Atlanta owner orders GM to get Calvin Johnson
 

While everyone has focused on No. 4 Tampa Bay as the most likely trading partner for No. 2 Detroit in the Calvin Johnson Sweepstakes, it's the No. 8 Falcons who might truly be in the driver's seat. Sources say Falcons owner Arthur Blank has pretty much ordered Atlanta general manager Rich McKay to do everything he can to put the team into position to land Johnson at No. 2.

Blank wants Johnson for a couple of reasons. First, Johnson played at Georgia Tech and would help sell tickets to disillusioned Falcons fans who have endured two non-playoff seasons after Atlanta went to the NFC title game in 2004. Second, the Falcons still have their long-standing need of a reliable big-play receiver for quarterback to play pitch and catch with.

With seven picks in the first four rounds (including two second-rounders and three in the fourth), Atlanta definitely has the ammo to make the deal with Detroit. The Falcons could send the Lions their picks at 8, 39 and 44 for the No. 2 spot, and still have a third-rounder and three fourth-rounders to fill other needs.

The Lions are known to covet middle linebacker Patrick Willis of Mississippi and would be perfectly situated at No. 8 to select him. Picking up at least two extra second-rounders in the process would meet Matt Millen's goal of turning the No. 2 slot into a first-day package of picks. Detroit is likely to draft a quarterback with its own second-round pick at No. 34. Stanford's Trent Edwards remains slightly favored over Michigan State's Drew Stanton.

Wow, I think I have been saying this for a while.

Good. I wish them luck.

The more likely the Falcons, the less likely the Broncos.

Good for Vick, too. It's too bad he had to suffer through a god-awful receiving corps to get Joe Horn and Calvin Johnson.

Detroit could make a killing off that. 8th overall, 2 Seconds, and couple 4ths.

funny as hell they have to mortgage their future to make a shitty QB look good....

Calvin Johnsons from Atlanta and went to GT which is in Atlanta and it's hard to sell tickets there........all about the tickets baby.

He "orders" him to get Johnson? Why didn't we think of this? Carl, I order you to draft Joe Thomas.

Well there's a difference in the owner and the GM......Atlanta has the ammo to move up there if they want to.

this plan is foolproof...unless oakland take him at no. 1

Detroit should jump on that.

But Millen is a reerun, so who knows...

Calvin Johnson would become the face of the Falcons, thereby making Vick expendable should he suck again this year........

That's the real story here.

Sucks for Calvin. Has to play in college with a QB who can't throw, then forced into the same situation in the NFL.

what u talkin about willis

Faders will pick Calvin just to screw everyone else. Then they will take Hobbs in the 2nd.

I like the idea of Calvin going to a team where he can't really hurt us.