Jan 1, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tamba Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Preston Parker (87) gets tackled by Atlanta Falcons defensive back Chris Owens (21) and cornerback Dominique Franks (24) during the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Josh D. Weiss-US PRESSWIRE

Something that the really good NFL teams rely on is depth at all spots on their roster. Obviously a team plays their best players at every position, and offensive linemen, quarterbacks, and some linebackers rarely come off the field. But it is important to have depth to keep the players fresh, and most importantly if a player goes down with an injury.

The Falcons have a very good first team of starters, which is going to be enough to accumulate a good amount of wins. Most of the scoring and good defense will be played with the first team players. Of that I feel fairly comfortable and confident after the good performance by the first teamers against the Baltimore Ravens last week.

The problem lies with the rest of the roster, who was outscored 31-3, including 24 unanswered points. That doesn’t bode well.

Look at the linebacker depth. The Falcons signed Mike Peterson when Lofa Tatupu went down with an injury, but he was signed to provide depth. Now that Akeem Dent has suffered a head injury, Peterson will play a good amount this preseason, and may end up starting in the regular season if Dent gets injured again. That would prevent him from being able to provide depth at other linebacker spots. And you never know how long the 36 year old Peterson will hold up, knock on wood.

Defensive tackle is another spot. Peria Jerry looked very good in the first preseason game, and that gave me some breathing room, but we all know not to count on him when the chips are down. Corey Peters is missing time with a foot injury. I don’t know when he will be back, but the Falcons need him to start at DT and allow Jerry to work in a rotation with Peters and Babineaux. I’m not sure how much production Vance Walker and Travian Robinson can bring. Then again, I could be wrong.

Secondary? We have three corners with great history, but if one of them is completely winded or is injured, who is going to fill in? Chris Owens and Dominique Franks haven’t been excellent in coverage in their careers, and the guys behind them aren’t much better.

Now for the big two. Quarterback. I don’t expect to have someone outstanding behind Matt Ryan on the depth chart, but nobody who played the Ravens looked good at all.

And finally offensive line. They had a good showing against the Ravens, but we don’t know how long that great protection is going to last. We also don’t know how productive the second team players would be if they were pressed into service. I know what Will Svitek can do, but beyond that there really isn’t anyone with a good track record. It is cause for concern.

Fatigue and injuries are something that are innate in the NFL. The best NFL teams don’t just win in spite of the non-starters on the depth chart: they win because of the solid depth on the team. I’m not a head coach, nor a GM of an NFL club, but I don’t think what the depth has shown will be enough to help the Falcons in 2012. Hopefully they won’t be a problem throughout the season.

December 26, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank walks the field before their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

After this past weekend’s Rookie Mini-camp during which Peter Konz, Travian Robertson, Bradie Ewing and Charles Mitchell all signed their rookie contracts, and three tryout players were signed, the Falcons 2012 Rookie Class will undergo a rookie orientation today, something the Falcons call ‘Falcons U’.

The point of the event is similar to the NFL’s rookie symposium. It is designed to impress upon the rookies the importance of being humble, adjusting to life in the NFL, and emphasize the values of the individual franchise. The Falcons invite a number of speakers within the organization and from other places to speak to the rookies. Arthur Blank, Thomas Dimitroff, and several others will speak to the rookies and field questions they may have about any life or on the field adjustments they will have to make.

The great thing about this event is that its primary focus is on off-field life. Obviously as fans we are looking out for the bottom line, which for the fans comes in the form of wins. There were a couple items such as Mr. Blank saying that “every rookie has told me the season is longer, and the game is faster.” There has also been items mentioned such as that the Falcons expect a 100% commitment during the Monday-Saturday period of the week and not simply on Sundays. But there have been other things mentioned. Seizing every opportunity, not settling for playing backup, working your hardest, putting the team before yourself.

