If you think a lot has happened since the end of the Falcons' 2014 campaign, just put yourself in the shoes of Falcons safety William Moore. A team leader on defense and in the locker room, Moore's first task was to overcome the frustration of a disappointing season, one plagued by injuries that forced him to miss nine games.
After the club's final game of the year, Moore and his teammates cleaned out their lockers and headed their separate ways to begin what would be a true offseason of change.
A month later, Falcons Owner and Chairman Arthur Blank introduced the club's 16th head coach in franchise history, Dan Quinn, who had already earned Moore's trust before the announcement was made.
"I know he has something up his sleeve," Moore said of Quinn during an appearance at a Marietta Napa Auto Parts store Saturday. "He's a Super Bowl-winning coach. You've just got to trust in what he and (Falcons general manager Thomas) Dimitroff are doing."
As for Moore's health, entering his seventh year in the league, the team's star safety feels everything is "right on schedule" and that he plans to be back as soon as possible, working with the Falcons trainers to be "one-hundred percent, so I can go out there and fly around and not miss anything," Moore said.
Having entered the league as a second-round pick in 2009, Moore has formed a strong bond with many of the coaches and players who are no longer with the team, including former Falcons and Missouri Tigers teammate Sean Weatherspoon, who recently signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
When the news broke of Weatherspoon leaving, Moore said he and Spoon shared an emotional conversation, lasting more than an hour, reminiscing on nearly a decade of playing time together on the same teams.
The Falcons' 2016 roster is constantly evolving and we've amassed all the players in one gallery that will be updated throughout the year
CB Robert Alford
S Ricardo Allen
DT Jonathan Babineaux
OLB Vic Beasley Jr.
P Matt Bosher
K Matt Bryant
LB De'Vondre Campbell
RG Chris Chester
DE Adrian Clayborn
RB Tevin Coleman
CB Jalen Collins - Reserve Suspended List (4 Games)
T Tom Compton
FB Patrick DiMarco
RB Devonta Freeman
DE Dwight Freeney
WR Devin Fuller - IR
G Ben Garland
FS Dashon Goldson
CB C.J. Goodwin
DT Ra'Shede Hageman
WR Justin Hardy
LS Josh Harris
TE Austin Hooper
S Kemal Ishmael
DE Tyson Jackson
DT Grady Jarrett
LB Deion Jones
WR Julio Jones
CB Akeem King - IR
G Andy Levitre
C Alex Mack
T Jake Matthews
S Keanu Neal
TE Josh Perkins
G Mike Person
FS Brian Poole
LB Brooks Reed
LB LaRoy Reynolds
WR Aldrick Robinson
QB Matt Ryan
WR Mohamed Sanu
QB Matt Schaub
T Ryan Schraeder
G Wes Schweitzer
DE Derrick Shelby
TE Jacob Tamme
S Robenson Therezie
TE Levine Toilolo
CB Desmond Trufant
LB Courtney Upshaw
CB DeMarcus Van Dyke - IR
RB Terron Ward
LB Sean Weatherspoon
WR Eric Weems
LB Philip Wheeler
WR Nick Williams
LB Paul Worrilow
"I know what he brings to the game, on and off the field, and I'm going to miss that," Moore said. "It's a business. We discussed that. We just look forward to the future, because you never know what the future holds. I told him I wish him well, and I hope he goes and continues to be the Spoon that we know."
When Moore takes the field in 2015, he'll do so with familiar teammates and a bunch of new players, including Brooks Reed, O'Brien Schofield, Adrian Clayborn, Phillip Adams and Justin Durant on defense.
What stood out to Moore about each signing is Quinn's focus to find players who aren't known for their draft status, instead their passion to play physical, attack-style football in his system, which is exactly the way Moore plays.
"I fit right in," Moore said. "That's my type of game, and that's the first thing (Quinn) said when I met him. I'm his type of player, and that's what I love to hear. It's nothing big, nothing special that you can have me doing, just play football; that's what it comes down to in the NFL — playing football."
