Falcons get their wideout

The Atlanta Falcons pulled off a three team trade last night, netting the Denver Broncos’ wideout Ashley Lelie and parting with backup tailback TJ Duckett. Duckett, a former first round pick with a “downhill” style of running has been playing very well in training camp. He will head to Washington as insurance due to the injury of Clinton Portis. Washington will send as many as two draft picks to Denver, a third and fourth round, to fulfill their end of the deal. Denver rid themselves of Lelie, a former first round draft pick, after a lengthy holdout in which the receiver wanted out of Denver after the team’s acquisition of Jevon Walker from Green Bay.

Lelie had wanted to only be traded to a team in which he would be their number one receiver. With the Falcons, he will be the number three receiver. According to the article, Atlanta had a conversation with Lelie about his future role before the trade was made.

Another key part of the deal was that neither of the two players involved received contract extensions. They are both in the last year of their deals and will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Neither player would have stayed with their original team after the season, making a deal necessary to get something back for the investment in the first round draft picks.

Clearly the Falcons needed a number three receiver and TJ Duckett was somewhat expendable. This deal leaves Atlanta with no proven backup at tailback and Dunn is in his 30’s and is bound to get banged up sometime. I still think a more pressing need is at defensive tackle. Atlanta will not be able to stop the run without putting eight in the box and they play in a division with talented ground games. Also, Lelie was never a go to guy for Denver QB’s. They always went to Sharpe, Smith, and McCafferey. Lelie has much more ability than Finneran, but if he wasn't good enough for Denver's passing game, how will he be a solution for Atlanta's offense? Vick already has two talented young wideouts who need to step up their game. Adding a third to the mix doesn't give Vick more confidence. How many times last year did he check down to the number three option? I realize that a move had to be made to get a number three receiver to help open up the field and complete the offense. I am just not sure this was the best one. Every team in Atlanta's division is a run first offense with talented running backs. Stopping the run is the key to winning the division and making the playoffs. Atlanta needs help on the D-line and this wasn't it.