I find this Offensive.

aThe draft is months away. And in the fast-paced, up-and-down world of the National Football League there is no predicting what will happen between now and then. Trades, free agency, injuries and a plethora of off-the-field issues could change everything that the experts at ESPN foresee right now. But, in the media-driven sports world, the teams are already on the clock - some more than others - especially 3-8 teams whose last decent QB is now sitting in the pen.

Thanks to Mr. Vick, this draft is the most important draft for the Atlanta Falcons in years. But don't blame it all on Ron Mexico, there's plenty of blame to go around Flowery Branch these days. The team is in obvious shambles. And the buck doesn't stop with just under-prepared Bobby Petrino. Keep looking up the corporate ladder to Rich McKay and all the way to Arthur Blank himself.

The Falcons' are now roosting in the nest McKay built. And this one is about as weak as they come. There are better offensive lines in the FCS (NCAA, D-II, for those not keeping score) than in Flowery Branch. The veterans (and team "leaders") are ready to start a mutiny against in-over-his-head coach Bobby Petrino. And the team hasn't had a good, non-dog-fighting quarterback since, well, ever. (Chris "Chandelier" Chandler's 1998 season notwithstanding.)

To be fair to The Coach, Bobby Petrino hasn't had a fair shake at the NFL. His franchise player is in the slammer, he's had injury after injury plague his O-Line, and his team was built with a bunch of thugs by his GM, McKay, who hasn't been seen around Atlanta since sometime before the last failed draft.

But that's life as an NFL coach. You go with what you've got. And Petrino ain't got much.

Which brings me to what I find offensive (offensive, as in, terribly repulsive, kind of like how I feel by watching the Falcons offense). I cannot believe the all-but-certain conclusion going around that the Falcons must draft a franchise quarterback with their early first round pick.

ESPN's Todd McShay looks into his crystal ball and sees Brian Brohm leading the birds in 2008: "It almost makes too much sense. The Falcons, in desperate need of a franchise quarterback in the wake of the Michael Vick mess, use their first-round selection on a signal caller who head (sic) played for current Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville from 2004-06."

Hello! McFly! Are you actually employed by a major news media outlet? And because it's put out there by ESPN, everyone under the sun believes it must be true.

What has been the Falcons' biggest problem this year? Not the play of the quarterback - which has been terrible - but amazingly that QB slot has taken the glory away from the team's Offensive Line for being the worst starting unit in the NFL. These guys are terrible. It doesn't matter who Petrino lines up under center, the poor guy's gonna end up on the ground more than a fat man in a sack race. (I'm guessing D.J. Shockley's pretty pleased right about now to be sitting this one out.)

The Birds have three decent QB's - two with experience, one without - under contract for next year: Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich, and Shockley.

And they've got a terribly undersized and untalented offensive line in front of them.

What's the bigger need? Not another QB to get pounded, but a talented and BIG o-lineman who can anchor this front for years to come. The game is won in the trenches, and the Falcons need to use their first pick on the line if they are serious about improving.

Look, in recent memory we've seen Ryan Leaf get taken number two overall and be one of the biggest busts in history, and we've seen Tom Brady go in round six and turn into one of the biggest winners in history. Spending an early pick on a QB can be a crapshoot. Even if you get a "good" one, he may still end up going to prison for dogfighting before its said and done.

The Falcons need to draft an Offensive Lineman early. They won't do it because their PR is reeling and the team needs/wants a flashy pick to boost ticket sales. But if Rich McKay is serious about winning, he needs to get serious about his strategy. Draft some great O-Linemen, start Shockley next year, and put 2007 behind you as you begin to build for the future.