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Transition: 2007-2008 Offseason & 2008 Draft


Following the Michael Vick scandal and the incredibly disappointing 4-12, 2007 season, the Atlanta Falcons desperately needed a Quarterback. With the Patriots and Giants taking Flacco and Ryan respectively, they were left with little to no options, and in the end, picked SDSU QB Kevin O'Connell in the Fifth Round.

(Note from the Author: Unless stated below or in the previous chapters, all picks are the
same as IOTL):

Baltimore: Chad Henne
Atlanta: Kevin O'Connell
Tampa: Antoine Cason
Green Bay: James Hardy
Buffalo: Donnie Avery
St. Louis: Eddie Royal
San Diego: Clifton Smith
Chicago Bears: Ray Rice

Miami Dolphins: John David Booty
Detroit Lions: Manny Manningham
New York Giants: Danny Amendola

FREE AGENCY SIGNINGS:

ARIZONA CARDINALS-Signed DE Travis LaBoy.

ATLANTA FALCONS-Re-signed DT Tim Anderson and QBs Chris Redman and Joey Harrington. Signed K Jason Elam; RB Michael Turner. Signed DB Erik Coleman, TEs Ben Hartsock and Jason Rader, DB Von Hutchins and DT Kindal Moorehead.

BALTIMORE RAVENS-Agreed to terms with LB Brendon Ayanbadejo and DB Frank Walker. Re-signed LB Nick Greisen

BUFFALO BILLS-Signed TE Courtney Anderson, DT Spencer Johnson and LB Kawika Mitchell. Re-signed OT Matt Murphy and S Bryan Scott. Agreed to terms with CB William James.

CAROLINA PANTHERS-Signed DL Tyler Brayton, CB-KR Ricardo Colclough, S Terrence Holt, RB LaBrandon Toefield, G Keydrick Vincent. Re-signed LB Donte' Curry. Agreed to terms with WR D.J. Hackett and LB Landon Johnson.

CHICAGO BEARS-Re-signed LB Lance Briggs. Signed WRs Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd.

CINCINNATI BENGALS-Signed OL Stacy Andrews, LB Brandon Johnson and DE Antwan Odom. Re-signed LB Dhani Jones and P Kyle Larson. Agreed to terms with LB Darryl Blackstock and TE Ben Utecht.

CLEVELAND BROWNS-Agreed to terms with WR Donte' Stallworth. Re-signed QB Derek Anderson, DB Gary Baxter, OL Lennie Friedman and S Nick Sorenson. Signed OL Rex Hadnot.

DENVER BRONCOS-Signed WR Keary Colbert, LBs Boss Bailey and Niko Koutouvides, S Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel. Re-signed DEs Ebenezer Ekuban and John Engelberger, TE Nate Jackson.

DETROIT LIONS-Agreed to terms with DB Brian Kelly. S LB Gilbert Gardner. Re-signed RB Aveion Cason, OT George Foster and CB Keith Smith. Signed DT Chuck Darby, CB Travis Fisher, TE Michael Gaines, G Corey Hulsey and DE Corey Smith.

GREEN BAY PACKERS-Agreed to terms with LB Brandon Chillar.

HOUSTON TEXANS-Signed LB Kevin Bentley, RB Chris Brown, CB Jacques Reeves and LB Chaun Thompson. Re-signed TE Mark Bruener, S Will Demps, P Matt Turk, S Glenn Earl and DE N.D. Kalu.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS-Re-signed DE Josh Thomas.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS-Signed CB Drayton Florence and DT Jimmy Kennedy. Agreed to terms with WR Jerry Porter. Re-signed OL Maurice Williams.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS-Signed WR Devard Darling and LB Demorrio Williams.

MIAMI DOLPHINS-Signed S Keith Davis, DB Nathan Jones, QB Josh McCown, TE Sean Ryan, G Justin Smiley, DT Randy Starks, WR Ernest Wilford; K Dave Rayner; and LBs Charlie Andersonand Reggie Torbor. Agreed to terms with WR Tab Perry. Re-signed S Yeremiah Bell and CB Michael Lehan.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS-Agreed to terms with WRs Bernard Berrian and Robert Ferguson, LB Dallas Sartz, FB Thomas Tapeh, S Madieu Williams and DT Ellis Wyms. Signed S Michael Boulware, RB-KR Maurice Hicks, LB Derrick Pope and CB Benny Sapp.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS-Re-signed LB Tedy Bruschi, C Lonie Paxton, S Ray Ventrone, DL Mike Wright and WR Randy Moss. Signed CBs Fernando Bryant, Lewis Sanders and Jason Webster, and S Tank Williams.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-Re-signed WR Devery Henderson, TEs Eric Johnson and Billy Miller, WR David Patten, LB Mark Simoneau, RB Aaron Stecker and DT Brian Young. Signed LB Dan Morgan. Agreed to terms with CB Randall Gay and DE Bobby McCray.

NEW YORK GIANTS-Signed QB Brett Favre, LB Danny Clark and S Sammy Knight. Re-signed RB Derrick Ward.

