Jarrett Bell

USA TODAY Sports

Thomas Dimitroff, the Atlanta Falcons' cutting-edge general manager, described the effect that last season's inglorious plummet has had on his mind-set as he heads into the NFL draft with the sixth overall pick.

He seemed ticked off.

"It's a sense of agitation," Dimitroff told USA TODAY Sports. "Healthy agitation."

Add that component to a mix that makes the Falcons — armed with 10 picks — one of the most compelling teams to watch when the draft opens Thursday.

Will the Falcons swing a blockbuster trade to move up to draft Jadeveon Clowney?

Dimitroff would not delve into specifics, but he reiterated Saturday that he's open for business. To get Clowney, the defensive end widely considered the best player available, Atlanta might have to acquire the No. 1 overall pick from the Houston Texans.

It's no secret an aggressive Dimitroff would pull the trigger. In 2011, the Falcons moved up 20slots in the first round to snag star wide receiver Julio Jones.

Now they need a spark-plug rush end such as Clowney in the worst way.

"Obviously, this draft is critical for us," Dimitroff said.

It has been roughly 16 months since the Falcons blew a golden opportunity to advance to the Super Bowl, blowing a 17-point lead at home in the NFC title game and seeing the potential game-winning drive stall in the final seconds at the San Francisco 49ers 10-yard line. The franchise is still trying to recover.

Rather than take the next step in 2013, the Falcons had an injury-riddled 4-12 season, prompting an internal shakedown that included replacing the offensive and defensive line coaches.

Seeking to shed a reputation for being a finesse team, the Falcons also have pledged to become more physical.

"We've taken serious inventory of where we are," Dimitroff said. "We've looked at everything from the ground up."

Dimitroff hardly fits the profile of a man who lives in the past.

Perhaps more than any other NFL executive, he is wrapped in a spirit of innovation. The team's use of Force Plate technology, which measures explosion and movement of draft prospects, is another example of how it has embraced advanced analytics. Dimitroff is a forward thinker.

He and coach Mike Smith produced five consecutive winning seasons after arriving in 2008 ... but so many moves backfired last season. They signed an aging running back, Steven Jackson, who got hurt. They practically begged tight end Tony Gonzalez to come back. And Dimitroff blames himself for not fortifying the offensive line well enough to protect franchise quarterback Matt Ryan.

If you think Falcons owner Arthur Blank was steamed that no teammates came to Ryan's defense after he took a questionable hit from New Orleans Saints rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro in the season opener, as was recently revealed, imagine the boss' vibe when considering the big picture.

"Arthur's expressions have been lucid, to say the least," Dimitroff said. "He is highly competitive and driven."

In the midst of last season's free fall, Blank got way ahead of the curve to squash speculation that his chief football architects were on the hot seat. While lamenting the team's injuries, he told USA TODAY Sports in October that Smith's job was safe.

But an aberration is one thing. Regression is another matter.

"That just won't fly here," Dimitroff said.

Another uninspiring season could increase pressure on Blank to make significant changes.

"Our goal is to rectify this with a vengeance," Dimitroff said.

Dimitroff bolstered the front office with two former GMs — his longtime friend and former boss, Scott Pioli, and Billy Devaney. Smith's staff, meanwhile, has new assistants who embody the toughness theme in offensive line coach Mike Tice and defensive line coach Bryan Cox.

The Falcons have made impressive free agency moves, consistent with the theme to be more rugged, adding nose tackle Paul Soliai, defensive end Tyson Jackson and guard Jon Asamoah. And Devin Hester adds an instant threat to the return game.

But they are on the clock to add more in this week's draft.

At the end of last season, the Falcons' percentage of draft picks still with the team since Dimitroff's first draft (65.2%) was tops in the NFL, and 82.6% of Falcons draftees since 2008 were still in the league, ranked fourth.

Yet they need more hits this week if they are to rebound and finally get over the hump.