a team that will finish with a better record than this season’s 7-9 squad Replica Calvin Ridley Jersey , but that process won’t involve big splashes in free agency.That’s the message that General Manager Thomas Dimitroff sent from Atlanta on Thursday. The team needs to upgrade their offensive line, among other spots, but Dimitroff said the team will be looking at other ways to do that.“I don’t think necessarily we need to make a whole bunch of bold moves,” Dimitroff said, via the . “I think we have some really good football players on this team. We have a very good coaching staff and a head coach who knows how to get the most out of everyone. We have some regrouping to do on a number of different areas Stitched Calvin Ridley Jersey , of course. I don’t necessarily think that means dropping a ton of money in free agency. I think there is a draft out there that can be very beneficial to us potentially on both sides of the ball. Front-wise you can acquire in the draft as well. We will be very manageable and mindful about how we are going to be approaching free agency. We are not just going to throw money at it for the sake of it.”The Falcons are projected to have in the neighborhood of $18 million in cap space for 2019, although that number could change if they reach agreement on new deals for defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and wide receiver Julio Jones. Dimitroff reiterated that those are priorities for the team as they head deeper into their offseason. Spoiler alert: It went for a touchdown." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteThe Falcoholican Atlanta Falcons communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsLibraryFalconsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Library FalcFans Podcast on The FalcoholicContact The FalcoholicFalcons StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Falcons NewsYahoo Falcons Team PageYahoo Falcons ReportYahoo Falcons Depth ChartYahoo Falcons TransactionsYahoo Falcons PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Matty Ice Moments: Looking back at Matt Ryan’s first pass as a proNew,18commentsSpoiler alert: It went for a touchdown.EDTShareTweetShareShareMatty Ice Moments: Looking back at Matt Ryan’s first pass as a proPhoto by Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesWelcome to the dead period of the NFL offseason. Let the countdown begin until it’s over with. Last offseason, I wrote a series of Throwback Thursday articles looking back at some of the most memorable moments in Atlanta Falcons history. That series culminated with an article looking back at the time newly minted General Manager Thomas Dimitroff drafted Matt Ryan with the third overall pick. Here’s how that specific article concluded:Well, that time has come — welcome to the “Matty Ice Moments” series. This will be a series of articles dedicated to looking back on Matt Ryan-centric moments Baby Calvin Ridley Jersey , in an attempt to help distract us from the dead period a little bit.And if you don’t like Matt Ryan and think that we’re focusing on him too much this offseason, then that’s just too bad I guess.Without further ado:Matt Ryan’s first professional pass and his first professional game:The Atlanta Falcons were not supposed to be that good in 2008. After a rough 2007 which landed star quarterback Michael Vick in federal prison and now disgraced head coach Bobby Petrino on the midnight train to Arkansas, the Falcons weren’t expected to make so much progress from the 4-12 team they featured in ‘07.Matt Ryan stepped into an unfair situation for himself as Atlanta’s third overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft — the fanbase was divided over whether or not to even select him over the likes of Glenn Dorsey, and when he was selected, he was immediately asked to fill the shoes of arguably the league’s most electrifying player in Vick.Ryan stepped up and answered the call immediately. He beat out veteran Chris Redman for the team’s starting QB role in the preseason Best Calvin Ridley Jersey , and then he made quite the first impression when the Detroit Lions came to town in Week 1.Ryan’s first professional pass was a 62-yard touchdown to Michael Jenkins, and it set the tone for the rest of the game and the entire 2008 season.In the blink of an eye the Falcons opened up a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring a touchdown on each of their first three drives. Ryan played his part, but the offense rolled on the back of star running back Michael Turner, the way it would all season.The Lions would bring it back to within a one-score game at halftime Adult Calvin Ridley Jersey , with a 14-0 second quarter flurry, but the Birds would pull away in the second half. Matt Ryan finished the game 9 of 13 for 161 passing yards, one touchdown pass, and no turnovers. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was sufficient Limited Takkarist McKinley Jersey , as Turner would rush for 220 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.The Detroit Lions ended up having a tumultuous season, becoming the first team in NFL history to go winless in a 16-game campaign. That first game in Atlanta was a sign of things to come for both teams.Matt Ryan had officially arrived.