Judging the Atlanta Falcons’ costly trade up for receiver Julio
Jones will be simple.

If Jones ends up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it was worth
it. If not, probably not.

The Falcons, who had the No. 1 seeding in the NFC playoffs last
season before the Packers blew them out in the divisional round,
are off to a shaky 2-2 start this season. So the deal hasn’t
immediately made them better. But one-quarter of the way through
Jones’ first season is not the time to judge the trade. That will
have to wait several years.

But the exorbitant cost that aggressive General Manager Thomas
Dimitroff paid to get Jones requires a high standard for
success.

According to two scouts interviewed this week, Dimitroff has an
excellent reputation amongst his scouting peers after quickly
building a good team in post-Michael Vick Atlanta. He began his
career as a college scout with Detroit in 1994 and learned about
running a team from Bill Belichick as New England’s director of
college scouting from 2003-07.

Dimitroff, now in his fourth season as Falcons GM, immediately
set up his team well by resisting all trade offers and drafting
quarterback Matt Ryan with his first pick, No. 3 overall in 2008.
His hiring of coach Mike Smith in ’08 appears to have been a sound
choice as well.

This year we also learned Dimitroff is willing to take the big
risk. On draft day last April 28, he traded five picks for Jones, a
big (6-foot-23/4, 220 pounds) and gifted true junior from the
University of Alabama. To draft Jones with the 

No. 6 pick overall, Dimitroff sent Cleveland two first-rounders
(No. 27 overall this year and in 2012), a second-rounder (this
year) and two fourth-rounders (one this year, one in 2012).

According to a draft trade value chart, the five picks Dimitroff
traded add up to 1,766 points whereas the No. 6 pick overall was
worth 1,600 points. In a report about the trade, Sports
Illustrated’s Peter King said future picks are discounted 20
percent, so take 20 percent off the two 2012 picks and the total is
1,620. If you don’t discount the 2012 picks, the Falcons paid an
extra later-third-rounder; if you do, an extra
mid-sixth-rounder.

Regardless of the numbers, though, Dimitroff knows the trade was
massively expensive. Five players, including two first-round picks,
for one.

“It’s a substantial price to pay,” Dimitroff told King after the
draft, “but we spread it over two years, and we’re still left with
a three, a five, a six and three sevens this year. I want to
emphasize this: I know the impression out there will be that we
must think we’re one player away to have paid so much for one
player. But that isn’t the case at all. We need more explosive
playmaking, and this will help not only Matt but (receivers) Roddy
White and Michael Jenkins and (tight end) Tony Gonzalez. We just
decided to make an aggressive, bold move that we think will pay off
for our team.”

The scale for grading the trade has to be especially high,
though, because of Jones’ position. Paying that for a quarterback
who ended up being good but not great is worth it. That position
matters far more than the rest.

But for a receiver, or probably any other position, that price
demands a premier performer to be considered a good deal.

Packers GM Ted Thompson, for instance, picked Greg Jennings in
the second round, and Jennings has become one of the best receivers
in the game. Tight end Jermichael Finley was a third-round pick who
has the kind of difference-making talent the Falcons are looking
for from Jones. And in this year’s draft, Thompson selected another
player late in the second round, Randall Cobb, who’s looking like a
playmaker.

To be sure, with a high first-round pick such as Jones, the
Falcons were more likely to get the help immediately. And four
games into his career, Jones already looks good. He’s tied for No.
11 in the NFL in receptions (24) and alone at No. 11 in receiving
yards (342).

In Thompson’s six drafts he’s mostly stood pat or traded back,
and his reward is maybe the best young roster in the NFL. Granted,
the approach to draft trades doesn’t matter if you don’t select
enough of the right players, no matter where you’re picking. But
for the steep price, Dimitroff needs a home run with Jones.

pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter
@PeteDougherty.

After hypothesizing about what the final roster will look like and what players will perform well, today I’m going to take another dive into the realm of hypothetical: what if the Falcons had not been able to trade for Julio Jones?

Draft day trades of that caliber usually don’t work out. Originally, the Falcons had attempted to work out a trade with the Bengals to draft standout UGA receiver AJ Green. The trade was rumored to have fallen through at the last minute, with the Bengals electing to draft a WR to a team that has major holes on the offensive line and defense. Mike Brown isn’t always the most reasonable man.

So, for kicks, let’s just assume the Browns trade also fell through. The Falcons would have picked at the No. 26 spot, where it’s reported they were heavily targeting OT Gabe Carimi, who in reality went to the Bears a few picks later. Had that happened, the offseason might have gone in a much-less exciting, more Dimitroff-like direction.

