FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons took the first steps toward reshaping their roster Friday afternoon, announcing the release of seven veteran players.
Tight end Alge Crumpler, defensive tackle Rod Coleman, left tackle Wayne Gandy, quarterback Byron Leftwich, cornerback Lewis Sanders, linebacker Marcus Wilkins and wide receiver Jamin Elliott were released after what was - for many of the aforementioned - a long, injury-prone season.
“This is a difficult day for the entire organization,” Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “A number of these players have contributed to this organization on and off the field at a high level, and we greatly appreciate their efforts. These decisions weren’t easy, but we felt they were necessary to build a team in the long-term best interest of the Falcons and its fans.”
“As a football coach it is never easy to cut any player, especially veteran players who have been valuable members of the organization,” added Head Coach Mike Smith.
The organization did not indicate whether or not additional cuts would be forthcoming.
Drafted by the Falcons in the second round of the 2001 draft, Crumpler finished an injury-plagued 2007 with 42 receptions for 444 yards and five touchdowns. He started 12 games at tight end but was inactive for two contests. He also missed time in training camp and the preseason as he recovered from offseason knee surgery.
Crumpler went to four straight Pro Bowls leading into the 2007 season and led the team with 56 receptions for 780 yards in 2006. He is the only Falcons tight end to lead the team in receiving yards and receptions for three straight seasons.
He totaled 216 receptions for 4,212 yards and 35 touchdowns in seven seasons in Atlanta.
At 6-foot-2 and 262 pounds, Crumpler earned respect as one of the best all-around tight ends in the game during his time with the Falcons. Injuries took their toll, however, as the veteran was forced to miss practice time throughout 2007.
"I'm a competitor more than anything," he said earlier in the season. "I want to do anything I can to help my team win. If I have to beat up a defensive end or run past a safety or corner -- whatever it's going to take I'm that guy. I've been a complete player my whole career and I want to stay that way."
Coleman signed with the Falcons as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2004 season and also battled injuries during his time with the Birds.
He missed the first five games of 2007 as he recovered from a ruptured quadricep and other problems in his knee. Doctors were initially left scratching their heads since Coleman's injury had affected just a handful of NFL players.
Coleman returned to start five games and total eight tackles and two sacks. A comeback for the former Pro Bowler was cut short, however, when he was placed on injured reserve Nov. 20 with an arm injury.
He entered the 2007 season with 50.5 career sacks -- the most among NFL defensive tackles since the 2001 season.
"It's very frustrating but that just shows what type of person I am -- I'm a different person," Coleman said when asked about the unique nature of his quadricep injury back in August. "Every time I hurt something it has to be something new and untouched. I always try to be the trend-setter and be somebody to do something first. It's just unusual. They've been making calls to people all over the world to find out about it… They didn't even expect me to be back this soon and I told them I was back three weeks ago."
Gandy was acquired by the Falcons with a trade with the Saints prior to the 2006 season to add a veteran presence to the offensive line. During his tenure in Atlanta Gandy played left tackle. He proved durable during the first 13 years of his 14-year career, starting 94 consecutive regular season games before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees against the Tennessee Titans.
The injury was the first of several to hit the offensive line last season. In all, four different players started games at left tackle.
Atlanta signed former Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich on Sept. 18 to compete for a spot at quarterback. He ended the season with two starts and a meddlesome ankle injury.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound signal-caller threw for 279, a touchdown and two interceptions in three appearances in 2007. His first start was Oct. 21 at New Orleans and led the team to 13-7 halftime advantage. He injured his right ankle on the first offensive series of the second half, however, and was inactive for seven of the last nine games.
Leftwich returned to the starting lineup Nov. 18 against the Buccaneers, but was pulled from the game after accounting for four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles). Leftwich returned to No. 3 quarterback status when Chris Redman became the starter for the last four games of 2007.
"My performance was poor and I will look over the things that I didn't do so well," Leftwich said after the Bucs game. "As the quarterback of this team I have to set the precedent and put numbers on the board."
Sanders also ended last season on injured reserve, the unfortunate recipient of a partially torn right pectoral muscle. He was injured in second half of a Dec. 16 game against Tampa Bay. Before the injury, he recorded 32 tackles (28 solo) and two passes defensed in 14 games. He set a season-high with seven tackles twice against Jacksonville in Week 2 and Houston in Week 4.
A journeyman, the Falcons were Sanders' fourth team in the past three seasons. He started the season as a starter opposite DeAngelo Hall, but eventually lost the job to rookie Chris Houston.
Atlanta signed Wilkins as a free agent on March 5. Originally a rookie free agent acquisition of the Green Bay Packers, Wilkins made a name for himself as a special teams ace. He led the Bengals with 24 special teams tackles in 2004 and recorded no less than 16 special teams stops in the previous three seasons. Those numbers did not materialize in Atlanta, as Wilkins finished ninth on the team with five special teams tackles.
Elliott went on IR before the start of the 2007 season. He suffered the season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter of the team's preseason game at Buffalo.
Originally signed as a free agent in 2006, Elliott has played in three career games with no catches.
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