The Atlanta Falcons didn’t make the kind of big splash at the start of free agency that many of their fans wanted.

But, little by little, they’ve made moves that should help make their roster stronger. They traded for cornerback Asante Samuel just before the draft and it’s pretty obvious the Falcons are counting on second-round pick Peter Konz to have an immediate impact on their offensive line. But this offseason might be far from over for the Falcons, who were strapped by the salary cap early in free agency.

That’s not really the case these days. Atlanta got a boost when it got a $3 million cap credit as fallout from the Michael Vick situation and some of that helped make room for Samuel. The Falcons cut veteran fullback Ovie Mughelli last week and they’re on the hook for a $733,335 cap hit for that. But the move cleared up $3 million in cap space.

That gives the Falcons some money to work with and you could see another move or two before training camp starts. Although the Falcons say they’re comfortable with Sam Baker at left tackle, I’m not sure that’s a great idea. At very least, they should bring in someone to compete with Baker. Veteran Marcus McNeill is still hanging out there in free agency. McNeill had an injury last season that may require more time to heal. If it does, I could see the Falcons bringing in McNeill. If not, the Falcons have enough room to look at some other alternatives.

By Jake Saltzman

It was a historically bad week for Atlanta Falcon running backs, complete with revelations of owed taxes and a roster cut of a player who at one time made more money than any other player at his position.

First broke the news that Jamal Anderson owed over a million dollars in taxes to the IRS. Shortly thereafter, fan favorite Ovie Mughelli was informed he had been cut by one of only two pro organizations he had ever known.

Thankfully for the Falcons, Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers weren’t among those making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

According to TMZ, Anderson currently owes over 1.1. million dollars in taxes to the IRS, dating back to the years 2007 and 2008. The news broke only a short time after Anderson jumped aboard the ever-growing train of former NFL players suing the NFL for reasons pertaining to concussion treatment.

A Pro Bowler in 1998, Anderson enjoyed his best NFL season that year, leading the NFC in rushing yards and guiding the Falcons to an upset win in the NFC Championship Game and birth in Super Bowl XXXIII. His post-NFL life has not been as remarkable however, highlighted by a cocaine related arrest in 2009 at an Atlanta club.

With this news of tax evasion and an anticipated property lien, Anderson sure looks like he’ll be following his lawsuit rather closely in the coming months.

For fullback Ovie Mughelli, things turned sour when the Falcons drafted Bradie Ewing in the fifth round of last month’s draft. Though Mughelli’s only 31 years old, he’s coming off a major injury and also plays a position dying out on NFL rosters across the league. Though Mughelli has a Pro Bowl appearance on his resume, as well as two All-Pro selections, the market for free agent fullbacks hasn’t exactly been kind to those who have tested it recently.

A fan favorite in Atlanta, Mughelli was revered for his charity work in and around the major metropolitan areas of the Southeastern United States. The Ovie Mughelli Foundation works to guide and oversee the development of children across the country, while Mughelli himself has been named a top five Eco-Athlete by the Planet Green TV network.

Mughelli spent 2007 to 2011 with the Falcons, scoring five touchdowns in that span. In his six year NFL career, he has played in over 110 games.

Mughelli, 31, has started 38 of 69 games over his five seasons in Atlanta. Valued for his blocking, Mughelli has paved the way for three 1,000-yard seasons by Michael Turner, adding 70 rushing yards and a touchdown on his own. Mughelli also has 38 receptions for 295 yards and four touchdowns as a member of the Falcons.

A two-time Pro Bowler, most recently in 2010, Mughelli’s 2011 season ended with a right knee injury in October. The Falcons finished the season with Mike Cox at fullback and used a 2011 fifth round pick on fullback Bradie Ewing. Both players will earn the league minimum this upcoming season and their combined salary of $1.09 million in 2010 is far less expensive than the $3 million in base salary Mughelli was scheduled to earn in the final season of his six-year, $18 million contract.

