Atlanta Acquires Cornerback Tye Hill From St. Louis

After a poor showing by the secondary in Saturday night's preseason game, Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith tried hard to not to single out the defensive backfield: "It's team defense," he said. "What I mean by that, is that it starts up front, it goes to the linebackers and it goes to the secondary. It's not just one group."

General manager Thomas Dimitroff wouldn't throw anyone under the bus either, but let it be known that between the time the third preseason game ended and the regular season began, the Falcons would be busy scouring the league for possible trades or free agents to sign. Dimitroff didn't waste any time finding someone.

On Tuesday, the Falcons sent a 2010 seventh-round draft pick to the St. Louis Rams for cornerback Tye Hill.

Hill, who was taken with the 15th-overall selection in the 2006 draft, was named to the All-Rookie team after playing in all 16 regular season games and registering three interceptions and 50 tackles. Since then, he's had two seasons end prematurely due to injuries, playing in eight games in 2007 and only four in 2008.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Hill won't add size to the Falcons secondary but he is a speedster who, when healthy, possesses the tools to be a game-changer. If Hill can learn the system quickly and stay on the active roster all season, the seventh-round pick given away will seem cheap and make Dimitroff look good.

Two of Atlanta's biggest remaining questions revolve around how quickly Hill can learn the system, and who the Falcons will have to cut from the secondary to make room for Hill.

The answer to who the Falcons cut will need to come immediately. The Falcons were at the 75-man roster size limit before the Hill trade. Adding Hill puts them at 76 -- and the NFL deadline to cut down to 75 is September 1.

(Update September 1, 2009): Cornerback Von Hutchins, tight end Ben Hartsock and defensive end Willie Evans were released on Tuesday.