The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Falcons GM: How ’bout them Dawgs?
Georgia has 14 players at the scouting combine, the most of any school this year.
The Falcons have not drafted a player from Georgia since taking linebacker Akeem Dent in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft.
“That’s exciting,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said of the Georgia contingent. “Kirby (Smart) and that whole staff, that whole building, they did a great job building what they built there.”
As many as four Bulldogs are expected to be selected in the first round of the draft.
“It is kind of overwhelming when you look at all the players on that roster, particularly on defense, but also on offense,” Fontenot said. “They have some really good players . ... They’re right around the corner. So, we have to really evaluate those players and look at them.”
In addition to the 14 players from Georgia, there are 24 other players from the state participating in the scouting combine.
“The interesting thing, too, is when you look around the league
and there are so many local players from Georgia that are really good,” Fontenot said. “I’m hoping we actually can have the locals day. We weren’t allowed to have it last year with COVID.
“But if we can have that, that’s exciting because there’s a lot of kids that grew up in the Georgia area that ended up in some different areas that are really good
football players. So, we’re excited about spending a lot of time with those Georgia players.”
On Pace: Fontenot addressed the recent addition of Ryan Pace to the team’s personnel department.
Pace, who was the general manager of the Chicago Bears from 2015-21, was hired as a senior personnel executive Feb. 24.
Fontenot and Pace worked together with the Saints from 2003-15.
“We’re excited about adding Ryan Pace,” Fontenot said. “He’s a great professional, a great man.”
With Ruston Webster and Phil Emery, the Falcons now have three former general managers in the personnel department. Also, president Rich Mckay is a former general manager.
Webster was Tennessee’s general manager from 2012-15. Emery was Chicago’s general manager from 2012-14.
“When we were sitting in the February meetings we had Ruston Webster and Phil Emery, and they sat right next to each other,” Fontenot said. “Between the two of them, that’s 60 years of experience with several different organizations. That’s valuable. That’s really valuable.”
The senior executives give the Falcons a deeper bank of players to make comparisons to over time.
“So, when we can have people like that who have had those experiences, that’s really valuable,” Fontenot said. “They are humble enough to share with their successes and their failures. So, we’re excited about Ryan, Phil and Ruston.”
Cap cuts: The Falcons didn’t comment when they released outside linebacker Dante Fowler and guard Matt Gono recently.
The release of Fowler, who led the team in sacks last season with 4.5, left the Falcons with $4.6 million in dead salary-cap space. It’s reasonable to infer that he wore out his welcome with low production.
Gono, who missed last season with an injury, was expected to contend for a starting position last season. Given the meager production of the offensive line, Gono’s release was more of a surprise.
“Just like anything else, we went through the process as we got out of the season,” Fontenot said. “It was nothing against those two players, but we just felt it was best to make those moves that point.”
Fowler could land with the Cowboys, where former Falcons coach Dan Quinn is the defensive coordinator.
The Cowboys have decisions to make on three defensive ends: Randy Gregory, Dorance Armstrong and Demarcus Lawrence, who has a $20 million cap hit but hasn’t had a double-digit sack season since 2018.