By Dan Parr
Sept. 4, 2008

Updated at 5 p.m. EST on Sept. 5

WLB Keith Brooking has been through some tough times recently in Atlanta, but he isn't eyeing a jump to another team once he becomes a free agent after this season. “I would love nothing more than to finish my career with the Falcons,” Brooking told PFW. …  “We have a great working environment that’s been developed in a short period of time here.” The 11th-year veteran is enthused about the team’s direction under head coach Mike Smith and a move from middle linebacker back to his natural position on the weak side, where he’s more comfortable.

“I’m a run-and-hit linebacker, I’m not a stuff and shed (linebacker),” Brooking said. … “In this scheme, I think I have the ability to be in space more and utilize my speed and take advantage of that.”

Brooking likes the style of defense implemented by Smith, who served as a defensive coordinator in Jacksonville before landing with the Falcons, and he thinks it could benefit the 10 other starters, as well.

“I think it’s a friendly defense for everybody, all 11 guys,” Brooking said. “It allows us to line up and play and play fast and get to the football, and when you get to the football, you get there with bad intentions.”

Brooking was replaced in the middle by rookie Curtis Lofton, a second-round pick out of Oklahoma, but the 32-year-old won’t get a lighter workload this season. He’ll be a three-down player, remaining on the field in nickel situations, and he gets the added responsibility of wearing the audio communication device in his helmet so he can receive play calls from the coaching staff, which the NFL is allowing defensive players to use for the first time.

Early in the offseason, there was some speculation that Brooking would be part of the team’s roster purge. There were rumors that he would be released so the Falcons could avoid taking his $7.7 million cap hit. The front office decided to keep the trusted veteran around and he, SS Lawyer Milloy and DE John Abraham are the leaders on defense.

GM Thomas Dimitroff doesn’t discuss contracts with the media and declined to specifically address Brooking’s future with the team, but he said there are some “quality” players entering their contract year that he and Smith will be assessing throughout the season.