per AJC
Flowery Branch — Falcons' tailback T.J. Duckett doesn't have to hear any more trade speculation. Tuesday night, he was dealt to the Washington Redskins as part of a three-team deal that brings speedy, but disgruntled Denver Broncos wide receiver Ashley Lelie to Atlanta, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The move, which comes roughly three weeks before the regular season, addresses an area that has been of concern for weeks and reached a crescendo after Atlanta's 38-10 preseason loss to Green Bay Saturday.
Yet, in trying to bolster depth, the Falcons parted with their 2002 first-round draft pick in Duckett, leaving rookie Jerious Norwood as the main backup to starting tailback Warrick Dunn. Fullback Justin Griffith could also play tailback in a pinch or in the short-yardage situations, roles Duckett used to handle.
"I feel like I'll be all right," Norwood said Tuesday afternoon, before the trade was consummated. "I've just got to continue to get better. Whatever happens, I'll give 110 percent of everything I have."
In exchange for Duckett, 25, the Redskins sent a third- or fourth-round pick to Denver, who, in turn, shipped Lelie, 26, to the Falcons.
This is the second time in the past few months Denver has facilitated a three-team trade with the Falcons. Atlanta swapped first-round picks with the Broncos then shipped the choice they got from Denver to the New York Jets in exchange for defensive end John Abraham.
Coincidentally, the Falcons considered using their first round pick (18th overall) in 2002 on Lelie before using it to select Duckett. Denver drafted Lelie with the very next pick.
Lelie (6-3, 200) is a speed burner and a downfield threat, who has caught 168 passes for 3,007 yards with 12 touchdowns in his career. His best season came in 2004 when he had 54 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season, he caught 42 passes for 770 yards and one touchdown.
Lelie has held out of Denver's entire training camp — costing him $14,000 a practice in fines, which he is obligated to pay — and expressed his desire to be traded ever since the Broncos' acquired wide receiver Jevon Walker, a move that positioned him as the No. 3 wide receiver behind Walker and Rod Smith.
Lelie will be the Falcons' No. 3 wide receiver behind Michael Jenkins and Roddy White. Coach Jim Mora has said it would be made clear that any receiver the team acquired would not leapfrog White and Jenkins and that disruption over the pecking order would not be tolerated.
With Lelie being in the last year of his contract, that not might put him in the most advantageous situation to put up big numbers to increase his appeal. However, he is getting the chance to play, which probably was not going to be the case in Denver because of the acrimony between Lelie and the team.
Having been a starter, Lelie also could be able to move into a starting role should White or Jenkins get hurt.
Atlanta has been trying to find someone to be the No. 3 wide receiver since veteran Brian Finneran tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee early in training camp. Jerome Pathon had been promoted to the third-wideout, but the coaching and personnel staffs felt they had to move in another direction after the loss to Green Bay.
Lelie would be used differently than Finneran in three receiver sets. Finneran was a mid-range target. Lelie would be used more to stretch the defense, while Jenkins would probably operate more in a possession receiver role, Mora said.
"Mike Jenkins would be the logical guy to play the slot because of his size and he's good getting off the jam and he catches the ball well inside," Mora said Monday.
As for Duckett, he could finally get the chance to be a featured back — for a few weeks. Redskins' tailback Clinton Portis is out with a shoulder injury but is not expected to be out for the entire season.
The Redskins, who play host to the Falcons Dec. 3, utilize a more traditional running attack that could work to Duckett's downhill running style. The Falcons' zone blocking, cutback scheme is more suited to slashers like Dunn and Norwood. Even so, Duckett has scored 31 touchdowns over his four years in Atlanta and gained 2,175 yards on 552 carries.
Duckett began to surface in trade speculation after last season, when, after an ankle injury, he struggled down the stretch. He managed a career-low 380 yards (3.1 average) despite getting 121 carries, 17 more than in 2004, when he gained 509 yards and averaged a career best 4.9 yards per carry.
