081915 FLOWERY BRANCH: Falcons linebacker Paul Worrilow (left) and outside linebacker Tyler Starr (right) run a defensive drill during team practice on Wednesday, August 19, 2015, in Flowery Branch. Curtis Compton /
ccompton@ajc.com
1. AN ODE TO PETER KONZ: With the release of center Peter Konz, general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s drafts are being put back under the microscope for further review.
I thought Mike Bell on 92.9 The Game, the team’s flagship, was going to have a cardiac arrest on the air yesterday. His partner, Carl Dukes, got him to calm down while discussing the fine fashion sense of the women who are set to attend the Dragon Con festival this weekend.
After trading five picks to Cleveland in the Julio Jones deal, the Falcons reduced their margin of error in the subsequent draft. The scouting department had to hit on the remaining picks and clearly didn’t on Konz in the second round and Lamar Holmes in the third.
Peter Konz, here doing the Dirty Bird after being drafted by the Falcons in 2012. (By Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
Some trace the offensive line woes back to the Jones trade. With the five picks, the Falcons may have a line, but wouldn’t have Jones and likely wouldn’t have made it to the NFC championship game after the 2012 season.
Konz, who was an affable young man and always polite to the media, somehow managed to make it through 28 NFL games as a starter. But he spent way too much time on the ground for a NFL center.
That was predicted after he lifted 225 pounds, just 18 times at the combine. The lack of strength was a concern, but the Falcons took him anyway. He should have gotten stronger after a couple of off seasons, but was still getting pushed around.
Recently,
my esteemed colleague and Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley broached the topic of the talent on the Falcons roster. The column was titled: “Do Falcons have enough talent for Quinn to win?”
Also, the Jones trade attracted more attention because Cleveland released defensive tackle Phil Taylor on Tuesday. He was the last remaining pick from the bounty the Falcons sent to Cleveland.
ESPN’s Mike Sando, who I used to stand outside in the cold with in front of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Indianapolis trying to get interviews at the combine way before there was a posh media room at Lucas Oil Stadium, gave his take on the trade and how it affected both teams in a series of tweets.
Also, Gil Brandt, not media mogul and former personnel man, noted the trade.
With the release of Konz, Holmes is the last member of the Falcons 2012 draft class on the team. 
2 55
Peter Konz G Wisconsin
3 91
Lamar Holmes T Southern Mississippi
5 157
Bradie Ewing RB Wisconsin
5 164
Jonathan Massaquoi DE Troy
6 192
Charles Mitchell SS Mississippi State
7 249
Travian Robertson NT South Carolina
2. BIG MAIL BAG ANNOUNCEMENT: The weekly Falcons Fan Mailbag will start on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 11:30 to 12:30. We’ll be ready to answer your questions and preview the season-opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, who some are calling Super Bowl contenders.
3. RUN GAME: The Falcons, who appear set to rest running back Devonta Freeman until the regular season, don’t seem overly concerned about the rushing attack.
“It’s so close (to breaking loose),” center Joe Hawley said. “The combo blocks are such a team-work thing. We have to work well together. If it’s not one guy one play, it’s the next guy. It’s just hard to get everybody on the same page.”
The Falcons are averaging 1.9 yards per carry. They have rushed 77 times for 150 yards and four touchdowns.
“On a lot of those plays we are just one block away,” Hawley said. “A guy is too tight on his angle or he’s too loose. A guy is getting up field and getting penetration.”
4. COLEMAN TO PLAY: While Freeman is likely out, rookie running back Tevin Coleman is set to play against the Baltimore Ravens.
Hawley said the backs and the line will benefit when the team starts to make game-plans on how to attack defenses.
“Each team is different,” Hawley said. “Once we get into game-planning we’ll get to see what kind of defense that they are, if they are penetrating guys or if they are lateral guys. We just have to keep working.”
Running back Jerome Smith has the Falcons longest run from scrimmage, a 12-yard gain.
“The big plays will come,” Hawley said. “That’s what the zone-blocking scheme is all about. We just have to stick with it and the big runs will come.”
5. SOUTHWARD EXPERIMENT: Cornerback Dezmen Southward was drafted by the Falcons to takeover at free safety in Mike Smith defense.
Under Quinn, he was moved to cornerback and still has some work to go. It he makes the team it will be because of his speed and play on special teams, which may by him some time to continue his conversion to cornerback.
If he’s cut that will be another wasted high pick.
to @Kaedus @Motife43 @The ADD, #birdbrehs podcast coming soon 
