1. Offensive Weapon Added: Falcons head coach Dan Quinn wants depth at every position on his roster, adding more Thursday, signing tight end Jacob Tamme. Just like his new head coach, Tamme brings Super Bowl experience to the Falcons in 2015. Tamme, who was originally selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round (127th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft, played in all 16 games of the 2009 season, ending in Super Bowl XLIV.
2. Lessons from Manning: Tamme joins a top-tier quarterback in Atlanta, Matt Ryan, after playing three seasons with future Hall of Fame signal-caller Peyton Manning. Prior to Denver, Tamme and Manning were teammates in Indianapolis (2008-2011), offering the newest Falcons tight end profitable lessons he'll utilize in Atlanta.
"I think the first thing is preparation," Tamme said of Manning. "He prepares as hard or harder than anybody else in the league and being around that helps everybody raise their level of play and the work that you put in throughout the week, being able to just translate it into execution on Sunday."
3. Three-Phase Threat: Tamme fits right in with his new Falcons team, offering several ways to benefit the club on the field. During his three-year stay in Denver, Tamme showcased blocking, receiving and special teams skills, all captured by this Mic'd Up session. Not only giving Quinn's team the fundamental skills at the tight end position, Tamme is a constant motivator and encourager to his teammates, another bonus for the Falcons in 2015.
The Falcons' 2016 roster is constantly evolving and we've amassed all the players in one gallery that will be updated throughout the year
CB Robert Alford
S Ricardo Allen
DT Jonathan Babineaux
OLB Vic Beasley Jr.
P Matt Bosher
K Matt Bryant
LB De'Vondre Campbell
RG Chris Chester
DE Adrian Clayborn
RB Tevin Coleman
CB Jalen Collins - Reserve Suspended List (4 Games)
T Tom Compton
FB Patrick DiMarco
RB Devonta Freeman
DE Dwight Freeney
WR Devin Fuller - IR
G Ben Garland
FS Dashon Goldson
CB C.J. Goodwin
DT Ra'Shede Hageman
WR Justin Hardy
LS Josh Harris
TE Austin Hooper
S Kemal Ishmael
DE Tyson Jackson
DT Grady Jarrett
LB Deion Jones
WR Julio Jones
CB Akeem King - IR
G Andy Levitre
C Alex Mack
T Jake Matthews
S Keanu Neal
TE Josh Perkins
G Mike Person
FS Brian Poole
LB Brooks Reed
LB LaRoy Reynolds
WR Aldrick Robinson
QB Matt Ryan
WR Mohamed Sanu
QB Matt Schaub
T Ryan Schraeder
G Wes Schweitzer
DE Derrick Shelby
TE Jacob Tamme
S Robenson Therezie
TE Levine Toilolo
CB Desmond Trufant
LB Courtney Upshaw
CB DeMarcus Van Dyke - IR
RB Terron Ward
LB Sean Weatherspoon
WR Eric Weems
LB Philip Wheeler
WR Nick Williams
LB Paul Worrilow
4. Lasting Impact: Entering his eighth NFL season, Tamme is motivated to improve his game and ideally end each season by hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound tight end wants his work ethic and the way he treats his teammates to be a significant part of his lasting legacy.
"A big part of this is about relationships and earning that respect of your teammates," Tamme said. "Being able to go out there on the field, knowing that the guys around you are going to be giving everything that you're giving to get this job accomplished. Football's not going to last forever, so at the end of the day, a lot of it is about the people you're around and hopefully they say they were glad to be around me."
5. Off-the-Field Interests: Aside from playing in the NFL, Tamme has several other interests, including business and economics. Having earned a master's degree in business opens a lot of opportunities for Tamme.
Footnote: Add Tamme (Kentucky) to the list of Falcons players whose alma mater is in the running for the 2015 NCAA men's basketball championship.