By releasing Mughelli, the Falcons will save $3 million in cap space. As a vested veteran, Mughelli is free to sign with another club once his release becomes official.

Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina

Chad Faulcon, S, Montclair State

Robbie Frey, RB, Kutztown

Jerrell Harris, LB, Alabama

Josh Harris, LS, Auburn

Tyler Horn, OL, Miami

Phillipkeith Manley, OL, Toledo

Adam Nissley, TE, Central Florida

Louis Nzegwu, DE, Wisconsin

Cody Pearcy, WR, Hamilton

Micanor Regis, DT, Miami

James Rodgers, WR, Oregon State

Pat Schiller, LB, Northern Illinois

Casey Therriault QB, Jackson State University

Dawson Zimmer, P, Clemson

The Atlanta Falcons made two things clear in making their second overall selection Friday. One, draft at the position where you need the most help.

Two, size matters. A lot.

With the 91st overall pick in the draft, the Atlanta Falcons took their second straight offensive lineman, Lamar Holmes from Southern Mississippi.

Holmes is a tank in pretty much every sense of the word, and at 6’5, 320 pounds, is just what new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter needs to ensure Matt Ryan stays off of the Georgia Dome turf this year. Ryan was sacked 26 times in 2011.

Holmes excels at straight-ahead run-blocking, and shows pretty good athleticism for a man his size. He can be exposed in the passing game though, as well as in certain facets of the run game. Both of those things will have to improve before he starts consistently on Sundays.

Conference USA produced an impressive crop of prospects this year, with Dontari Poe (Memphis, 11th overall) and Vinny Curry (Marshall, 59th overall) both selected ahead of Holmes. All three project to see the field a great deal next year, especially Poe (KC Chiefs) and Holmes who fill glaring needs for their respective teams.

By Jake Saltzman

The Atlanta Falcons were rumored to have had interest in drafting a center in the draft, despite the fact that Joe Hawley has done well in limited action behind Todd McClure.

Little did they know Wisconsin’s Peter Konz, the highest rated center in the draft, would be available at 55 overall.

Capable of playing any of the three interior line positions, Konz is as safe a pick as any late in the second round. Look for Konz to push Hawley to guard/backup center in the long run, or at least until McClure begins to taper off.

Konz is the first true center taken so far in this year’s draft, though he is the second Wisconsin Badger offensive lineman to be selected. Fellow Second Team All-American Kevin Zeitler was taken at 27th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday.

Konz is 6’5 and just over 310 LBs, average size for an NFL center. Given that the Falcons were able to select arguably the best offensive lineman remaining at 55 overall, it is quite possible Atlanta opts not to select another lineman until late in day three.

The Falcons and Eagles wrapped up a deal Wednesday that sends veteran cornerback Asante Samuel to Atlanta in exchange for an undisclosed draft choice, the Falcons announced on Wednesday.

While the draft choice was not disclosed, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Eagles will receive the Falcons’ seventh round draft choice, the 229th overall pick in the draft . Samuel has also agreed to restructure the two years and $21.5 million remaining on his contract, agreeing to a three-year, $18.5 million deal with Atlanta.

“We are pleased to be able to add a player of Asante’s caliber to our roster, “Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “Asante has established himself as a very productive player during his career. He is a proven player in this league and we feel that this move upgrades the talent of our roster and improves our football team.”

Dimitroff was the Director of College Scouting with the New England Patriots when they selected Samuel in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. During his nine-year career, the last four with the Eagles, Samuel has 45 interceptions, five he’s returned for touchdowns, and 123 passes defensed, earning four trips to the Pro Bowl (2007-10).

Samuel gives the Falcons a third starting-caliber cornerback, joining Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes. Robinson restructured his contract last month, reducing his cash payout this year by $4 million, though his $5 million salary is guaranteed. Grimes signed his franchise tender on Tuesday, guaranteeing him $10.281 million for the upcoming season.

