Whether the Falcons chose to let him go, he chose to leave or it was a mutual decision, we don't know. What we do know is that Paul Boudreau is gone.

Boudreau is a highly-regarded coach who came aboard with the rest of the coaching staff in 2008. For the first three years, he put together pretty decent lines, culminating in a strong performance in 2010 that earned three linemen (Harvey Dahl, Justin Blalock and Tyson Clabo) big paydays. It was a big part of the reason the Falcons went 13-3.

Unfortunately, the line was a problem area in 2012. Sam Baker got hurt and fell out of favor with the coaching staff, while right guard wound up being a carousel. These injuries were not Boudreau's fault, but even when the line was healthy and firing on all cylinders, it struggled with both run blocking and pass protection for long stretches.

With Dirk Koetter coming in and a shakeup along the O-line possible, it's likely Boudreau would rather go someplace where he'll have a little less uncertainty. Given Arthur Blank's critical comments about the offensive line at the post-season press conference, he might have been nudged out the door a bit, too. Either way, I'd like to recognize Boudreau for his work with the line and especially for navigating a truly frustrating season in 2011.

The Falcons have a lot of hiring to do.