Tag: Terry Fontenot

2024 Draft Night in Atlanta

Allison Smith, April 29, 2024

As a season ticket owner, we get a free party at the Mercedez Benz Stadium for opening night of the NFL draft nearly every year. This year was a disappointment on several levels. In years past, 4 to 5 photo stations were set up with 3 to 4 legends, 3 to 5 current players and a set of cheerleaders at each station. After an hour or so, another set moved in, so if you timed lines correctly, you could get a ton of pix and have good chats with players. Fans are scattered between all these groups and other photo opportunities, food, bars, games.

This year, only two photo lines were set up. One had Kirk Cousins as the headliner, the other Bijan Robinson. Other current players were in both sections as well, all in pairs. In total, you could obtain pix with 12 players. A few notable names, others I didn’t even know where on the team (no slander intended). The lines were super long because there were only two.

  • Kirk Cousins and Jovaughn Gwyn
  • Ta’Quon Graham & Zach Harrison
  • Micah Abernathy & David Onyemata

I went through the Cousins’ line, that was really a good option since he is the newest big name, QB1 and all. I met Bijan at camp, otherwise would have made it through that line as well. Again, in past years, there were legends from a variety of years as well as the last draft class with others mixed in. The pictures moved a little quicker this year because they had photographers taking your pix instead of you handing your phone over and back, then you checked in to have a link texted to you to receive your pictures.

Everyone was super nice and gracious. Kirko was all smiles, I really felt bad for him later. Likely he was still driving home when they called to tell him they were about to “pick a QB at 8…..but he is still number one.”

The roof started closed, but was opened at some point during the night. It was a perfect night for an open roof and always fascinates me that it opens or closes without any of us even knowing. Despite the draft party disappointment, we still have the best stadium in the league.

There was also less photo options around. The RISE UP sign was there as well as the Red helmet, but no wings or other opportunities. The letters were so spread out, you would never get a single, clean picture there. Freddie and Lil Fred were there, social as always. There were several corn hole games, lots of beer vendors and high top tables on the field. This year, over half the field was covered with panels making it easier to walk, so that was nice. Locker room tours were also available, very long line all night, so no sure if they were limiting numbers or scheduling time, but I’ve been through there so many times since before the stadium even officially opened.

I did have a fun time visiting with Falcon friends that I only see on game days for a few minutes because we all come from somewhere different and are headed to different seating locations or different events inside. The food and drink lines in the Delta club were not horrible, long, but didn’t seem as bad as previous years. They anticipated 8000-10,000, not sure how many attended, but seems like allot of people were everywhere all the time.

Carl Dukes and Mike Bell were wrapping up their pre-draft coverage and regular programming as the night kicked off. Then Dave Archer, Wes Durham, Beau Morgan, and Mike Conti provided draft coverage from one of the field suites for 92.9 The Game. Got to chat with all of them for a short time, so that was a definite plus to the evening. Not living in Georgia, I don’t have access to all these guys regularly or at local remotes, so excited when I do get a few minutes to chat and not just tweet them during the day.

There was music and draft coverage on the halo board, couldn’t hear well, but could see as each team as they made their picks. Music was cut for the Falcons’ pic, maybe should have kept that going to muffle the reaction and language from much of the attendees with a quarterback was taken at 8. Only Ovie Mughelli thought the Falcons were going with Michael Penix, Jr with their first pick of this 2024 draft. Ovie and John Abraham were in attendance and helped kick off the event from the stage.

Now….to the pick.  First, I have NOTHING against Michael Penix, Jr. From everything I have seen and heard so far, seems like a great guy, great work ethic, one of the best quarterbacks coming out this season. And another 6 year college guy. He has a longer story than most, with the COVID years, changing colleges, recovering from injury. Penix had 2 healthy, solid years at Washington, winning 20+ accolades and leading the Huskies to the National Championship game for the 2023 season. From an interview with 92.9’s Dukes and Bell, Penix talked about returning for a second year to Washington to show he was healthy by having that 2nd healthy college year. Sounds like he has quite an arm and is known for his accuracy. From that same interview, seemed very excited to be coming to Atlanta and learning under such an experienced Kirk Cousins.

