The Atlanta Falcons headed into the new year with a few key objectives. One was shoring up the left side of their offensive line, with tackle Sam Baker set to hit free agency. They've done just that by re-signing Baker to a deal, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports.
According to La Canfora it's a six-year deal for the tackle.
Baker, who was drafted in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft along with quarterback Matt Ryan, had an impressive 2012 after an up-and-down first few years in the league.
Bringing Baker back is step two in keeping continuity for a team that was incredibly close to making the Super Bowl under Mike Smith. Step one was convincing Tony Gonzalez to come back, something the Falcons did earlier in the day.
Step three was almost bringing back Brent Grimes, though there appears to have been a false start on that front.
Step four involves getting some sort of pass rush, so Atlanta still has plenty of work to do in free agency. But they've also got a very good core already in place and are just a few moves away from being a title contender again in 2013.
