(Sports Network) - As co-founder and former CEO of Home Depot, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank knows a thing or two about remodeling jobs. That's a good thing, since his team is currently in need of a makeover even Ty Pennington and his crew wouldn't want to touch.

The year 2007 was an absolute nightmare for the Falcons organization, with the sordid saga of star quarterback Michael Vick's over-the-summer indictment and subsequent incarceration over federal dogfighting charges creating both on and off-the-field problems so severe that the team was never able to overcome them. The intensely proud Blank was later forced to endure another public indignity when hand-picked head coach Bobby Petrino abruptly walked away from the mess with three games still remaining in the regular season.

Atlanta's offseason player personnel moves wound up backfiring as well. A few months prior to the revelations of Vick's illegal activities, the club traded away his NFL-ready backup Matt Schaub to Houston, leaving the Falcons to parade a comical cavalcade of castoffs at the sport's most important position. Declining wideout Joe Horn, signed to add a veteran presence to a young receiving corps, proved to be so useless that the new braintrust wound up eating his guaranteed $2.5 million salary by releasing him during this year's training camp.

When the storm finally passed, the Falcons were left with a 4-12 record that was their worst since 2000, plus an image problem as great as the team's major talent deficiencies on both sides of the ball.

To its credit, Atlanta took a big step in helping to solve both crises with April's first-round draft selection of Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, who possesses the physical gifts to give the offense the capable triggerman it so desperately needs and the clean-cut persona Blank has been craving to market his sagging product.

So far, Ryan has been every bit as good as advertised. The rookie displayed both poise and precision during an impressive preseason, and stands a strong chance of being under center when the Falcons open their regular season against Detroit on September 7.

To help protect the team's new franchise face, first-year head coach Mike Smith is attempting to install a power running game that will feature free- agent signee Michael Turner, a physical 244-pound back who excelled in four seasons as LaDainian Tomlinson's understudy in San Diego. However, he'll be running behind a shaky offensive line that looks as if it's held together by duct tape purchased from one of Blank's old stores.

The hope is the ball-control game plan will also help keep a defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in nearly every statistical category last season off the field as much as possible.

Below we take a capsule look at the 2008 edition of the Atlanta Falcons, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

2007 RECORD: 4-12 (4th, NFC South)

LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2004, lost to Philadelphia, 27-10, in NFC Championship

COACH (RECORD): Mike Smith (first season with Falcons, first overall)

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Mike Mularkey

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Brian VanGorder

OFFENSIVE STAR: Matt Ryan, QB (1st Round, Boston College)

DEFENSIVE STAR: John Abraham, DE (32 tackles, 10 sacks)

OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 26th rushing, 18th passing, 28th scoring

DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 26th rushing, 23rd passing, 29th scoring

KEY ADDITIONS: QB Matt Ryan (1st Round, Boston College), RB Michael Turner (from Chargers), WR Harry Douglas (3rd Round, Louisville), TE Ben Hartsock (from Titans), C Alex Stepanovich (from Bengals), T Sam Baker (1st Round, USC), DE Simon Fraser (from Browns), DT Grady Jackson (from Jaguars), DT Kindal Moorehead (from Panthers), DT Rashad Moore (from Patriots), LB Curtis Lofton (2nd Round, Oklahoma), CB Chevis Jackson (3rd Round, LSU), S Erik Coleman (from Jets), S Thomas DeCoud (3rd Round, California), S Deke Cooper (from Panthers), DB Von Hutchins (from Texans), K Jason Elam (from Falcons)

KEY DEPARTURES: QB Byron Leftwich (to Steelers), RB Warrick Dunn (to Buccaneers), WR Joe Horn (released), TE Alge Crumpler (to Titans), TE Courtney Anderson (to Bills), TE Dwayne Blakley (to Titans), T Wayne Gandy (released), DT Rod Coleman (released), LB Demorrio Williams (to Chiefs), CB DeAngelo Hall (to Raiders), CB Lewis Sanders (to Patriots), S Chris Crocker (to Dolphins), S Omare Lowe (to Seahawks), S Jimmy Williams (released), K Morten Andersen (not tendered)

QB: Atlanta re-signed Chris Redman (1079 passing yards, 10 TD, 5 INT in '07), who acquitted himself well when inserted as the starting quarterback for the final four games of last year's disaster, with the idea of easing Ryan into the fold at a later point in the season. However, the rookie's quick grasp of the offense seems to have the new staff convinced that the future is now. If Ryan struggles or gets hurt, the Falcons do have experienced options in Redman and fellow journeyman Joey Harrington (2215 passing yards, 7 TD, 8 INT), a 10- game starter for the team in 2007 before he gave way to Redman. Harrington's no lock to make the roster, however, as the former Detroit Lions castoff is engaged in a preseason competition with ex-University of Georgia standout D.J. Shockley to stick as the No. 3 signal-caller.

