Atlanta Falcons Release OT Sam Baker

According to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, the Atlanta Falcons released longtime OT Sam Baker Monday morning.  Baker was former first round draft pick by the Falcons back in 2008 and had spent his entire seven-year NFL career with Atlanta.  Sam came to Atlanta as a franchise LT out of USC in the first draft of the Mike Smith Era.  He was Thomas Dimitroff’s second selection as Falcons GM behind only QB Matt Ryan.

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Sam could play swing tackle for the Atlanta Falcons and had Pro-Bowl Caliber potential coming out of college.  Unfortunately, Baker had an injury riddled tenure with Atlanta.  He appeared in just 4 games for the Falcons the last two seasons.  Baker came into the 2014 season as the starting LT while rookie OT Jake Matthews learned the ropes on the right side. But a torn patella tendon in a preseason game against the Houston Texans forced Matthews into a baptism by fire season as a rookie LT.

Atlanta chose to move on from Baker Monday morning as Sam might not have the foot speed any more to play in Kyle Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme.  Sam Baker leaves Atlanta on a disappointing note.  The guy just never was healthy and it prevented the Falcons from realizing his full NFL potential.

I don’t think he’s out of the league now but his days as a starting offensive lineman might be over.  There’s definitely some team besides the Falcons that could use a veteran swing tackle on their offensive line.  I hope he gets an opportunity to play somewhere else and can retire on his own terms.  I’m just not sure where that place is at the moment.

One thing is for certain now that Sam Baker’s release from the Atlanta Falcons is official: Jake Matthews needs to rise up in 2015 and be that franchise LT Thomas Dimitroff drafted in 2014.  There are no fall back plans now that Baker is no longer with team.  Let’s hope Jake improved drastically in the offseason because Matt Ryan needs his blind side protected in 2015.

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