Here are five things to know about the Falcons on Monday:
1. Back to work: The Falcons, who finished in third place in the NFC South with a 10-6 regular-season record last season, start their offseason program today. The Falcons beat the Rams (26-13) on the road in the wildcard playoff round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles (15-10) in the divisional round.
Quarterback Matt Ryan has his message already prepared for the offense.
“I think it will be about focus and consistency,” Ryan said. “That’s the No. 1 thing. We (must) have a mindset that every time that we are in a meeting and every time that we step out on the practice field, we are doing it with purpose.”
2. Players to speak: The team will have two players speak to the media about the return to work and the offseason program on Tuesday.
3. Pre-draft preparation: The Falcons wrapped up their visits last week and are making their final preparations for the draft. General manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn will give us an update on Thursday. We're projecting at defensive tackle, offensive guard or cornerback at the 26th spot right now. Here's the latest Mock Draft.
4. Bryant is a no-go: The Falcons are not interested in signing former Dallas receiver Dez Bryant. The three-time Pro Bowler was released on Friday. The Falcons will look to add to their receiving corps in the draft and through the rookie free agent class.
5. Ryan contract watch: The Falcons are still working on a contract extension for Ryan. Things will likely be pushed to the back burner for the next couple of weeks with the draft coming up on April 26-28 in Arlington, Texas.
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