With all of that said, several days later, I can semi get behind the selection, but when it happened, the entire stadium was rocked and mad and upset and all the things. I literally just met some new folks and we were talking about needs and I said “I don’t watch enough college to know all the names, but I am going to be really angry if we pick a quarterback, offensive lineman or receiver at 8.” So when it happened, of the 5 people I was standing with, 2 said words I won’t repeat here and walked off. The other 3 and I raged at each other in disbelief and confusion mixed together.

Later, we will find out that General Manager Terry Fontenot and Head Coach Raheem Morris decided that we will not be in this position again for years (with such a high pick) so we needed to draft the quarterback of the future now.  Even if “he sites for 3 to 5 years.” WHAT? With all the needs we have, we are going to waste that high of a pick on someone that is not planned to be contributing for 3 or more years? The recent deal with Cousins is $100 million over the first two years, $90 million of that guaranteed. Then you are going to draft and pay Penix another $22.8 million over his first 4 years…..when he MAY NOT PLAY. I get the “plan” is to be winning so much with Cousins that Penix learns from a legit quarterback, but he will be 24 this May, so he could be late 20’s before he ever actually plays?

If all goes as Terry and Ra think, I am all in. I am concerned about money, now and in the future, but smarter minds than mine manages more money than I do, so I am trying to have the faith I originally had with Raheem was named head coach.

I don’t know how you are going to evaluate a player’s ability in 3+ years with him as the practice QB, but hopefully we will have such good leads over the next several years, Penix will get good playing time to stay in playing shape while waiting to get the start. I know that we needed another quarterback to back up Cousins, run practice/drills and be ready for the future. I guess that Terry was too traumatized from the Marcus Mariotta/Desmond Ridder failed test that we didn’t want to grow a guy from farther down in the draft.

As I wrap here, I will go glass half full. I’ve had several days to calm down, lots of radio talking me off the ledge, and watched several interviews with Penix. The last time that Atlanta had a quarterback from Washington, Chris Chandler took us to our first Super Bowl.

Football is back!

In Ra We Trust

#RISEUP #DIRTYBIRDS

FalconAlley OWT

The D in Draft Stands for Defense

Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons 

Allison Smith

April 29, 2024

After being the most talked about team from night one, after taking a quarterback at 8 after just signing a $100 million quarterback in free agency, the Falcons rebounded with four back to back defensive players, filling current and future/rotation needs.

The Falcons moved up a few spots in the second round to take Clemson Defensive Tackle, Ruke Orhorhoro, just before a run on DT’s began. Then in the 3rd through 5th rounds, Linebacker Bralen Trice, DT Brandon Dorlus and another LB, JD Bertrand. With 3 picks in the 6th and final round for the Falcons, they drafted a Running Back, Wide Receiver and another DT. These will be development players, playing some on special teams and seeing if they stick on the team or not.

After being legit angry for nearly 24 hours, including driving 4 hours back from Atlanta, listening to 92.9 The Game the whole way, I was starting to calm down and buy in, but then triggered again, then calmer again. By the time the 2nd round pick came in, I was 15% less angry with Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris. I had full faith until that 1st round pick, but trying to come around and believe they have a plan.

As a Clemson fan, I was very happy about Orhorhoro, I know he is a beast. I’ve heard his name 1000 times in Clemson games. I’ve seen how disruptive he has been and can be in the NFL. Ruke is excited to join former teammate AJ Terrell and another Clemson legend, Grady Jarrett….who he will be able to learn behind.  Ruke wants to prove he was worth trading up for. At 6 foot 4 and nearly 300 pounds, he had 12 starts, 22 tackles, 8 for losses and 5 sacks in his last year at Clemson. And was even more often, around the ball. Ruke is versatile and can play any position on the line and was considered a top 5 DT.

Bralen Trice is out of Washington, the near 2023 National Champions, so you know he has good experience on the field and in big pressure situations. Trice will be a great edge rusher, which is a definite need for the Falcons and should be contributing early on. He started 15 games, amassed 49 tackles, 11 for loss and 7 sacks in his final season. Trice was the top player in all of college football in the last two seasons for pressures.