By trading Samuel, the Eagles save $10 million in cash and clear $9 million in cap space, both of which could be used to extend the contract of running back LeSean McCoy and perhaps Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who will replace Samuel in the starting lineup and has just one season remaining on his current contract.

A report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter says that the Falcons are “on the verge” of acquiring cornerback Asante Samuel from the Eagles.

According to Schefter, the Eagles will receive a late round draft choice for Samuel. The Falcons have six picks in this week’s draft, including one fifth round, one sixth round and a pair of seventh round draft choices, though one of the seventh round picks is a compensatory choice and can not be traded.

Samuel, 31, has been on the block after the Eagles signed Nnamdi Asomugha to a five-year, $60 million contract and acquired Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Arizona Cardinals in the Kevin Kolb trade last summer. As part of any trade, Samuel is expected to restructure the two years and $21.5 million remaining on his current contract, that calls for a $9.9 million base salary,and $100,000 workout bonus in 2012. Atlanta has less than $2 million in cap space and could not add Samuel without a restructured deal.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and Assistant Director of Player Personnel Lional Vital were in the lead positions of the New England Patriots’ college scouting department when New England selected Asante Samuel with a fourth round draft choice in the 2003 NFL Draft. Over his nine-year career, Samuel has 45 interceptions, five he’s returned for touchdowns, and 123 passes defensed, earning four trips to the Pro Bowl.

The Falcons already have two solid cornerbacks in Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes, who signed his $10.281 million franchise tender on Tuesday. Atlanta also has Dominique Franks and Christopher Owens, who will now compete for a dime cornerback role to earn a roster spot.

UDPATE (1:58pm EST) – A proposed trade that will send cornerback Asante Samuel to the Falcons moved one step closer to completion on Wednesday afternoon with Samuel agreeing to terms on a three-year, $18.5 million contract with the Falcons, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Samuel had two years and $21.5 million remaining on his current contract, including a $9.9 million base salary and $100,000 workout bonus in 2012. Adding Samuel without a revised contract was not possible, as they were just $1.656 million under their adjusted cap number of $125.423 million for the 2012 season.

Neither team has confirmed the trade, which is expected to involve the Falcons’ sixth round pick (192nd overall).

By Jake Saltzman

Defense:

Additions: LB Lofa Tatupu

The Falcons haven’t been overly busy so far this spring, and perhaps the club’s biggest move was to decline a summer appearance on the HBO series “Hard Knocks.” The transactions the Falcons have made have almost all been re-signings, and as a result franchise staples John Abraham, Brent Grimes, Kroy Biermann and Thomas DeCoud all return on defense for a club that gave up just over three TDs per game last season. The Falcons’ D actually looked alright in the team’s lone playoff game last season, holding the eventual Super Bowl champion NY Giants to 24 points, and scoring Atlanta’s only points on a safety in the second quarter. The weak spot on defense is in the secondary, so it should come as no surprise that the team has recently expressed interest in free agent corner Asante Samuel, formerly of the Eagles. James Sanders, Curtis Lofton and Kelvin Hayden are the three big losses on defense, so look for the Falcons to seek replacements either early in the draft, or later this summer.

Offense:

Additions: G Vince Manuwai

On offense and special teams, the Falcons bring back a pair of 13-year veterans in center Todd McClure and long snapper Joe Zelenka. McClure’s contract is a one year deal, so expect heir-apparent Joe Hawley, a 2010 draft selection who started 12 games a year ago, to see more time on the O-Line this season, particularly at center. It’s also possible the Falcons could bring in a third center in the later rounds this year to push Hawley. Backup quarterback Chris Redman and wide receiver Harry Douglas were also retained, and veteran Vince Manuwai was brought in to add depth to the offensive line. Finally, kick returner/wide receiver Eric Weems was lost in free agency to the Chicago Bears, so look for the Falcons to upgrade there. Atlanta has traditionally employed a reserve receiver to return kicks (before Weems Brian Finneran had the job) so expect a young wideout to get a shot.