NEW YORK JETS-Signed RB Jesse Chatman, G Alan Faneca, TE Bubba Franks, LB Calvin Pace, FB Tony Richardson and OL Damien Woody.

OAKLAND RAIDERS-Signed DT William Joseph and S Gibril Wilson. Agreed to terms with T Kwame Harris and WRs Drew Carter and Javon Walker. Re-signed OT Cornell Green.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES-Signed DE Chris Clemons, DT-FB Dan Klecko, LB Rocky Boiman, and CB Asante Samuel.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS-Signed LB Keyaron Fox, C Justin Hartwig, and RB Mewelde Moore. Re-signed LB Andre Frazier. Agreed to terms with OL Chris Kemoeatu and OL Trai Essex.

ST. LOUIS RAMS-Signed OL Jacob Bell and K Josh Brown. Re-signed OL Adam Goldberg. Agreed to terms with TE Anthony Becht.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS-Agreed to terms with QB Billy Volek.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-Signed WR Isaac Bruce, RB DeShaun Foster, WR Bryant Johnson, OT Qasim Mitchell, QB J.T. O'Sullivan, KR Allen Rossum, DE Justin Smith and LB Dontarrious Thomas.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS-Signed RBs T.J. Duckett and Julius Jones, and TE Jeb Putzier.

TENNESSEE TITANS-Agreed to terms with TEs Dwayne Blakley and Alge Crumpler, DE Jevon Kearse and WR Justin McCareins. Signed OL Jake Scott. Re-signed S Donnie Nickey.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS-Signed WR Antonio Bryant; S Eugene Wilson; TEs John Gilmore and Ben Troupe; C Jeff Faine; LBs Antoine Cash, Leon Joe, Tedy Lehman and Matt McCoy; and DEs Marques Douglas and Jimmy Wilkerson. Re-signed DE Kevin Carter.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS-Re-signed OT Jason Fabini, DT Ryan Boschetti, RB-KR Rock Cartwright, QB Todd Collins and P Derrick Frost. Signed DT Matthias Askew.

Biggest Off-Season Stories:

Favre takes his talents to the Big Apple - Giants County Specifically




It was June of 2008, and Rex Ryan was in trouble.

As practices in the Summer began, rookie QB Matt Ryan was struggling to keep up. Al Saunders and Chris Palmer were struggling to develop the Boston College First Round Draft Pick. Ryan, in a move of frustration, delegated Ryan to a 2nd String role, and had made a cal to Green Bay, Wisconsin. The reasoning? To pick up one of the greatest Quarterbacks in NFL history.

---

For 38-year-old Brett Lorenzo Favre, the end of his career was here. He was a QB reaching 40, on a tea that had struggled for relevance since it's period of dominance in the late 1990s, and a successor who had been eagerly groomed, Aaron Rodgers. By the summer of 2008, it was obvious that Favre would either retire or be traded. Ted Thompson, General Manager, however, wanted the latter. He needed picks, to give new life to a Packers team that needed it. And on July 28th, 2008, news would shatter the league about a Brett Favre trade.

REX RYAN DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE
JULY 28TH, 2008
COMMENTS ON POTENTIAL BRETT FAVRE TRADE

Good Afternoon, everyone. Hope everyone is good. Other than the, a uh, bit I'm sure you've all heard sources of, it's gonna be a slow news day. I would like to confirm news of this Green Bay-Brett Favre trade. The New York Giants will be trading a 2010 Sixth Round Pick, a 2010 Fifth Round Pick, and a 2011 Fourth Round Pick for Green Bay Quarterback Brett Favre. This deal has been accepted, proposed, all the officialese. I am very proud to welcome Brett to this team, and we'll have an official Press Conference with him. I'd also like to get things clear about this Q.B. situation. Brett Favre is signing a one-year, $5 Million dollar deal with our team. He will be the Quarterback for the length of that contract. I'm gonna take 2 or 3 questions now. Are there any?

REPORTER ONE:
How long has this trade been in the works?

RR:
Not gonna comment on that one, sorry. Next?

REPOR. 2:
Is it true that Matt Ryan has consistently struggled with your offensive scheme, and in you practice games, have repeatedly thrown interceptions?

RR:
Matt has performed exceptionally for a rookie. Rookies make mistakes of course, and this franchise has full support in him. Thank you all

(Ryan leaves, P.C. commencing.)



The Falcons looked to be on the up in the 2008 season. Then their top two choices for Quarterback were taken from their very eyes.

Newly minted Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith had high hopes for the 2008 Atlanta Falcons.

Those hopes were crashed the night of the 2008 Draft.

With New York going for Matt Ryan, and New England going for Joe Flacco, the Falcons' offense had been greatly gutted. Until Round Five, the front office had bitterly argued over what to do. They either had the choice of Matt Flynn or Kevin O'Connell, and after long debate, went with O'Connell. O'Connell has reportedly shown "absolutely no effort" at training camp, and one source said he's only completed 30% of attempted passes. Former Texans Q.B. and widely-considered Draft Bust David Carr has been brought in to serve as backup to O'Connell.

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