2006 NFL MOCK DRAFT

[THE KOD]

Breakfast with Mora
By Steve Wyche | Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 03:58 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

During an hour-long interview session at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando Tuesday, Falcons coach Jim Mora said quarterback Michael Vick showed up at the offseason conditioning program last week in better shape than the previous two years and, for the first time, began throwing with receivers at this early juncture. Mora added that it was Vick who initiated the contact with wide receivers Brian Finneran, Michael Jenkins and Roddy White.

The coaching staff also is studying the shotgun-based offenses run by Texas, West Virginia and Missouri in order to possibly give Vick more options to run-or-pass, Mora said.

Bucking a trend, the Falcons are trying to acquire a behemoth defensive tackle to plug gaps and free up linebackers and safeties to make plays, Mora said. Atlanta has spoken to monstrous free agent Grady Jackson but has not entered into serious negotiations. Mora keeps talking up second-year tackle Darrell Shropshire too, which means last season?s starter, Chad Lavalais, might have to earn a roster spot. The move to get away from the smaller, quicker inside-gap tackle is something that Mora said was necessary.

Mora added that the Falcons would still entertain trade offers for Matt Schaub. If John Abraham wasn?t enough to move Schaub, a team would have to really be willing to part with a productive player in his prime or a very high draft pick for the Falcons to come off their backup quarterback.
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Cannot believe the Falcons are still thinking about trading Schaub.

If they could get Jay Cutler I would do that deal.

Hell with Defensive tackles from the draft. When Vick goes down at least the Falcons have someone to step in .

Man they are tired and stupid sometimes.

 

[THE KOD]

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. ? Falcons coach Jim Mora sat down with about a dozen reporters Tuesday at the coaches' media breakfast at the NFL's owners' meetings and answered a variety of questions ranging from quarterback Michael Vick's offseason commitment, Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens and possibly tweaking the offense.

Here are some excerpts from the hour-long question and answer session.

Q: Offseason workouts just started. Have you seen anything with Michael Vick, especially with the way things ended last season, where he seems different or more or less committed than before?

A: We started our program the 20th of March. Mike was there four days [a week], which is what it's supposed to be. He weighed 203. He was lean. We ran these 300-yard dashes. He killed them. Our strength coach, Sal Alosi, said he can run forever. Wednesday and Thursday he was out on the field with the receivers throwing. He's met three times with the quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave. He's done the meetings and the workouts before, but he wasn't in this type of shape at this time of the year, and he wasn't on the field throwing in the past.

He initiated the throwing session. He called [receivers] Mike Jenkins and Roddy White. Guys could come in at 7, 9 or 11 in the morning to work out. Jenkins and Roddy were coming in at 7. Mike and [Brian] Finneran were coming in at 9. So Mike said, "Roddy and Jenks, you're coming in a 9, and we're going to work out and we're going to throw."

Q: So Mike wanted to get a little more sleep?

A: No, you've got Vick and Finneran at 9 and the two young guys at 7. The young guys are going to make the adjustment. [Vick] has had success, and this past year we weren't quite as successful and it affected him. I just like the fact that he's taken that initiative.

Q: What changes might you make offensively to better use Mike Vick's skills?

A: What we've done this offseason is we've looked at Texas, West Virginia and Missouri and some of their shotgun run stuff and the way they use their quarterbacks in their system. Some of the stuff they do out of the shotgun is kind of like the old veer stuff with the quarterback making reads, putting the ball in the running back's stomach, reading the end and either dropping it off and pulling it out.

We have a quarterback that's capable of that. It's great stuff. Working from under center, it's tough to see. In the shotgun, you can see it. We're trying to learn from anyone we can.

Q: How seriously did you entertain trade offers about Matt Schaub, and where do you see Schaub going?

A: It doesn't have to be over yet. It would have to be a great offer for us to trade Matt Schaub. We're going to entertain or listen to offers, just like we listened to the Jets. We have to do what's best for us. What's best for us right now is to have Matt Schaub as our backup quarterback. We like the kid as our backup quarterback. When he's played, he's played well. As a starter, he's 0-2. It's not like he's undefeated or anything, but he has played well.

Q: So you can get back into the first round of the draft is what you're saying?

A: We'll see.

Q: You've coached Terrell Owens. If you had a chance to get him, would you run it by your quarterback first?

A: Our quarterback? Yes. If it's a prominent quarterback, a guy that's earned his stripes in the league, guys like Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Mike Vick, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, guys like that who have status, then certainly you do. Those two have to co-exist.

You saw what happened in Philly when he and Donovan were in sync. When they were in sync, they were unstoppable. For some reason that all went away, and it fell apart for them.

I know that would be a concern in Atlanta because the first time he attacked Mike, we'd have a real problem. The house would crumble like that. I know one thing: Mike wouldn't cower. We'd have to restrain him.

Q: You've always wanted to play quick on defense. Is it time to play bigger?

A: I think so. One of the things we've talked about as an organization is adding a big body to the middle, that big-bodied nose tackle. That's one of the reasons we brought in a guy like Grady Jackson the other day. Now, you don't want a whole team of guys built like that because we still want speed and quickness, but I know Keith Brooking's come to me a couple times and said, "Can you put a big [butt] in front of me?"

That's something that we are looking for. You'd like a guy whose whole game is maybe three yards. You want a guy that when they double-team him, he just grabs him, and then you can get your linebackers going.

 

[THE KOD]

Word is Joey Harrington set to sign with Miami for two years.

 

[THE KOD]

NFC SOUTH

Regular 2006 Season games

Team ..................Home ...............Away

Atlanta

Home
............. Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Arizona

Away
Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit

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I already got 3 games circled in that bunch.

Falcons are so predictable. Falcon fans think the defense is going to be Super Bowl capable now with Abraham and the two Safetys. I am not conviced about that. Not by a long shot.

Falcons defense will be better but they have major holes on the offensive line at running back and cornerback .

 

[THE KOD]

22 Atlanta Falcons 22
The addition of John Abraham helps the defense. But this team's fate will be decided by the growth of Michael Vick. He has to throw it better.
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This is the Falcons power ranking.. 22 .... wow they got a long way to go on that many teams in front of them.

 

[jmizeus]

doubt the bills will go for ngata, he wont fit there new defensive scheme this year, would like to see them get aj hawk here.
alot of discussions going around here in there 1st pick, the way i se it is if dbrickshaw or hawk are there,they will go for either one of them.alot of people thinking possibly even cutler? i doubt that because why did they sign nall?

losman is just about done here,see them trading him for a 4th or 5th rounder for next year