The Atlanta Falcons won’t be laboring through another high-profile holdout during this year’s training camp.
There had been speculation that the Falcons and rookie linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, would struggle to come to terms. However, after star wide receiver Roddy White was absent last summer until signing a contract extension during the second week of August, team brass did not want to go that route again.
Atlanta inked Weatherspoon to a five-year deal on Thursday, but terms were not disclosed (although NFL.com is reporting $10.5 million in guaranteed money with a maximum value of $17.5 million). By comparison, the 19th pick in the 2009 draft signed a five-year, $15.5 million prior to last season (wide receiver Jeremy Maclin with the Philadelphia Eagles).
The bottom line is that Weatherspoon is signed–just in time–as camp begins on Friday in Flowery Branch. While Falcons fans, players, and management have to be ecstatic about the last-minute development, so too should Weatherspoon. The former University of Missouri standout has a major position battle on his hands and cannot afford to fall behind as he bids for playing time at linebacker, where more experienced players already reside.
Curtis Lofton has established himself as Atlanta’s middle linebacker of the present and future, and he was flanked by Mike Peterson (weakside) and Stephen Nicholas (strongside) last season. The good news for Weatherspoon is that he is not competing simply for one position, as head coach Mike Smith has said that he will make no distinction in 2010 between the strong side and the weak side.
“Is he (Weatherspoon) a strongside or weakside?” the AJC reported Smith as saying. “He’s an outside linebacker. You’ve got to be able to do the same techniques if you are strongside or weakside. I think more and more you’re seeing more teams developing their outside linebackers to be able to play multiple spots.”
Speaking of good news and multiple spots, Atlanta now has all of its rookies and all 80 players under contract. Heading into the first day of training camp, all is well in Falcons’ country.
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