FanHouse Curtislofton

With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.

Last year the Falcons proved what an excellent draft and a couple of free agent signings can do to a previously awful team. First-round picks Matt Ryan and Sam Baker and second-round pick Curtis Lofton all became immediate starters while free agent signee Michael Turner turned into the team's best back since Jamal Anderson was in his prime.

There's less riding on this year's draft than last year's, but Atlanta needs to add depth to what's still a pretty thin roster. There is not nearly as much need for immediate starters this year, but there are still a lot of positions where the Falcons could use a talent upgrade.

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.

In five games last year, Zach Thomas had 52 tackles. In 16 games last year, Mark Simoneau had 70. One doesn't need much more than game film to indict Simoneau as a below-average middle linebacker, but for those of you who like numbers, there's your proof.

With Simoneau set to hit free agency, the Saints are looking to improve that ever-so-important position. They might be looking in the wrong direction, though, as the team is meeting with Thomas and former Panther Dan Morgan tomorrow.

Talent-wise, both are upgrades. But Thomas is 34 and neither linebacker has been healthy recently. Thomas -- who's being courted by Dallas and an increasing number of others -- didn't have a significant injury history before last year, but that could be the first signs of the deterioration. Morgan has missed an average of over seven games per season in his career, and has only played four in the last two years.

I have a hard time believing that the Saints would sign either with the intention of making him a clear-cut starter. Instead, I believe they're looking for an inside linebacker in the second round like Curtis Lofton or Jerod Mayo who can step in immediately and reap the awards of learning from an accomplished veteran. Seeing Thomas fall after three games with no contingency plan, for example, would accomplish the difficult task of making Saints fans envious of the Simoneau days.