. But he doesn't own it alone. It's folly to pretend that Smith bears no responsibility for the roster. At the very least, he should have stepped in and said "I can't win with these guys." There is zero evidence he ever did. Smitty hasn't said he did. Dimitroff hasn't said he did. Blank hasn't said he did. No evidence at all. So even if one buys this notion that Dimitroff had the power to impose players on Smitty (he didn't), Smitty never once objected. He was a company man.

In a lot of ways I respect Smitty for that. He's loyal and a good servant. But his job required leadership, and he didn't exhibit it. That's why he's gone. He's a super nice guy, but he works in a field where nice guys finish last. Sometimes you have to step up and say "this isn't going to work and I will not be a part of it."

The one part of personnel I will hold Smitty to is this - I believe Smitty was very weak in this area - I think he was a coach and he was used to coaching the players he had - Smitty was all about discipline and playing mistake free, etc. - I just don't think personnel was his gig - he was more of a Seargent leading his team into battle than a General mapping out war strategy - if you will.

I do think you need a strong head coach who is not only a great leader and in-game coach - but you also need your head coach to be a visionary on roster-building as well - Smitty was not that. Dimitroff, left to his own devices, will not be ultimately successful - we caught lightning in the bottle the first few years - but after 8 year track record, some of it almost looks like luck.

[falconstwopercentsized]

The dimmitroff agenda coming to your computer daily....