Not to confuse Bralen with Brandon….but in the 4th round, the Falcons drafted Defensive Tackle, Brandon Dorlus from Oregon. Dorlus will make a great addition to this line, whether starting or in rotation learning behind Jarrett and David Onyemata. Dorlus started 13 of 14 games with 25 tackles, 6 for loss and 5 sacks. At 280 pounds, Dorlus is a little small for a nose tackle, but is versatile and can move to other locations on the line.

Note that sacks are starting to add up already with these additions and you can’t outrun everyone, so if you escape Ruke, Bralen, or Brandon, there will be someone else waiting for you.

In the 5th round, the Falcons continue on their defensive draft and snapped up another Linebacker, JD Bertrand from Notre Dame. A homegrown product from Alpharetta, GA, making his family happy for short drives to home games. In 12 starts, Bertrand had 76 tackles, 7 for loss, and a forced fumble.  He led the Irish in tackles in his last 3 seasons. Bertrand seems to match the current linebacking core in makeup, personality and play. Hopefully he will be the force that Kaden Ellis, Troy Anderson, and Nate Landman have been in their short times in Atlanta. Bertrand is likely not a day 1 starter, but has a great group to learn behind and grow with and rotate in quickly, specifically behind Landman.

All of these guys have played college since 2019, so they are a little older, but also more experienced and more mature. I believe that was intentional by Fontenot and Morris.

While trying to buy in to the draft so far, one must remember that the only constant over the last few years is Fontenot. Not only is the head coach new, his coordinators are new to being coordinators and everyone is bringing fresh eyes to the game. The guys just drafted (and obtained in free agency) fit what this new regime has planned.

Now, it gets a little sideways for me again, but going to try to assume that Fontenot and Morris have a plan.  They are drafting and planning for their jobs, I just want to have a team to win games, they NEED this team to win, and win NOW.

In the 6th round, the Falcons had 3 picks and selected Alabama Running Back, Jase McClellan, Illinois’ Wide Receiver Casey Washington, and then another DT, Zion Logue from Georgia. McClellan and Washington will likely be on special teams for a while, but a roster spot is a roster spot. Logue is a straight up Nose Tackle at 6 foot 5 and 315 pounds. If he can learn and follow from the current defensive line, he can win a spot onto the final roster as well. These later rounds aren’t necessarily for finding starters, but diamonds in the rough, special teamers, practice squad guys.

One of my biggest questions is the lack of drafting a cornerback (CB2), but maybe he is already on the roster, he just needs to be coached up. Several were obtained in free agency (Clark Phillips, Kevin King, Antonio Hamilton) and others were already on the roster (Dee Alford, Richie Grant), so with new coaching, maybe he identifies himself in mini or training camp. I have to believe that Fontenot and Morris know they need a corner opposite of Terrell.

The second big question is money….isn’t it always? Can we pay everyone that we need to pay. As I type this, the Falcons exercised their 5th year option on Tight End Kyle Pitts. Terrell will need to be dealt with next year at the latest, it would be smart to lock him in now, just in case he gets even better. We don’t know if Calius Campbell is coming back….and if so, will he take a discount to stay one more year in The Atl? We don’t want to start restructuring too many contracts and get into the same mess we were in previously, but again, smarter people than me, that are fighting for their jobs know that.

The more I think that way, this isn’t “just” a job for Fontenot and Morris, this is their livelihood and you have to believe that Fontenot, for sure, is on a short leash. Being evaluated on what he can do separated from former coach Arthur Smith. Can Morris redeem himself as a head coach and take Atlanta to the promised land?

Seems that some of these picks, or lack of picks say that this coaching staff and GM think this team is set now and ready to “Win Now.”

With that said, I close by saying, when Raheem Morris was announced as the new Head Coach, and held his first press conference, while being so excited to have Ra back, tearing up some, I felt (and have told countless people) that I had a good feeling and am planning to travel to New Orleans next February to watch us win the Super Bowl. So, as the days move farther from the shock of the draft, I am still saving my time and money and planning on a Super Bowl win for my Falcons.

#RISEUP #DIRTYBIRDS

FALCONALLEY OWT