During the offseason before the 2012 season, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff shared a similar message about roster stability that he has this offseason. Well into their tenure running the Falcons, Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith have shown a commitment to keeping their drafted player on the roster, especially starters and they've been clear about that philosophy.
Dimitroff re-signed 2008 draft pick Thomas DeCoud last season, locking him long term for the Falcons and on Saturday, the Falcons announced they had agreed to terms with , an '09 draft pick that has started with DeCoud in the defensive backfield since 2010.
Armed with one of the best safety tandems in the NFL, the Falcons can continue to build a game-changing defense that matches one of the best offenses in the league. Under first-year coordinator Mike Nolan last season, DeCoud and Moore experienced breakout seasons, earning both the first Pro Bowl bids of their career.
DeCoud secured a career-high six interceptions and Moore snagged four of his own and were a major factor in Atlanta's 31 takeaways and their 13 turnover differential. The two combined to give the Falcons the only safety duo in the NFL with at least four interceptions. They also added one fumble recovery, bringing their takeaways to 11, which resulted in 33 points during the season.
Showing why he's a playmaker, Moore saved some of his best games of the year against some of the best QBs in the league. Against Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, Moore had three interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, Moore was the top safety ranked in this year's free agent class and he ended the season with positive grades as a run defender, pass defender and pass rusher.
