With only one of their top four linebackers expected to play under his current contract in 2009, the Falcons have a lot of work to do this offseason. Apparently they are very close to getting one of their free agent linebackers back before he ever hits free agency.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that the Falcons are near a deal with Coy Wire, the linebacker who came into the 2008 season as a backup but ended up earning a starting job by beating out Michael Boley.
Wire didn't beat out Boley until late in the season, and he's started more than four games in a season only once in his seven seasons, so one would expect that the Falcons should be able to lock up Wire at a pretty bargain basement price. But he's not the kind of guy who keeps you from wanting to upgrade the position, so it wouldn't be shocking if the Falcons still draft a later-round outside linebacker with an eye on eventually bumping Wire back to his special teams/backup role.
But in the short-term, the Falcons still have to figure out what they are doing with Keith Brooking, which means they likely may need to pick up a starting linebacker either in free agency or the draft--and that will likely require a first-day pick if the Falcons decide to go the draft route.
