Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff is facing a gaping roster hole due to Tony Gonzalez's retirement.
"I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Nobody replaces Tony Gonzalez,’’ Dimitroff said, per ESPN.com. "We’ve been very fortunate to have him on our team the last five years.
"As we continue to build this football team, we’re going to have to make sure that we have the right mix and the right amount of tight ends with blocking ability and tight ends with pass-catching ability. Every year, you’re going to find a unique mix of that talent, both on the free-agent side and the college side. And it’s no different this year.’’
The Falcons' remaining tight ends are Levine Toilolo and Chase Coffman. Jermichael Finley, Dustin Keller and Dennis Pitta are among the tight ends scheduled to be unrestricted free agents.