Who replaces Finneran??/

[DrReality]

The Falcons have a big whole to fill with the injury to Finn. He is the veteran with the most receptions last season. Do you guys see anyone on the roster who can step up, or do they go out and get someone. You wonder if this is the time to trade Ducket?

[joannes3000]

It's been time to trade Duckett since we got Norwood in the 3rd round. I like the talks of us looking at a vet like Prohel (sp?).

[DrReality]

I agree about Prohle, but don't know if he's lost a step due to age. You'd think that there are some guys that would like to light it up with Vick. It's time he made this offense fly.

[chillzatl]

I think both Jenkins and White should and WILL step up. Which is why I'm not crying because Finneran is down for the season. Everyone expected those guys to step it up this year and that doesn't change just because we lost our #3.

[DJlaysitup]

Problem is Chillz...even though Finn was our #3, he's tall and has great hands. He's the kind of guy MV likes to throw the ball to and MV trusts to catch it. Being a big target is also a plus for MV since he isn't known for pinpoint accuaracy. So I think losing the #3 receiver is a bit more serious for the Falcons than it would be for most teams.

I don't know that much about Proehl - other than has was an excellent possession receiver for the Rams a few years back - but I'm sure the Falcons (who have no ownership problems and want to win now) will bring in the best replacement they can for him.

[chillzatl]

I liked Fin and he did make some good catches last year. But I have also not forgotten the years where he would drop every wide open pass that came his way. Sure he would make some tough catches. But he simply wasn't reliable enough to be counted on to make 3-4 consistant catches. That's why he was our #3 guy in the first place.

I do agree that his height will be missed (he's 6'5"!!). But I don't think there was any magic formula about him or that it had anything to do with Mike liking to throw to him. He was a TALL safety net. So many of his good catches last year were the result of a tall guy being able to jump even higher and catch bad passes.

basically, the only reason I see him being sorely missed is if neither Mike NOR Jenkins and White have improved. If all three of them have improved a little, who our #3 receiver isn't should be a huge issue.

[DJlaysitup]

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I liked Fin and he did make some good catches last year. But I have also not forgotten the years where he would drop every wide open pass that came his way...

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Yeah, after living in Denver for a few years and watching Ed McCaffrey catch anything thrown near him for a few years, I then saw Finn make a great catch and thought - Great! - we've got another McCaffrey. Obviously I was dissappointed over time since Finn was no McC.

Still, I think they'll bring in a veteran to solidify the receiving corps. The Atlanta Spirit might be happy with mostly unproven young guys but Arthur Blank is running a serious NFL franchise and he's not going to trust to 'hoped for' development if he doesn't have to....and he doesn't have to - because he's not part of a decision-making committee.

[DrReality]

What happened to Dez White?

I was wondering if they would play Crumpler wide some of the time. He doesn't have the same speed, but he is fast for a TE. He'd create matchup problems.

I was more impressed with White toward the end of the season. He really showed some moxy for a young guy. And its time that Jenkins to sh*t or get off the pot.

[frosgrim]

Dez wasn't any good.

Did you guys see that they are play D'Angelo at wide out in practice?

Also, I saw some talk of getting Lelie (Denver) and/or Porter (Oakland) in a trade. What would you give for one of those guys?

I guess would give a second rounder for Lelie, and I would think Oakland would want at least a first for Porter, but I don't think the Falcons need to trade any more first round picks.

[DJlaysitup]

Being a semi-Denver fan (Hawks first - Denver second), I would defintely be afraid of bringing in Lelie. He's had plenty of time to get it right in Denver and hasn't done it. He'd just be another athletically gifted underacheiver here. Porter is a different story - but he would cost a lot.

[frosgrim]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Lelie hasn't done enough and Porter will cost way too much. But putting Porter with Vick and Roddy on the other side, plus Dunn in the back field and Algie, wow that is some size and atheletism on the field.

[DrReality]

One thing that is very different with the Falcons in this situation, you know their GM is gonna size up the situation and make a smart decision. Unlike what we've been through with the Hawks.

[frosgrim]

I find it hard to evaluate Billy becuase of the ownership situation. There is no doubt that Blank is one of the best owners in sports. The Hawks ownership has to be the worst ownership in sports right now. That really influences what a GM can and cann't do.

That said, I do have more faith in what the Falcons will do than what the Hawks would do in a similar situation. But I do question the notion of using rookie place kickers and a second year punter. The kicking game is going to cost us two or three games this year if we don't improve it.

[joannes3000]

Probably the biggest problem with bringing in either Porter or Lelie will be convincing them to NOT be the go-to guy. Either that, or we're content with dropping one of our two young guys (I think Jenkins looks more like a slot possession type of guy anyway) into the role Finn played.

[DrReality]

Seems like the youhg guys are stepping up. Like Jenkins said: You gotta grow up some time . . . . right Diesel???

[Sothron]

I would rather convince Rickey Proehl to come out of retirement to be our #3rd WR. He's a perfect guy to coach up White and Jenkins on the field and he's a very reliable guy to get the marker when its 3rd and long. He can do it. He'd also be much cheaper than either Jerry Porter or Lelie.

[DrReality]

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Being a semi-Denver fan (Hawks first - Denver second), I would defintely be afraid of bringing in Lelie. He's had plenty of time to get it right in Denver and hasn't done it. He'd just be another athletically gifted underacheiver here. Porter is a different story - but he would cost a lot.

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Heard on the radio a rumor that they may trade Duckett for Lelie but commentattors dispelled it.

Jenkins looked pretty good on a couple of catches. If he and White step up, they could take up a lot of slack.