The Atlanta Falcons today announced that they have signed tackle Tyson Clabo to a five-year contract, kicker Matt Bryant to a four-year contract. Defensive tackle Vance Walker, wide receiver Eric Weems, and quarterback John Parker Wilson all signed their one-year tenders.
Clabo, 6-6, 329 pounds, earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2010 after starting all 16 games at right tackle and serving on an offensive line that guided the Falcons rushing attack to a 118.2 yards per game average. The Wake Forest product helped Atlanta's offensive line surrendered an NFC-low 23 sacks as QB Matt Ryan threw for career-highs with 3,705 yards and 28 touchdowns. Clabo was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as a college free agent in 2004.
Bryant, 5-9, 203 pounds, has converted 173 of 209 field goals, 235 of 239 PATs for a total of 754 career points in 115 games. In 2010, he earned NFC Player of the Week honors twice during the 2010 season and his 90.0 field goal percentage (28-of-31) ranked fifth in the NFL. The 10-year veteran also kicked three-game winning field goals last season, including a 46-yarder in overtime at New Orleans (9/26) and a 43-yarder against San Francisco (10/3) in back-to-back weeks. Bryant was originally signed as a free agent by the New York Giants in 2004 and later allocated to NFL Europe.
Walker, 6-2, 304 pounds, competed in all 16 games with one start and totaled 15 tackles (8 solo). He was originally drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round (210th) of the 2009 NFL Draft after finishing his Georgia Tech career with 110 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Weems, 5-9, 195 pounds, earned his first career Pro Bowl selection after ranking third in the NFL in kickoff return average and posting both one kickoff return touchdown and one punt return touchdown in 2010. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in December after posting a franchise record 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown. Weems also added five special teams tackles during the month. He was originally signed by the Falcons as a college free agent out of Bethune-Cookman in 2007.
Wilson, 6-2, 215 pounds, served as the Falcons third quarterback in 2009 and 2010. He was a three-year starter for Alabama and finished his career having completed 664 of 1,174 passes for 7,894 yards and 46 touchdowns. Wilson was originally signed by the Falcons as a college free agent in 2009.
