Falcons trade for CB, Hill from the Rams

[coachx]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/uga/falcons-acquire-cb-hill-128628.html

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NfL&id=3673

He is 27 with starting expierence but played for a team with no media coverage. He is only 5'10''. He only played 4 games last year befoer going on IR with a bum knee.

The positive. He played in all 16 games as a rookie and was a first round pick out of Clemson...........so you would assume he had some natural talent and real promise before his knee problems.

We played vs. the Rams earlier in preseason so Dimitroff and Smith had a chance to see him first hand vs. their own players.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=9601

Looks like some no name was going to beat him out for the starting job so they just gave him away for a 7th round pick.

The Rams new coach was the defensive coordinator for the NY Giants. He is a defensive guru..............I have faith in Dimitroff but the Rams coach is not going to give up a starter worthy player for a 7th round pick.

Rams fans call Hill is "irrelevant" and say he looked bad in camp.

http://www.footballsfuture.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=7594622

Hopefully another deal is in the works.

Edited September 1, 2009 by coachx

[ATLSmith]

I'm not sure what to make of this. I thought the falcons CB's were terrible last year and this doesn't look like that much of an improvement. I'm guessing Dimitroff has something in mind...

[HawkItus]

Solid gamble for a 7th round pick. If he doesn't do more than provide a solid body to throw at guys we couldn't have gotten much more in the draft with that pick.

[falc82]

Solid gamble for a 7th round pick. If he doesn't do more than provide a solid body to throw at guys we couldn't have gotten much more in the draft with that pick.

Remember also that Dimitroff's area of expertise is the secondary. I trust him when it comes to evaluating secondary talent and like you said, for a 7th round pick this is a good move.

Edited September 1, 2009 by falc82

[EazyRoc]

I actually think Hill will come and surprise us. I don't know the Rams that well, but I can't think of any pass rusher they had along their D-line. Hill is definitely a coverage DB, and isn't really that physical. What's funny is that he might be the best cover guy we got now.

[DrReality]

Agree with TD's area of expertise. We didn't give up much but it could still be a hope and a prayer.

[DrReality]

Falcons acquire CB Hill from RamsBy D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Flowery Branch – Safety Jamaal Fudge will be on the welcoming committee for former college teammate Tye Hill, the newest Falcon, who was scheduled to arrive Tuesday night.

Enlarge photo AP The Falcons acquired cornerback Tye Hill from the Rams for a seventh-round pick.

.Fudge and Hill were teammates at Clemson from 2002-06 and played in the secondary together.

“He’s a great guy,” Fudge said. “He’s a great corner. He has all of the tools. He’ll be a great addition to our team.”

The Falcons traded a seventh-round pick in the 2010 draft to St. Louis for Hill, who was the 15th pick in the 2006 draft, on Tuesday.

Fudge and Hill have remained friends since entering the NFL. “I invited him to my wedding four months ago,” Fudge said. “He just got married two months ago, and he invited me to his wedding.”

Hill likely will not play in the Falcons’ exhibition season finale against the Baltimore Ravens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Georgia Dome.

“He’s a guy that is going to have an opportunity to come in here and compete,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “Anytime we can upgrade our roster, that’s something that we want to do.”

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff didn’t waste time making a move at the cornerback position after porous performances by cornerbacks Chris Houston and Brent Grimes against San Diego on Saturday, when the Chargers converted 7 of 8 third downs in the first half and 11 of 18 in the game.

Hill will be expected to compete for one of the starting positions. He entered last season as the Rams’ starting left cornerback, a position that has been problematic for the Falcons since they traded DeAngelo Hall in March 2008.

Brent Grimes began the 2008 season as the starter, but eventually he was replaced by Domonique Foxworth. In the offseason, Foxworth left as a free agent, signing a four-year, $27.2 million deal with Baltimore.

Hill is set to make $1.037 million this season and $1.375 in 2010.

