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Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

On the heels of a nightmarish 2007 season, the Falcons were predicted to go 0-16 by some pundits. But not even the most optimistic Falcons fan would have expected a playoff spot, and even fewer would have seen Matt Ryan going from rookie to franchise quarterback before the season's halfway point.

But now here comes the hard part: The Falcons have never managed to put together back-to-back winning seasons. Whenever the Falcons have broken through with a playoff appearance, it's always been followed with a quick crash back to Earth.

Jamaal Anderson may have been the Falcons' first-round pick in 2007, but over the past two years, he's been outplayed by his backup, Chauncey Davis.

That leaves the Falcons with a difficult decision as the offseason begins. Davis is a free agent who logically would like to land a starting job somewhere. The Falcons can't really afford to lose him with Anderson looking like a bust (even if they won't say that). But because of Anderson's presence, there is a good chance that the Falcons will lose Davis.

Training camp is finally here and FanHouse breaks down the most important position battles heading into the season, team by team.

While most of the football world focuses on Michael Vick's dog fighting mess, the Atlanta Falcons will open training camp today -- without him.

But just because Vick isn't there, doesn't mean there aren't going to be things to watch. In fact, one of the most interesting aspects of Falcons training camp will come from an under-publicized battle between defensive ends Jamaal Anderson and Chauncey Davis.

While Anderson is the odds on favorite to win the starting job, Davis could give him a run for his money. He showed significant improvement last year and is much more familiar with Atlanta's defense than his rookie counterpart. In 16 games last season, he collected 36 tackles, one sack and one interception.

On the other hand, Anderson is expected to be the star of the future. He has a great combination of size, speed and athleticism. Once he gets a little starting experience under his belt, he'll become a household name.

Training camp battles: See them all