| |
|
| ||
|
Reeves loves Kerney, gambles for TE
Posted: Sunday April 18, 1999 08:05 PM
SUWANEE, Ga. (AP) -- Clearly, Dan Reeves is no longer building for the future. After taking Atlanta to its first Super Bowl, the Falcons coach moved boldly to get two players he craved in the NFL draft. Did he move wisely? Only time will tell. The Falcons were pleasantly surprised when Virginia defensive end Patrick Kerney was still available with the 30th pick of the first round. Then, Reeves made a stunning trade to get tight end Reggie Kelly of Mississippi State in the second round, handing over a first-round pick in 2000 to the Baltimore Ravens. Even Kelly was caught off guard, since the Falcons had shown little interest in him prior to the draft. "I was surprised when they called my name," he said Sunday, making his first appearance at the Falcons training complex. "I never really talked to any of the coaches from Atlanta." The Falcons completed their draft on Sunday, picking Utah State safety Jondale Carty in the fourth round, Kent State receiver Eugene Baker in the fifth, Kansas State linebacker Jeff Kelly and Iowa safety Eric Thigpen in the sixth, and LSU center Todd McClure and Eastern Kentucky receiver Rondel Menendez in the seventh. Also, the Falcons further bolstered their D-line by agreeing to terms with free agent Pellom McDaniels, who played both end and tackle for Kansas City last season. But the most scrutinized move came a day earlier, when Reeves mortgaged a big part of the future to land a player who will be a role player, at best. With O.J. Santiago firmly entrenched at tight end, why would the Falcons trade away so much for Kelly, who caught only 12 passes as a college senior? Reeves' reply: If the Falcons keep winning, they'll have another low pick in the first round next year. Plus, Kelly is a pure blocker who'll give the offense more flexibility, allowing Atlanta to line up two tight ends and run Jamal Anderson to either side. "Down through the years, it's been very difficult to find a tight end who can block," said Reeves, who didn't have any tight ends when he took over in 1997 from a run-and-shoot regime. Kelly is someone who fine-tunes the roster rather than filling a major hole. If the Falcons were willing to give up a No. 1 pick, many draft observers wondered why they didn't use it to land the kind of speedy, deep-threat receiver they now lack after releasing Tony Martin. Martin's apparent replacement, free agent signee Chris Calloway, is a smallish, possession-type receiver in the mold of Terance Mathis, who lines up at the other receiving spot. "It's very difficult to get a speed receiver in the draft who has the talent to come in and help you right away," he said. "With Chris and Terance, I think we have two good starting receivers." Reeves is quick to acknowledge, however, that the Falcons took a major risk trading away a No. 1 pick for Kelly. "If we have a bad year and that turns out to be one of the top picks, I guarantee you we're going to regret it," he said. "If we pick where we should pick next year, that's a good choice for us." Kerney won't start right away, but he filled a definite need for depth on the defensive line. After losing John Burrough and Antonio Edwards through free agency, the Falcons were desperate for someone who could back up Chuck Smith and Lester Archambeau. "I think the main thing is the ability to keep your lineman fresh," Reeves said. "That was a concern for us. I think this guy can come in and be that kind of player." Looking further down the road, Smith and Archambeau are free agents after the 1999 season. The Falcons seem unlikely to re-sign both, so Kerney will serve an apprentice role this year in preparation for taking over full-time in 2000. Kerney is an outstanding pass rusher, but he'll have to prove he can be an effective run stopper. "I think he is in the mold of a Chuck Smith," Reeves said. "He has that type of motor and that kind of quickness and pass rush ability. Hopefully, we can teach him to play the run as well as Chuck does as far as leverage." The Falcons selected another tenacious blocker, 252-pound fullback Jeff Paulk from Arizona State, in the third round. He rushed for only 208 yards as a senior, but provides insurance at a key position while Bob Christian recovers from a serious knee injury.
| |||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||