Flowery Branch — Falcons' tailback T.J. Duckett doesn't have to hear any more trade speculation. Tuesday night, he was dealt to the Washington Redskins as part of a three-team deal that brings speedy, but disgruntled Denver Broncos wide receiver Ashley Lelie to Atlanta, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The move, which comes roughly three weeks before the regular season, addresses an area that has been of concern for weeks and reached a crescendo after Atlanta's 38-10 preseason loss to Green Bay Saturday.
Yet, in trying to bolster depth, the Falcons parted with their 2002 first-round draft pick in Duckett, leaving rookie Jerious Norwood as the main backup to starting tailback Warrick Dunn. Fullback Justin Griffith could also play tailback in a pinch or in the short-yardage situations, roles Duckett used to handle.
"I feel like I'll be all right," Norwood said Tuesday afternoon, before the trade was consummated. "I've just got to continue to get better. Whatever happens, I'll give 110 percent of everything I have."
In exchange for Duckett, 25, the Redskins sent a third- or fourth-round pick to Denver, who, in turn, shipped Lelie, 26, to the Falcons.
This is the second time in the past few months Denver has facilitated a three-team trade with the Falcons. Atlanta swapped first-round picks with the Broncos then shipped the choice they got from Denver to the New York Jets in exchange for defensive end John Abraham.
Coincidentally, the Falcons considered using their first round pick (18th overall) in 2002 on Lelie before using it to select Duckett. Denver drafted Lelie with the very next pick.
Lelie (6-3, 200) is a speed burner and a downfield threat, who has caught 168 passes for 3,007 yards with 12 touchdowns in his career. His best season came in 2004 when he had 54 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season, he caught 42 passes for 770 yards and one touchdown.
Lelie has held out of Denver's entire training camp — costing him $14,000 a practice in fines, which he is obligated to pay — and expressed his desire to be traded ever since the Broncos' acquired wide receiver Jevon Walker, a move that positioned him as the No. 3 wide receiver behind Walker and Rod Smith.
Lelie will be the Falcons' No. 3 wide receiver behind Michael Jenkins and Roddy White. Coach Jim Mora has said it would be made clear that any receiver the team acquired would not leapfrog White and Jenkins and that disruption over the pecking order would not be tolerated.
With Lelie being in the last year of his contract, that not might put him in the most advantageous situation to put up big numbers to increase his appeal. However, he is getting the chance to play, which probably was not going to be the case in Denver because of the acrimony between Lelie and the team.
Having been a starter, Lelie also could be able to move into a starting role should White or Jenkins get hurt.
Atlanta has been trying to find someone to be the No. 3 wide receiver since veteran Brian Finneran tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee early in training camp. Jerome Pathon had been promoted to the third-wideout, but the coaching and personnel staffs felt they had to move in another direction after the loss to Green Bay.
Lelie would be used differently than Finneran in three receiver sets. Finneran was a mid-range target. Lelie would be used more to stretch the defense, while Jenkins would probably operate more in a possession receiver role, Mora said.
"Mike Jenkins would be the logical guy to play the slot because of his size and he's good getting off the jam and he catches the ball well inside," Mora said Monday.
As for Duckett, he could finally get the chance to be a featured back — for a few weeks. Redskins' tailback Clinton Portis is out with a shoulder injury but is not expected to be out for the entire season.
The Redskins, who play host to the Falcons Dec. 3, utilize a more traditional running attack that could work to Duckett's downhill running style. The Falcons' zone blocking, cutback scheme is more suited to slashers like Dunn and Norwood. Even so, Duckett has scored 31 touchdowns over his four years in Atlanta and gained 2,175 yards on 552 carries.
Duckett began to surface in trade speculation after last season, when, after an ankle injury, he struggled down the stretch. He managed a career-low 380 yards (3.1 average) despite getting 121 carries, 17 more than in 2004, when he gained 509 yards and averaged a career best 4.9 yards per carry.
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EDIT: Wow, nevermind, that was fast.
Duckett at the goal line - 
ortis - downBetts - downCooley - down a shadeRedskins O - up a bitDuckett - a little upDunn - sameNorwood - upLelie - upVick - up (bigger vulture now?)White & Jenkins - same
Just traded for Dunn when the Duckett rumors were swirling. I assuming his value has gone up, with Duckett no longer there to vulture as many td's.