Draft Overview:

The Falcons have had major success in the draft the past couple of seasons, and full marks go out to GM Thomas Dimitroff and owner Arthur Blank, as well as Mike Smith and the entire coaching staff. This year the Falcons hold only six picks, picking only twice in the first four rounds. Three late picks in the sixth and seventh rounds could be used to address special teams needs, as well as to add depth on the offensive line. Before that however, expect the Falcons to look to improve upon last season’s 20^th-ranked pass defense by adding either safeties and corners, or possibly even a young coverage linebacker. On the defensive line, the Falcons have made no secret out of their search for a big-name pass rusher, but look for that pursuit to continue in free agency rather than in the draft. Third year DT Vance Walker was also resigned, and looks to build upon his two-sack total from last year from his spot on the line.

Seven Who Make Sense:

1: CB Trumaine Johnson, Montana.

The Falcons have shown a willingness to invest in small-school players over the past few years, and already have one former Montana Grizzly (defensive back Shann Schilinger) on their roster. Johnson has excellent size for a corner, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Falcons could be interested in moving him to safety. If the Falcons take Johnson they’ll have to do it early, as Johnson projects to a late second rounder.

2: G Lucas Nix, Pittsburgh.

Nix’s stock has fallen due to the fact that he’s coming off a knee injury, but at 6’5, 317, his size might be too good to ignore for new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. The Falcons need better protection for Matt Ryan, and given how pro-ready Pitt offensive linemen traditionally are, Nix could potentially make a lot of sense.

3: CB Asa Jackson, Cal Poly.

Another small-school defensive back, Jackson could be the last player from the recently-disbanded Great West Conference taken in the NFL Draft. Jackson put on a solid amount of muscle leading up to both the Combine and his pro-day, though the Falcons are not one of the teams reported to have been spotted checking out his workouts near California’s capital city.

4: DE Jared Crick, Nebraska.

Injury-plagued and relying upon a somewhat weak class of defensive ends in 2012, Nebraska’s Crick had his best years as a Cornhusker playing alongside Ndamukong Suh. Crick isn’t Suh, but the Falcons hope he can recapture what he had in 2009 (9.5 sacks, 15 TFLs) lined up next to John Abraham.

5: TE Chase Ford, Miami.

While Tony Gonzalez continues to show he belongs in the NFL (at least for one more year) sooner or later the Falcons will need to find a target capable of taking over for the future Hall of Famer. Ford caught under 20 passes during his tenure at The U, but impressed mightily at the East-West Shrine Game in January. The Falcons also have Michael Palmer on their roster as Gonzalez’s number two. The Hurricanes had a tight end selected in the later rounds of last year’s draft by the way, Richard Gordon by the Oakland Raiders, who recorded only 10 catches in college.

6: WR Devon Wylie, Fresno St.

A solid kick/punt returner who ran a remarkable 4.39 40 yard dash time, Wylie has been compared to Wes Welker by some scouts who no doubt notice his 5’9 height and willingness to take a hit. Former Fresno St. head coach Pat Hill is now the Falcons offensive line coach, which is just one of many reasons why Wylie would fit in Atlanta.

7: T Bryce Harris, Fresno St.

Harris’s highest ranking among draft-eligible offensive tackles is 26^th by Tom Melton’s Draft Blog, but given his ties to Pat Hill and Andrew Jackson (another former Bulldog offensive lineman currently on the Falcons’ roster) Harris could land a spot himself depending on his ability to one, potentially move to center, or two, perhaps even to long snapper down the road.

Grimes did not attend the start of the Falcons’ voluntary offseason training program on Monday. Grimes is sent to make $10.262 million this season. It is unclear if both sides will continue to negotiate toward a long-term deal.