RB: The Falcons considered Turner (316 rushing yards, 1 TD) their No. 1 priority in free agency and quickly landed the former Charger with a six-year, $34.5 million deal in March. Although he's never been a full-time starter, the powerful 26-year-old has a career average of 5.5 yards per attempt and has fumbled only twice in 228 lifetime totes. Turner should provide a pile-pushing presence that Atlanta sorely lacked during Warrick Dunn's tenure as the main ball carrier. The electrifying Jerious Norwood (613 rushing yards, 1 TD, 28 receptions) is back to serve as a speedy change of pace to Turner's thunder. The third-year pro has averaged better than six yards per rush during his brief NFL career. There's a camp battle brewing between sophomore Jason Snelling (43 rushing yards, 1 TD) and rookie Thomas Brown, Atlanta's sixth- round choice in April's draft, for the third running back job. Snelling is a bruiser in the Turner mold and can double as a fullback, while the smallish Brown has turned some heads with his receiving and return skills. The Falcons are pretty well set at fullback with capable returning starter Ovie Mughelli (6 receptions) and special teams captain Corey McIntyre.

WR/TE: One of the few bright spots of Atlanta's dismal 2007 season was the breakout year turned in by former first-round pick Roddy White (83 receptions, 6 TD). The fleet-footed wide receiver ranked third in the NFC with 1,202 receiving yards and consistently produced despite the team's quarterback shuffle. Michael Jenkins (53 receptions, 4 TD), another premier draft choice, posted career-best numbers as well last year and is an inviting red-zone target at 6-foot-4. The fifth-year pro has also drawn heavy praise from the new staff for his downfield blocking, which could give him an edge over talented youngster Laurent Robinson (37 receptions, 1 TD) in the fight to be White's partner. The Falcons no longer have the trusty Alge Crumpler, who signed with Tennessee over the winter, leaving a potential void at tight end. His replacement figures to be newcomer Ben Hartsock (12 receptions), an ex- Titan with strong blocking skills that should translate well to the club's emphasis on the run game. Atlanta also drafted Keith Zinger, a 270-pound blocking specialist from reigning national champion LSU, in the seventh round back in April. This year's draft also brought diminutive wideout Harry Douglas (3rd round), and the former Louisville star has a good chance of immediate playing time out of the slot. A feel-good story coming out of camp is that of 32-year-old Brian Finneran, a valuable possession target for the Falcons in 2005 who has missed the past two seasons due to two separate knee injuries. The 32-year-old has had a healthy and productive preseason and could give the young receivers the veteran mentor Horn never became. Adam Jennings was the team's primary punt returner a year ago, but the new additions have put him on the roster bubble. The top receiving tight end looks to be second-year man Martrez Milner (9 receptions), a Georgia product who had his rookie campaign cut short with an ankle injury.

OL: It wasn't that long ago when the Falcons annually led the NFL in rushing yards behind a zone-blocking scheme that featured smaller and quicker offensive lineman. However, the Petrino regime favored a more power-oriented approach which didn't suit the talents of regulars such as center Todd McClure and guard Kynan Forney, and the entire offense suffered as a result of the mismatched front line's drop in play. More changes are in store for this season, with only McClure, second-year left guard Justin Blalock and right tackle Todd Weiner, who's coming off major knee surgery, slated to return to their posts. The team traded up in the late first round to grab USC tackle Sam Baker, and the rookie is being prepared for a trial-by-fire crash course as Ryan's expected blindside protector on the left side. Forney, a starter at right guard since his debut season of 2001, has been running behind former 49ers practice-squad member Harvey Dahl in preseason and is a candidate to be cut. Versatile Tyson Clabo did a good job filling in for Weiner at right tackle last year and can also play guard. He and center Alex Stepanovich, a one-time starter in Arizona signed during the offseason, should be the top backups.

