- Dan Quinn (right) and owner Arthur Blank (left) have a new vision for the Falcons. (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
INDIANAPOLIS – If Thomas Dimitroff has an ego, he clearly checked it at the door.
In announcing the firing of former head coach Mike Smith the day after the season finale, the Atlanta Falcons’ general manager admitted his job performance was under intense scrutiny as well. And at the Scouting Combine on Thursday, Dimitroff repeatedly referred to the constant communication he is having with new head coach Dan Quinn and his staff.
He understands the Falcons will be targeting not only new players to upgrade the roster, but a different type of athlete to fit Quinn’s schemes. Dimitroff referred to the “play free, play fast mentality” of the players Quinn coached as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator the past two years.
“We discussed that a lot,” Dimitroff said of the type of athletes the Falcons will seek moving forward. “We brought in the coordinators, with Dan, and some of the position coaches, and really drilled down on the style of the players they’re looking for. I think that’s vital, especially when you’re starting a new team.”
Much has been made about the relationship Quinn and Dimitoff are forging, and who ultimately will have the final call on certain personnel matters. Dimitroff declined to get into contractual specifics, but insisted he is not concerned about the hierarchy of organizational decisions.
“I feel very confident with how the new structure is set up. The idea is to make this as much of an equal partnership situation as possible,” Dimitroff said. “I think deep down, most of us who are in this role… I understand in the end, you have to defer to the head coach. It doesn’t have to be in a contract. I’m not concerned about disagreements about building this football team.”
The Falcons are in Indianapolis this week evaluating hundreds of the top prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft, along with looking at the potential free agent class along with their own pending free agents. Outside linebacker Kroy Biermann, kicker Matt Bryant, free safety Dwight Lowery, defensive end Osi Umenyiora and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon are among the team’s key pending free agents.
“We have some big decisions to make. And I think that’s important as co-team building with Dan,” Dimitroff said. “That’s going to take place after the Combine when we make those decisions.”
Those decisions will help shape the roster leading up to the draft, where the Falcons own the eighth overall pick.
“To be picking at the top 10 of the draft, within the top 10, is very encouraging for a new staff,” Dimitroff said.