The Falcons are also doing their part to help the players make the adjustment easy. Mr. Blank mentioned three things that were truly striking. First, every person needs to have balance in their lives, that it is important to spend time with your family, on religion, and being the best person you can be. Secondly, the Falcons organization made themselves available. Mr. Blank’s words were that “We care about you as more than just football players. We will do everything we know how to do to help you.” The third thing he mentioned was that without the fans, the NFL would simply be teams of 11 guys going out and playing Sandlot football. He emphasized that each player remember this when asked for autographs or when interacting with fans.

I think this effort made by the Falcons to be there in every capacity for each player is excellent. The Falcons clearly are asking for quality people and quality family men for their organization; I think that is only right. The realization that the players must do everything they can to help the team is obvious, but the team also must do everything they can to make help the player. Also emphasizing the importance of the fan for the team is crucial. It is something that all Falcons fans should take pride in: we have a team that really appreciates us and is doing everything to make our experience better for us. The Atlanta Falcons care about the people who are playing the game, and they care greatly for the fan that consumes their product.

Sep 17, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Peter Konz (66) blocks during the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Soldier Field. Wisconsin defeated Illinois 49-7. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

The Falcons had a productive draft this year, despite the fact that they traded away their 1st, 4th, and 7th round picks. Here are the newest members of the Atlanta Falcons:

Round 2- Center, Peter Konz- Wisconsin. Konz is a fine player from a Wisconsin offensive line that routinely produces NFL talent. Konz is by far the best center in the draft, and the virtue that the Falcons picked him up late in the 2nd round shows that the Falcons got very good value for him. He also fulfilled a great need for the Falcons. The NFL Network’s Mike Mayock called Konz ‘a plug and play offensive lineman who will start in Atlanta from day 1.’ Konz wasn’t a flashy pick, but he was as solid as they come.

Round 3- Offensive Tackle, Lamar Holmes- Southern Mississippi. Holmes is a huge offensive lineman, and played both left and right tackle in junior college before he transferred to Southern Miss, where he played exclusively left tackle. Holmes is a grinder, and brings nastiness and tenacity to the tackle position that the Falcons don’t get from Sam Baker. However, he is not a polished product, and could do with a lot more instruction. That’s perfect for the Falcons because they just hired Pat Hill as their new O-Line coach and he will work a lot with Holmes. At this stage he is a better pass- protector with good feet to beat the edge-rusher, and the Falcons believe the rest will come with this developmental prospect.

Round 5- Fullback, Bradie Ewing- Wisconsin. Ewing is a solid fullback in the most traditional sense of the word. He doesn’t get many carries or many receptions, and that is just fine. The fact that there isn’t much to say about his is exactly what makes him good: he punishes defensive players, and opens up holes for the runningbacks on the ground. As evidences by the huge numbers put up by Wisconsin runningbacks over the past couple years, Ewing is pretty good at his job, and will one day replace Ovie Mughelli.

Round 5- Defensive End, Jonathan Massaquoi- Troy. Massaquoi was a player who turned in great seasons, but in his final season at Troy he turned in what scouts called an ‘average’ season. He is clearly not a transcendent talent moving into the NFL. I do think that he is a good role player who the Falcons will be able to call upon in much the same way they called on Kroy Biermann to rotate in with John Abraham and Ray Edwards to keep the defensive line fresh.

Round 6- Safety, Charles Mitchell- Mississippi State. Mitchell was at one time a safety at Mississippi State before the coaching staff turned him into a safety. My personal belief is that he is better suited to being a Strong Safety in the NFL, and even then only as a backup. However, backup depth is crucial at all positions, and given the injury histories of Thomas DeCoud and William Moore, having another person who can play in a pinch makes all the difference in the world.

Round 7- Defensive Tackle, Travian Robertson- South Carolina. Robertson is another solid rotation player who will probably not provide much more than depth along their defensive line. Robertson also did not produce huge numbers during his college career, but he was better at holding the point of attack and eating up blocks, allowing the linebackers and other defenders to make the tackle. Robertson isn’t going to be a starter, but again, depth on the defensive line is essential to winning in the NFL.