Atlanta Falcons sign former Tampa Bay Bucs offensive lineman Gabe Carimi

Oct 13, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Gabe Carimi (72) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014 off-season is going to be a very interesting one for the Atlanta Falcons in the wake of a disastrous 2013 campaign, and while it’s been quiet in the early stages, the team announced what could be a significant move on Monday afternoon.

The 25-year-old Carimi has played three seasons in the NFL after being a 1st-round pick of the Bears in 2011, but he was unceremoniously released by the Tampa Bay Bucs last week as a “cap casualty”. At 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, Carimi is a massive individual with a solid pedigree (he was the Outland Trophy winner at Wisconsin), but after a 2012 season where he started 14 games in Chicago, he was relegated to a reserve role with the Bucs last season.

For me, this smells like a “depth” play in the long term, but one that I would certainly endorse. From the moment he sets foot in Flowery Branch, Carimi is probably the best right tackle on the roster (not a high bar, mind you), and with his raw skills, there is little doubt that he can be at least a “rotation”-type player in the NFL for quite some time. Financial details have not been disclosed, but I can’t imagine that this is a high-priced move, and with the draft upcoming, this allows some additional flexibility for Thomas Dimitroff and company.