As we all wait anxiously to see what tight end Tony Gonzalez decides to do, whether it be return for another year or hang up the cleats, the Falcons have to push forward, and that starts this week.

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff this week and discussed the Falcons’ desire for Gonzalez to return as well as the need to scout tight ends at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, which begins this week.

Dimitroff told Ledbetter that the sooner the Falcons know what Gonzalez’s plans are, the better, but there’s no timetable set for his decision on Gonzalez’s side or the Falcons’.

Said Dimitroff:

“He’s still a very adept and athletic tight end in our minds and can continue to help us win a lot of games. But again, it’s ultimately up to Tony to make that decision for himself and his family.”

There are plenty of tight ends available in this year’s NFL Draft — a class thought to be very deep at the position Gonzalez revolutionized.