The unkindest cut of all: Falcons ax Jackson

By Darrell Laurant  |   Wednesday, October 24, 2007  |  Comments( 0 )

Atlanta Falcons
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!
Maybe Alge Crumpler was right.

Earlier this season, the Atlanta tight end offered the theory that the team's front office and coach Bobby Petrino planned to "phase out" some of the veteran players, thereby writing off the 2007 season before the halfway mark. He was dismissed in most circles as paranoid.

That, however, was before the Falcons cut DT Grady Jackson this week, despite the fact that the 6-foot-2, 350-pound veteran was leading the team's D-linemen with 21 tackles, five for losses.

Even more disturbing to the rank and file in the clubhouse was the fact that little explanation was apparently offered by management, although there were rumors that Jackson was "disruptive" in the locker room (a charge his agent vehemently denied).

"It had nothing to do with anything but football," Petrino said, adding that 6-3, 320-pound rookie Trey Lewis, a sixth-round draft pick out of little Washburn University, would move into Jackson's run-stuffing spot.

Predictably, DB DeAngelo Hall -- fined earlier this year after a run-in with Petrino -- was the most vocal about the Jackson cut.

"I'm trying to go all out of every snap," he told the Associated Press, "but a lot of guys feel like everyone from the top down is kind of tossing it in."

If nothing else, the timing was curious on a day when the Falcons already had to deal with an ankle injury to Byron Leftwich, who had provided some spark at quarterback after signing several weeks ago.

"We're just all asking the question why," said RB Warrick Dunn.

Another Falcon may have put it best.

"If cutting Grady was a football thing," the anonymous player said, "they should cut all of us; we're 1-6."
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

About Darrell Laurant

...Sorry, Darrell Laurant's bio is currently not available. Please check back soon!
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report