After weeks of speculation, the Atlanta Falcons finally have their man.  A three way deal involving the Falcons, the Denver Broncos, and the New York Jets was reached on Tuesday afteroon that will bring coveted free agent and former New York Jet defensive end, John Abraham, to the team he intended on joining all along.  Abraham is the second big name on the defensive side of the ball that the Falcons have brought in since NFL free agency began just a couple short weeks ago, joining fellow new addition and former Buffalo Bills Strong Safety, Lawyer Milloy, who together should help make for a much more improved defensive unit from a year ago.

This deal almost did not happen however, and probably would not have if not for Abraham's reluctance to sign with the Seattle Seahawks due to his longing to play closer to his home and family, a luxury he will now definitely have as an Atlanta Falcon, making it harder for a deal to be finalized between the two teams.  In addition to this, one of Abraham's previous suitors, the Denver Broncos also greatly helped the deal to be realized by sending their first round and third round pick in this year's draft, in addition to a fourth round pick in next year's draft in exchange for Atlanta's 15th pick in the first round this year.  In the end, all teams win with this deal.

For Atlanta, upgrading the secondary was an absolute must.  Aside from star corner DeAngelo Hall, it was a defensive backfield devoid of serious talent and playmaking ability.  Safety was the most obvious sore spot in that atrocious secondary, but Atlanta needed improvement anywhere they could get it.  It was quite obvious that Texas DB Michael Huff would be taken well before the 15th pick, and while a few weeks ago it seemed that Atlanta would luck into seeing yet another Virginia Tech star fall into their lap in Jimmy Williams, recent scouting reports and mock drafts were dictating he would probably be selected a pick or two ahead of 15, so Atlanta was faced with having to trade up, or miss out on a star rookie to add to their secondary.  University of South Carolina FS Ko Simpson was a possibility, but as a mid first round pick, the Falcons would have been reaching.  The signing of Milloy immediately remedied the Falcons worrisome secondary.  Many Buffalo fans were sorry to see him go, but their loss is Atlanta's gain.  The signing also made Atlanta's first round pick expendable.

The Jets were seeking a first round pick in exchange for Abraham, but 15 was too high of a slot to offer up for Abraham in Atlanta's eyes, and rightfully so.  The best offer the Jets had been offered was the late first round pick of the Seahawks.  The Jets, like many other teams, were interested in acquiring backup quarterback Matt Schaub, but Atlanta simply refused to part with the former University of Virginia star and the franchise's insurance policy for Michael Vick, a wise move given his knack for meddlesome injuries.  After the Jets acquired former Redskins Quarterback, Patrick Ramsey, It seemed the deal was dead.  Seattle's first round pick that was on the table was looking mighty tasty to the Jets, but Abraham was doing everything in his power to prevent the deal from going through.  Fortunately for Abraham, the Falcons, the Jets, and for the Broncos themselves for that matter, Denver helped broker a deal that earned them a higher draft spot in the process, whille only surrendering a couple middle round picks spread over the next two drafts beyond their first rounder, which Atlanta could now use to land Abraham, giving the Jets a higher first round pick then they would have received from the Seahawks in the process.  So everyone wins with this deal, all except the Seahawks of course, but rest assured Seattle, you just signed Julian Peterson.

So what does this mean now for Atlanta, or rather the opposing offenses they will face.  Well Abraham will be joining Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney to give Atlanta the best defensive end tandem in the entire league hands down, and with defensive tackle Rod Coleman in the mix, arguably one of the best defensive lines, if not the best, in the league as well.  Then there is the formidable middle lineback Edgerton Hartwell to consider, who did an excellent job of bolstering Atlanta's defense last year before suffering a season ending injury early in the year.  Former middle linebacker and current weak side linebacker Keith Brooking is a major defensive star himself, and together with BLB Demorrio Williams who led the team in tackles last year with 127 total, Atlanta now has an absolutely dominating front seven. When one also considers that Milloy has now joined DeAngelo Hall in the secondary, this defensive unit appears to be one with no obvious weaknesses.  There will be tremendous pressure being generated on opposing offensive lines with Kerney, Abraham, and Coleman to contend with, solid run stopping up the middle with Brooking, Williams, and Hartwell, and proven talent and playmaking ability in Hall and Milloy.

Sure some in Pittsburgh and Chicago are going to have their say at who's best, but on paper, which is all we have to go by at this point, Atlanta appears poised to join the elite shutdown defenses in the NFL, and possibily supplant them atop the defensive rankings by season's end for that matter.  Now if Atlanta can only figure out how to stop being so darn one dimensional on offense then they might really get something going, but then again, that 1998 Falcons team reached the Super Bowl primarily with running and defense, two things Atlanta seems to have plenty of now.