For starters, Carimi is a right tackle, a bruiser in the running game. His arrival would likely have meant the end for Tyson Clabo, who was heavily coveted by the Bills this offseason. With Clabo in Buffalo, he would likely have been beaten for five sacks by Cameron Wake, sucked into Ralph Wilson’s void and never be heard from again (at least Bills fans would be happy).

That also means the Falcons would have kept Dahl. The Rams, who would have then lacked the sufficient number of former Falcons to survive, might have tried harder to pry Jason Snelling away from Atlanta instead of Norwood.

Finally, no Julio leaves a big gap at receiver. Falcons fans likely have to endure another season of Michael Jenkins starting at receiver. With Jenkins still around, Mike Mularkey refuses to pass the ball unless on third down, claiming “Jenkins is the best run-blocker in the history of the game.” Matt Ryan shakes his head in confusion.

No big trade for Julio Jones means a “boring” offseason for the Falcons. No Julio means the Falcons get absolutely zero national attention, and remain in relative obscurity despite finishing 13-3 last season. Heck, no Julio means I probably don’t survive the lockout and turn to watching soccer. Anybody want to join the Alex Morgan fan club with me?

For more on the Falcons, check out The Falcoholic.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) – Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith believes Julio Jones’ even temperament will be a big asset in the rookie’s preseason debut.

Though the Georgia Dome will be loud when the Falcons face Miami on Friday night, Smith wants the NFL’s No. 6 overall draft pick and other Atlanta newcomers to follow the coaching staff’s edict – work within the scheme and try not to do anything spectacular.

“I think those guys are getting excited, but we’ve to keep it at the task at hand, and that’s to make sure we go out and execute and don’t go crazy,” Smith said this week. “Execute our scheme and not try to make plays. The plays will come, and that’s what the young guys are going to try to do.”

Jones knows it’s critical that he treat the preseason opener as nothing more than a live practice against the Dolphins. He needs to extend the intensity he’s shown in training camp but not to exceed his role.

“I’m pretty good with everything right now, but I want to be great at it,” Jones said Wednesday. “I still have a lot of room for improvement.”

Working on a high school field during the NFL lockout helped Jones establish a rapport with quarterback Matt Ryan. When camp started and the Falcons released starting receiver Michael Jenkins, Jones was an instant starter.

Ryan appreciates Jones’ eagerness to study film and work precisely in practice shows a maturity level that’s missing from some rookies with great skills. But in a passing scheme that relies a lot on play-action, Ryan needs Jones to follow the lead of receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, a pair of Pro Bowl targets who rarely miss assignments in games.

“Julio has a great understanding of how to run routes and how to get open, but in our offense you’ve got to be in the right spot at the right time,” Ryan said. “So I think that’s kind of been the biggest thing for him is understanding route depths, the landmarks on the field and how to get to those in the right amount of time. It takes a little bit of time to learn that. It really does, but he’s probably picked it up as fast as anybody I’ve been around.”

Jones understands that he’s no different from other rookies trying to adjust to the speed of the NFL. Now that he’s no longer lined up against college cornerbacks, Jones knows it will be difficult at times to do his job.

“Everything’s all about timing here,” Jones said. “The ball is out Matt’s hands before I break out, and it’s going to be there every time. If I slip and fall, it might be an interception or something, so it’s very critical.”

Smith is grateful that Ryan and Jones worked together during the lockout, on the field during 7-on-7 drills and at Ryan’s house afterward to discuss what they practiced and what they need to accomplish.

“I thought they did a very good job, hearing when they got back here, what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to get installed,” Smith said. “Julio got that time with Matt, and I think that’s a plus because in some situations across the league, a quarterback might not have had an opportunity to work as much as those two guys have worked.”

Jones, whose Alabama career began in a season-opening game at the Georgia Dome, does plan to take a quick moment Friday and soak in the feel of his first time in an NFL uniform.

“You know, we want to win,” Jones said. “We’re just going to go out there and play fast and just do what we’ve been doing the whole time.”

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

“I think those guys are getting excited, but we’ve to keep it at the task at hand, and that’s to make sure we go out and execute and don’t go crazy,” Smith said this week. “Execute our scheme and not try to make plays. The plays will come, and that’s what the young guys are going to try to do.”

Jones knows it’s critical that he treat the preseason opener as nothing more than a live practice against the Dolphins. He needs to extend the intensity he’s shown in training camp but not to exceed his role.

“I’m pretty good with everything right now, but I want to be great at it,” Jones said Wednesday. “I still have a lot of room for improvement.”

