The Falcons announced that free agents Chris Redman and Harry Douglas agreed to terms on new deals Tuesday night.
Douglas, who briefly flirted with free agency, elected to return home to the Falcons. An Atlanta native, Douglas comes back to the team that made him a third-round pick in the 2008 draft.
The wide receiver will reunite with quarterback Matt Ryan, also part of the 2008 draft class, and new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to continue the steady offensive improvement of the Falcons over the last few seasons.
Douglas burst onto the scene for Atlanta in his rookie season with three touchdowns, one each from rushing, receiving and punt returning. A knee injury knocked him out of the 2009 season and the 2010 saw a rehabilitated Douglas, but he spent most of the season working his way back.
In 2011, he became a bigger force in the offense, recording 39 receptions for 498 yards and one touchdown. Douglas was a key target on first downs and in more than one game during the season, a Douglas catch came in the clutchest of moments for the Falcons.
Douglas could see a rise in his presence in the offense in 2012. The offensive scheme that Koetter ran as the offensive coordinator in Jacksonville relied on certain screen pass plays to move the ball in chunks. Although Douglas's yards-per-catch last season were 12.8, he's known for being quick after the catch and can make defenders miss.
During training camp last season, the wide receiver often spoke about his role in the offense, saying he has the ability to turn a small pass play into a big gain. With Koetter in Atlanta now, Douglas' skillset may be utilized in even bigger ways.
Redman returns to Atlanta for his sixth year. The 10-year veteran came to the club in 2007 and played well enough to earn a backup role after a coaching and front office overhaul in 2008.
In 2009, Redman entered a game for the first time in almost two seasons and the pressure couldn't have been more intense. After taking over for an injured Ryan, Redman kept the offense steady and put the Falcons in position for a fourth-quarter, come-from-behind win.
On fourth-and-goal with 23 seconds remaining, Redman connected with Roddy White for a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Falcons the lead on their way to a 20-17 victory.
Redman returns to Atlanta as the only backup Ryan has ever known. Through his four seasons, Ryan has repeatedly talked about the value Redman brings to the club as an extra set of ears and eyes on the practice field, in the meeting rooms and during game day. With a new offense to learn, Redman may add value to the learning process because of his knowledge of Ryan as a quarterback.
