Dan Pompei of the National Football Post reports the Falcons are giving Curtis Lofton more responsibility on the field. After hearing about Lofton running the defense during lockout practices and seeing how he thinks like a coach, Falcons coaches decided to give the fourth year middle linebacker more leeway in games this year. Last year, he had the ability to check out of a play...

By Columnist Tara Banks CBS Sports Television, 8/27/11. First Half During the 1st Pittsburgh scored a TD in the first possession of the game. A return by Weems gave Atlanta good field position and the game score is 7-3. In the 2nd Matt Ryan completes to Roddy White for a TD and the game was tied 10-10. The next Pittsburgh possession results in a TD making it 17-10. In Atlanta’s...

1. Green Bay Packers – The Pack is back, healthy and ready to try and defend their titles. They look like a team that won’t rest on last season, and with an opening night battle with the Saints, the season starts with a bang at home. Last Ranking: #2

Top Ten Back By Season’s End? 1. New Orleans Saints (12-4) – Sean Payton’s club addressed its two major weaknesses via draft and free agency – run offense and run defense.  Mark Ingram was a steal late in round one, and will be counted on to produce immediately, considering the uncertainty surrounding the health of Pierre Thomas (ankle) and Chris Ivory (hernia).  The...

The Jaguars expect to have a much improved defense in 2011, though the early returns haven’t been good. The revamped unit hopes to make substantial progress in the team’s second preseason game, which will take place Friday at Everbank Field against the defending NFC South champion Falcons. After finishing near the bottom of nearly every major category on the defensive...

Free agent tight end Reggie Kelly has agreed to terms with the Falcons, Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com reports. Terms were not disclosed. Originally selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Falcons, Kelly caught 69 passes for 790 yards and two touchdowns in four seasons before signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003. Over his seven seasons (minus a 2009 season...

Veteran tight end Reggie Kelly tried out for the Falcons on Monday, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation. Kelly is a former Cincinnati Bengals starter who recently visited the Pittsburgh Steelers and declined their offer of a veteran minimum contract. Kelly has caught 194 career passes for 1,760 yards and five touchdowns.

GAME RECAP The first preseason game was a real thriller to start, but didn’t end as the Falcons hoped. While the starters looked dominant over the Dolphins, some of the backups did not impress. Let’s run through the players that got themselves noticed, whether it was for good or bad play THE GOOD Matt Ryan – Ryan started out shaky. His first 4 passes were incomplete, but after...

Ray Edwards will be held out of the first preseason game tomorrow due to an off season knee surgery he had. This will give a Kroy Biermann the start, and should allow some of the younger guys on the D-line to get even more playing time. more stories @ www.atlantafalconsblog.net

New Orleans Saints Unsigned players: RB Ladell Betts (UFA), DE Jeff Charleston (UFA), FB Heath Evans (UFA), S Matt Giordano (UFA), RB Julius Jones (UFA), MLB Kawika Mitchell (UFA), ILB Marvin Mitchell (UFA), S Darren Sharper (UFA), OLB Anthony Waters (UFA), RB DeShawn Wynn (UFA). Key arrivals: Ex-Bears C Olin Kreutz, Aug. 5; Ex-Cardinals RFA CB Trumaine McBride, Aug. 4; Ex-Cowboys...

DEPTH CHART OFFENSE WR 11 Julio Jones, 83 Harry Douglas, 14 Eric Weems, 15 Andy Strickland,8 Doug Beaumont, 12 Kevin Cone LT 72 Sam Baker, 65 Jose Valdez LG 63 Justin Blalock, 79 Mike Johnson C 62 Todd McClure, 61 Joe Hawley, 67 Rob Bruggeman, 64 Ryan McMahon RG 75 Garrett Reynolds, 69 Andrew Jackson, 68 Paul Fenaroli RT 77 Tyson Clabo, 74 Will Svitek, 66 Matt Murphy TE 88 Tony Gonzalez...

terms not yet disclosed

The Falcons released two more players today. Kicker Jacob Harfman, and Tackle Rob McGill were two of many cuts to come as preseason approaches. more stories @ www.atlantafalconsblog.net

“This defense can be great,’’ Edwards said. “We all need to get on the same page and build that chemistry. Our motto is that it all starts up front, so we need to do our job and make everybody else’s job easier. If we work together, everybody’s going to eat.’’ That was the quote by Edwards regarding the Falcons defense. With an improved pass rush, the Falcon’...