Working on a high school field during the NFL lockout helped Jones establish a rapport with quarterback Matt Ryan. When camp started and the Falcons released starting receiver Michael Jenkins, Jones was an instant starter.

Ryan appreciates Jones’ eagerness to study film and work precisely in practice shows a maturity level that’s missing from some rookies with great skills. But in a passing scheme that relies a lot on play-action, Ryan needs Jones to follow the lead of receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, a pair of Pro Bowl targets who rarely miss assignments in games.

“Julio has a great understanding of how to run routes and how to get open, but in our offense you’ve got to be in the right spot at the right time,” Ryan said. “So I think that’s kind of been the biggest thing for him is understanding route depths, the landmarks on the field and how to get to those in the right amount of time. It takes a little bit of time to learn that. It really does, but he’s probably picked it up as fast as anybody I’ve been around.”

Jones understands that he’s no different from other rookies trying to adjust to the speed of the NFL. Now that he’s no longer lined up against college cornerbacks, Jones knows it will be difficult at times to do his job.

“Everything’s all about timing here,” Jones said. “The ball is out Matt’s hands before I break out, and it’s going to be there every time. If I slip and fall, it might be an interception or something, so it’s very critical.”

Smith is grateful that Ryan and Jones worked together during the lockout, on the field during 7-on-7 drills and at Ryan’s house afterward to discuss what they practiced and what they need to accomplish.

“I thought they did a very good job, hearing when they got back here, what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to get installed,” Smith said. “Julio got that time with Matt, and I think that’s a plus because in some situations across the league, a quarterback might not have had an opportunity to work as much as those two guys have worked.”

Jones, whose Alabama career began in a season-opening game at the Georgia Dome, does plan to take a quick moment Friday and soak in the feel of his first time in an NFL uniform.

“You know, we want to win,” Jones said. “We’re just going to go out there and play fast and just do what we’ve been doing the whole time.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

FLOWERY BRANCH, GA. Kerry Meier was the last player off the practice field at the Atlanta Falcons’ training camp on Sunday morning.

The receiver kept running goal-line routes and catching soft lob passes over his shoulder while his teammates were signing autographs or headed to the locker-room.

Meier says he’s determined to make up for lost time after missing his 2010 rookie season with a knee injury.

“You can never catch enough balls,” he said. “In a day’s practice, I try to maximize the number of catches I get in. It can definitely pay off in the long run.”

Meier, a fifth-round pick from Kansas in 2010, impressed coaches in training camp last year before hurting his right knee in a pre-season game against New England. He missed the season following surgery but has participated in every practice in camp.

“I’ve been really surprised that he hasn’t had to miss any time in practice,” coach Mike Smith said. “He did a great job in his rehabilitation. … For him to be able to come out here and not miss a snap so far in training camp, I think that says a lot about his work ethic in the off-season.”

Meier is wearing a wrap but no brace on the right knee. At six-foot-three and 220 pounds, he gives the team a big target at receiver — especially important after Michael Jenkins was released and Brian Finneran wasn’t re-signed.

First-round pick Julio Jones is expected to join Roddy White, coming off his third straight Pro Bowl berth, as Matt Ryan’s top targets. Harry Douglas returns as a possible No. 3 receiver.

That leaves room for Meier to re-emerge with an important role.

“He’s got to do a lot of stuff that Finneran did last year,” White said. “He’s got to come in there and get those third-down catches for us and get those seam routes and things like that.

“You need a guy who can go out there and do what Kerry can do, because he catches the football really well. He’s a tough cover. He’s a big, strong kid and he can run and do a lot of good things. I’m just happy he’s getting his chance to show what he can do. I hope he has a lot of success this year.”

Meier converted from quarterback to wide receiver for Kansas and had a school-record 102 catches for 985 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. He set another Kansas record with 226 career catches.

Meier was earning praise from Smith in training camp last year before the knee injury. The receiver continued to impress his coach with his dedication to his rehab, even during the NFL lockout that prevented him from using the team’s facilities.

“Prior to the end of the season we knew he was ahead of schedule and he continued to do that when he wasn’t able to work out here at the facility,” Smith said. “He was working offsite but he was working with some people who were communicating with our guys. We knew through the months of April and May that Kerry was ahead of schedule.”

Meier said his recovery is ongoing but he has cleared an important step by taking the first hits on the knee.

“It felt great, just being able to move around freely and confidently and do the things I once did,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about banging the knee on the turf and thinking something is wrong. It’s great to be able to go against the turf and pop up and run back to the huddle without worry.”

The Associated Press