The Falcons have shuffled the deck at center a week before they start the 2015 season.
The team announced that they have claimed Gino Gradkowski off of waivers from the Broncos and released Joe Hawley. Hawley was returning from a torn ACL suffered last season and started the first two preseason games before heading to the bench the last two weeks.
Gradkowski could push for the starting job against James Stone, although his work as a starter for the Ravens in 2013 left much to be desired. The Ravens traded him to the Broncos this offseason, but Denver opted to go with rookie Matt Paradis over Gradkowski when it came time to pare the roster down this week.
The Falcons have needed to improve the play of their offensive line for a few years now and they haven’t been shy about reaching outside the organization in the last few days to make that happen. In addition to Gradkowski, they claimed tackle Bryce Harris off of waivers and traded for guard Andy Levitre. The new arrivals could make for a better line in the long run, but it may take some time before the team settles on the right mix up front.