DL: Injuries ravaged the two tackle positions in 2007, with former Pro Bowl performer Rod Coleman playing in just five games before going down with a torn triceps and promising rookie Trey Lewis suffering a torn ACL that may sideline him for all of this season as well. Petrino also inexplicably released veteran run-stuffer Grady Jackson at midseason, another reason why the Falcons finished 26th in the league in rushing defense (127.1 ypg). The 350-pound-plus Jackson (29 tackles, 1 sack) was welcomed back by the new regime in July and is slated to start alongside the solid Jonathan Babineaux (44 tackles, 3 sacks), and the team added some experienced depth with the free-agent pickups of Kindal Moorehead (19 tackles, 2 sacks with Carolina), widebody Rashad Moore (from New England) and end/tackle tweener Simon Fraser (14 tackles with Cleveland). Coleman was not retained. Ironically, injury-prone end John Abraham (32 tackles, 4 forced fumbles) stayed healthy the entire year and amassed a team-best 10 sacks despite getting little help from 2007 first- rounder Jamaal Anderson (30 tackles), who started all 16 games as a rookie but went sackless. Fourth-year pro Chauncey Davis (30 tackles, 2 sacks) will again spell both starting ends, while 2007 Buck Buchanan Award winner Kroy Biermann, a fifth-round project out of Montana, is being groomed as a situational rusher.

LB: This area is in the best shape on the Atlanta defense, even though Smith plans to use untested rookie Curtis Lofton at the all-important middle linebacker spot. The second-round selection showed a real nose for the ball in preseason, however, and his addition could help shore up a run defense that was woeful last year. The Falcons are in very good shape at the other two positions, where strongside starter Michael Boley (109 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) is one of the league's most underrated playmakers and 11th-year veteran Keith Brooking (110 tackles, 2 sacks) remains an above-average player and invaluable team leader. Brooking has been to five Pro Bowls during his career, while Boley made a strong case for a nod last season. Stephen Nicholas (33 tackles, 1 INT) showed well in part-time duty as a rookie last year and is considered Brooking's heir apparent on the weakside, with key special teamer Tony Taylor (12 teams) running as Lofton's primary backup in the middle. Rounding out the linebacker corps is ex-Bill Coy Wire, signed over the summer to help bolster the coverage units.

DB: While the Falcons appear to be sound at linebacker and improved along the front four, the cornerback positions are a major concern heading into the season. Mouthy me-first cover man DeAngelo Hall was banished to Oakland in an offseason trade that netted a second-round pick used to land Baker, ridding Atlanta of a potential headache but also its best corner. The club signed former Texan Von Hutchins in March to add a seasoned nickel back, but he suffered a season-ending Lisfranc sprain early in camp. Hall's replacement right now is the unknown Brent Grimes (12 tackles), an athletic undrafted free agent who languished most of last year on the practice squad. Right corner Chris Houston (58 tackles) won a starting job as a rookie last season, but was picked on early and often. The Falcons did draft LSU's Chevis Jackson in the third round of April's draft, and the 22-year-old should see a lot of time in the wake of Hutchins' injury. Another rookie third-round pick, Cal's Thomas DeCoud, is pushing free-agent acquisition Erik Coleman (51 tackles with the Jets) for the right to start at free safety. The team is still in good hands at strong safety, where four-time Pro Bowl honoree Lawyer Milloy (91 tackles, 2 sacks) continues to be a force against the run even though he'll be 35 in November. He'll be backed up by fellow vet Deke Cooper (59 tackles, 3 INT), a starter in Carolina last year, with returnee David Irons (13 tackles) and ex- Bengal Blue Adams (15 tackles, 1 sack) expected to contribute on special teams as reserve cornerbacks.

SPECIAL TEAMS: After bidding adieu to 47-year-old kicker Morten Andersen in the offseason, the Falcons replaced him with another graybeard in 15th-year veteran Jason Elam, who turned 38 in March. The longtime Denver Bronco's leg strength is in decline but he's still accurate, having made 90 percent (54- of-60) of his field goal tries over the past two years. Punter Michael Koenen (43.5 avg.) had his best year in 2007, dropping a healthy 30 kicks inside the opponent's 20-yard line. The dangerous Norwood ranked among the NFC leaders with a 25.3 yards per return average on kickoffs, but Jennings (6.2 avg.) struggled taking back punts, although he looked good handling those chores in the preseason. If he doesn't make the roster, the rookie Douglas could be in line for those duties. The long snapper will be Mike Schneck, who made the Pro Bowl with the Bills in 2006 and has nine years of experience.

PROGNOSIS: Progress, not playoffs, will be the theme for Atlanta in year one of the Smith era. Patience must also be used in describing the 2008 Falcons, because this team has a long road ahead in its quest to undo all the damage caused by the misfortune and mismanagement that led to the organization's ruin. This season won't be graded in wins and losses, but in the strides Ryan and the rest of the young players are able to make over the course of the 16- game schedule. With an offensive line and secondary that may be the worst in the NFL, it's foolish to think the Falcons can be what their NFC South brethren, the New Orleans Saints, were two years ago -- a snake-bitten team that made a quantum leap from the previous season after overhauling the roster and changing the culture of the franchise. Five wins, one more than the 2007's edition's total, seems like a reasonable goal. Anything above that number has to be considered a major success.