Former UGA Standout Released

By: T. Love

Former UGA star Fred Gibson was released from the Falcons on Saturday. He is the first to be released in camp and coach Bobby Petrino called it a “football decision”.

Gibson was originally signed by the Falcons in February after spending two years on the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

Petrino praised Gibson during mini-camp workouts and OTAs, but obviously Gibson was performing pretty pitiful for three-straight days.

“A scout came to me and told me that the head coach said I didn’t have it like I did in mini-camps and [offseason training activities],” Gibson said. “I’ve been sick since I got to camp, and I was struggling, but I was fighting through it. I didn’t tell my position coach [Paul Petrino] because he wouldn’t want to hear it.”

That is too bad for Fred because it would have been nice to have a former UGA player shine in a Falcons’ uniform and after being cut from an NFL roster for the third-time, his career may be in jeopardy.

With the release of Gibson, the depth chart currently stands with Joe Horn, Michael Jenkins, Roddy White, Laurent Robinson, Adam Jennings and Jamin Elliot. From training camp reports, Robinson has been the most impressive while White continues to struggle.

Robinson, a third-round selection out of Illinois State, has impressed coaches with his speed and raw skill. But it’s the way he makes catches – arms extended, body stretched and hands plucking the spinning pigskin out of the air – that makes him fun to watch.
–J. Michael Moore, Managing Editor, AtlantaFalcons.com

Robinson is the player I have followed since the draft and I think he will be a big contributor in the offense this season.

As for Fred, good luck to him and hopefully he will find a place where he can perform. If not, he can always work that 9-5 like the rest of us.