Sean Weatherspoon, Atlanta Falcons’ First-Round Pick, Signs

Filed under: Atlanta Falcons

Sean Weatherspoon, the Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick, came to terms with his new team on Thursday. He signed a five-year deal worth $17.5 million with $10.5 million guaranteed.

The No. 19 overall pick in the draft was expected to have the deal signed before a Falcons team meeting on Thursday evening.

Weatherspoon arrived in Flowery Branch on Thursday to check in for training camp — which starts on Friday. He, along with every other draft pick from the 2010 draft, will be signed and in attendance. This is the third year in a row that every Falcons draft pick has been signed prior to the first day of camp.

The linebacker from the University of Missouri played outside linebacker in college and will compete for a starting job on the outside for Atlanta. Whether he’ll eventually win a job over Stephen Nichols or Mike Peterson — if he wins a starting job at all — remains to be seen.

Weatherspoon comes to Atlanta as one of three players in school history to lead the team in tackles for three seasons. This is paramount because it will be Weatherspoon’s ability to tackle at the NFL level which will go a long way in determining whether or not he starts as a rookie.

The Falcons struggled in pass coverage last season and coverage is one of Weatherspoon’s strong suits. If his success at tackling translates well in to the professional level, it will be hard to keep him off of the field, since the team could really use a linebacker with his coverage skills.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments