"In his first season as general manager, Thomas Dimitroff signed two worthy players to contract extensions to keep them off the free-agent market.

In November 2008, defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux and wide receiver Michael Jenkins received those extensions.

Things were different the next two years. There weren't any key members with contracts that were about to expire in 2009, and the team was plotting how to acquire tight end Tony Gonzalez from Kansas City. Because of the NFL's labor situation, the Falcons did not offer any contract extensions last season."