They kicked the tires on L.J. Smith before deciding he wasn't a scheme fit. With the draft approaching and Brandon Pettigrew rising in the draft, the pulled the trigger on the trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for 10-time Pro Bowler Anthony Gonzalez.

Most of the focus has been on how Gonzalez will fit into the passing game. Opposite Pro Bowler Roddy White, Gonzalez figures to keep teams honest and pull some coverage away from White.

But Falcons coach Mike Smith believes that Gonzalez is just as important to the running attack.

The Falcons will remain a running team and hope that Michael Turner can duplicate his Pro Bowl breakout season. Turner powered the offense last year by rushing for 1,699 yards and leaving a slew of franchise records in his wake.

"I like what our offense did last year and I said from the very beginning that we're going to be a team that runs the football and stops the run," Smith said. "That's not going to change. I really think Tony Gonzalez is going to help our run game, too."

--The Falcons signed free-agent linebacker Edmond Miles. Miles played in two games with the New York Giants last season and made one tackle. The former University of Iowa standout entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2007 and played in 16 games with the Miami Dolphins that season, leading the team with 16 special-teams tackles.

The Falcons lost linebackers Michael Boley (Giants) and Keith Brooking (Cowboys) in free agency, but they are still deep at the position, with veterans Mike Peterson, Coy Wire and Stephen Nicholas on the roster. Miles was signed to add depth to the position.

--Retired NFL coach Tony Dungy met with suspended Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in prison at Leavenworth, Kan.

"I can confirm that coach Dungy and Michael met today," Vick's longtime agent, Joel Segal, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It was a real positive meeting."

Segal gave no further details. Vick, who is serving a 23-month sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation, is set to be released to home confinement on May 20. His sentence ends on July 20.

Dungy, who led the Colts to a Super Bowl title, retired in January.

--CB Chris Owens, the team's third-round draft pick from San Jose State, will likely get an opportunity to start.

"Chris Owens for us is a combination of a very physical and aggressive corner," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. "He comes to the table with a lot of speed. He's a sub-4.5 guy. He's actually a lower-4.4 guy. He's around a 4.43 player. He's increasing our speed in the secondary. Increases our physicality and has very good ball skills. He's gotten his hands on a lot of balls. He definitely brings an element of urgency to our defense as well."

--Some predraft projections had Richmond's Lawrence Sidbury going as high as the second round. So when the Falcons saw him sitting there in the fourth round, they snapped him up.

"Lawrence was brought in here as a rush end-type. He is a good athlete with what we believe is some serious upside," Dimitroff said. "He has the ability to get off the mark quickly, to get upfield. He has the (ability) to turn the corner and rush the passer. He is still a little bit raw and needs to grow in a number of areas ... we were surprised to get him there in the fourth round. He ended up falling to us."

Sidbury is raw and will have to work on his techniques.

"He's a 4.54 in our books," Dimitroff said. "If he can continue to learn to rush the passer and continue to learn you have a legitimate DPR -- defensive pass rush guy. He's still developing."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "You guys are going to be seeing this theme. Everyone one of these guys except for the offensive lineman has speed. When you go on the field in the training camps and OTAs you are going to see an increased level of speed." -- Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff on the focus on increasing team speed during the draft.