Atlanta Falcons signed A.J. Simmons today, to increase competition at TE after cutting Robbie Agnone. Simmons is a 6’3 255 lb tight end that played for University of Arizona

The Atlanta Falcons had a great regular season last year going 13-3. But when you really look at the stats you can see problems that were hidden by an easy schedule. Fortunately it’s clear that the Falcons are ready to fix these problems in 2011. First thing to look at is sophomore linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Spoon was brought in to add quickness to the defense and to help...

Brent Grimes Signed his first round tender today.   It’s not much of a surprise that he is back, but it’s great to have him at camp.  The deal is reportedly worth 2.61 million.  Grimes is a probowl Corner, and should only improve next year. A side story to this signing is the battle that continues for the nickel back.  Chris Owens and Dominique Franks are battling...

2011 has the potential to be a great year for the Falcon’s Wide Receivers. This group has a lot of young talent, mixed in with some great experience veterans. Let’s take a look at the WR line up. Roddy White- Our number 1 receiver, that seemed to be close to unstoppable last year, even without another top flight Wide Receiver to take the pressure off him. Roddy has...

The Falcons have locked up left guard Justin Blalock to a six-year deal according to reports. The signing of he along with the one the other day of RT Tyson Clabo means the team will have most of its offensive line back for the 2011 season. They did lose RG Harvey Dahl to the Rams, so making sure they could get Blalock back became high priority over the weekend. Blalock is entering...

Falcons have released pair of former first-round picks, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Defensive end Jamaal Anderson and wide receiver Michael Jenkins will be released. Neither player was selected by the current front office and coaching staff, though Jenkins did receive a contract extension in 2008, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith’s first seasons...

The Falcons have agreed to terms with veteran linebacker Mike Peterson. The Falcons will have continuity in their linebacker corps with Peterson and Stephen Nicholas returning. Though Peterson was Atlanta’s weak-side starter for much of last season, 2010 first-round pick Sean Weatherspoon is going to get the job in short order. Peterson is only a two-down run stuffer at age 35.

The Falcons have made their first move in free agency, reaching a deal with linebacker Stephen Nicholas on a five-year contract. It’s a five-year deal worth $17.5 million, according to Zach Klein of Atlanta’s WSB television station. Nicholas was not the most well known player from South Florida when the birds grabbed him in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He...

Unrestricted: Blalock, Justin, G; Bryant, Matt, K; Clabo, Tyson, T; Dahl, Harvey, G; Finneran, Brian, WR; Johnson, Thomas, NT; Koenen, Michael, P; Nicholas, Stephen, LB; Norwood, Jerious, RB; Peterson, Mike, LB; Snelling, Jason, RB; Williams, Brian, DB. Restricted: Grimes, Brent, DB; Weems, Eric, WR.

By Columnist Tara Banks According to Fox Sports Jay Glazer, the NFL Owners and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) have come to an agreement on the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. As a formality the NFLPA representatives and players must vote to approve the CBA to make it official. Sources present during negotiations told Fox Sports that with the new agreement team facilities...

Falcons owner Arthur Blank told NFL Network that he is optimistic his fellow owners, who are meeting in Atlanta, will approve a new collective bargaining agreement with the players Thursday. “I’m optimistic that we’ll get a call for a vote today, and I’m optimistic that the ownership will approve a deal today,” Blank said just before the owners began...