FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- When Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith were hired, they had an understanding of what they inherited: A roster with multiple bloated contracts and a salary-cap situation not far from the worst in the league.
Fixing it would take time and patience in a sport where playing careers are short and a willingness to see things through doesn't always occur.
They understood the surface issues and some of the critical, if not difficult, moves to come. Like with any job, the more you are there, the more you learn.