Hill, who has been a disappointment in St. Louis, failed to impress first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo and his staff.

He also had an injury-plagued stay with the Rams. Hill played in 10 games as a rookie, eight games the following season and four last season after he tore cartilage in his knee. He started 21 of the 28 games.

“I know him somewhat,” said Emmitt Thomas, the Falcons’ assistant head coach/secondary. “We look at all of the top guys coming out. I remember when he was coming out of Clemson. He was a guy about 5-10, real fast and quick.”

Last season, the Falcons acquired Foxworth in a trade five days before the start of the regular season, and he won the left cornerback position in late October.

“The management knows what they are going,” safety Erik Coleman said. “They do a great job of piecing together the team.”

Coleman is no stranger to Hill, either. “I just met Tye Hill this offseason,” Coleman said. “He’s a great guy. I’m looking forward to playing with him.”

[jy23]

We made a move and that makes me happy. For a 7th rounder ill take it

[coachx]

We cut V. Hutchins (CB) in order to make room for Hill.

[WraithSentinel]

He is under contract for this season and next year. It is worth the risk for a 7th. They cut him and there is a chance he goes elsewhere. I am just glad we did something. I just wonder how long before they put him in? It took Foxworth awhile before they put him in there on a regular basis. Coach Smith said last night they got a lot of catching up to do with Hill.

[Duff_Man]

In 2009, there is no such thing as "no media coverage". With the internet and every game available via sports packages, every team is seen.

And I no longer consider ESPN "media". It's the TMZ/Entertainment Tonight of sports.

[DrReality]

In 2009, there is no such thing as "no media coverage". With the internet and every game available via sports packages, every team is seen.

And I no longer consider ESPN "media". It's the TMZ/Entertainment Tonight of sports.

Agree with the ET label. It's been more about their personalities trying to be cute than reporting the sports for years.

[DrReality]

Hill joins Falcons for practice

Recently-acquired CB hopes to bring 'speed, physical play' to secondaryBy D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Flowery Branch - Tye Hill, the newest member of the Atlanta Falcons, practiced on Wednesday.

.Acquired Tuesday in a trade with St. Louis, Hill will not play against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday at the Georgia Dome.

"I'm going to bring speed to the secondary," Hill said. "I'm going to bring physical play to corner."

The team is not inclined to rush him into the starting lineup.

"He's going to have to be patient and I told him that we're going to be patient with him," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "We will try to get him up to speed as quickly as possible."

Hill, who is listed at 5 feet 10, 187 pounds and has sub-4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash, was the 15th overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft. The Falcons gave up a seventh rounder in 2010 to obtain him.

His career never blossomed in St. Louis as he battled injuries. He ended up on injured reserve the last two seasons.

In 2007, he suffered a lower back fracture after colliding with teammate Oshiomogho Atogwe in a passing drill. He returned and was playing well before breaking his wrist on a game-saving play against the Falcons.

He broke up a Chris Redman pass intended for Joe Horn with 2:14 left in game on fourth down to preserve a 28-16 victory.

Last season, Hill played just four games before he tore cartilage in his knee.

"The last few years have been rough," Hill said. "Coming from when I was in school and never being hurt, to being injury prone, I couldn't quite put my hand on it. I couldn't understand what was going on."

Hill passed his physical with the Falcons in order to take part in Wednesday's drills.

"I went through all of OTAs, all of mini-camp, all through the preseason without missing anything," Hill said of his summer progress in St. Louis. "I feel good."

Hill had played mostly left cornerback for the Rams but was switched to the right side under first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo.

"I'll be good with where ever they put me," Hill said. "I want to be on the field."

Etc.

Quarterback Matt Ryan will likely play just one series Thursday against the Ravens .... Running back Jerious Norwood (head, knee) and safety William Moore (hamstring) will not play Thursday .... Cornerback Chevis Jackson, normally the nickel back, will see plenty of playing time outside against the Ravens.