Falcons to struggle without Vick

But the players realize that he’s gone and probably never coming back.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are hurt and confused. They’re struggling to comprehend how the guy they knew as a star on the field and a friend in the locker room could have gotten himself into this much trouble.

At least the uncertainty is gone. The players who once lined up with Michael Vick know he’s gone — and probably never coming back.

“He’s not on the team,” running back Warrick Dunn said Tuesday. “That pretty much makes him an ex-teammate.”

The Falcons have no choice but to move on, though Vick’s decision Monday to plead guilty to federal dogfighting charges will have long-range ramifications.

Harrington to take over

Instead of having one of the NFL’s most dynamic players, Atlanta must turn over the quarterback position to former No. 3 overall pick Joey Harrington, a flop in both Detroit and Miami.

Down the road, there will be major salary cap issues to address as the Falcons deal with the leftovers of Vick’s $130 million contract.

Veterans such as Dunn, offensive tackle Wayne Gandy and linebacker Keith Brooking, all in their 30s and eager to play with a contender, suddenly find themselves on a team that everyone is picking to be one of the worst in the league.

“This is unprecedented,” Brooking said. “It’s never happened before. For us to sit here and try to reconcile that or put it all in perspective, it’s very confusing.”

The Falcons practiced for just under two hours Tuesday, trying to carry on as if it was business as usual.

Coach Bobby Petrino addressed the situation with his team, gauging their feelings and trying to get a handle on how they wanted to express it.

Some players wanted to talk with the media. Some didn’t.

“They’ve got me under a gag order,” said outspoken cornerback DeAngelo Hall, a teammate of Vick’s at both Virginia Tech and with the Falcons.

Petrino said any gag orders were self-imposed.

“I told them there would be a number of guys today that spoke with the media,” the first-year coach said. “Some guys didn’t feel like they wanted to. That’s fine. I have no problem with that.”

Started out with Vick

Tight end Alge Crumpler seemed most passionate about Vick’s predicament. They came into the league the same year and Crumpler quickly emerged as Vick’s favorite receiver. Now, it looks as though they’ll never hook up on other passing play again.

“Michael is a human being,” Crumpler said. “People have been trying to dehumanize him. But he’s hurting. I know that. Believe me, he’s hurting.”

Vick is only 27 and likely to miss some of his best years, but his young age leaves open the possibility that he’ll be able to resume his career, even if it’s with another team.

His one-time teammates hope he’ll learn from his egregious mistakes and come back a stronger, better person.

“Michael is loyal to a fault,” Crumpler said. “I think that really hurt him in this situation.”