Falcons moving on without Rossum?

By: T. Love

Since signing a contract extension with the Atlanta Falcons in March of 2005 following a career year in which he had a combined 1,707 return yards, including a punt return to put the game out of reach just before halftime of the team’s 47-17 win in the NFC Divisional playoffs against the St. Louis Rams, Allen Rossum has not done shit for this team.

Marred by injuries and terrible decisions on when to return the ball or call a fair catch, Rossum managed 847 return yards in 2005 and 1,370 yards in 2006. The 2005 NFL’s fastest man, Rossum is also a liability in pass coverage and can’t tackle all too well.

In Atlanta’s first preseason game, Rossum had one return for 26 yards while second-year player Adam Jennings averaged 29 yards per return on three attempts with a 40 yard long. Two of Jenning’s returns would have been longer if not for penalties.

Jenning’s proved that he can be a decent return man for the Falcons and he is finding his way onto to field in offensive packages.

On Sunday, the Falcons signed wide receiver Otis Amey who played with the San Francisco 49ers a season ago.

Jennings will probably have an opportunity again this Friday when the Falcons head to Buffalo took take on the Bill to show his stuff. If he can impress the coaching staff again and Amey proves to be a viable return man in his own right, Rossum may be handed a pink slip in the next few days.

Since he is listed a defensive back, Rossum eats up a roster space on D that is not necessary and the extra space could be used on the defensive line or a wide receiver since Petrino likes to incorporate four- and five-wide sets.

The return battle just got more interesting this week and will start shaping up these next two weeks.

Good luck to Rossum, but the odds aren’t looking in his favor at this time.