ATLANTA -- In the tug-of-war between the Atlanta Falcons and T.J. Duckett, the momentum swung dramatically toward the team's first-round choice Monday afternoon, when a physician retained by the club determined the tailback's injuries to be consistent with the minor scrapes his family contended he sustained in a recent attack.

In his report to the team, Dr. Herbert Ross noted that Duckett, the 18th player selected overall and one of nine first-round picks who remain unsigned, had just a small, healing laceration on his lower lip. Ross reported, ESPN.com has learned, that he discerned no physical, neurological or muscular impairment during a Monday examination.

With the uncertainty of the injuries no longer an issue, but with members of the Duckett family now reportedly upset because they feel their integrity was publicly challenged, it will be interesting to see how or when the stalled negotiations proceed.

First-year owner Arthur Blank has made tremendous strides since purchasing the team, and done most things right, but the continuing impasse with Duckett is the first stumbling block for the new regime. Given the franchise's strong hints that Duckett may have been attempting to camouflage more extensive injuries, and Ross' determination that was not the case, the affair could resulted in a prolonged contract battle with personal overtones.

Fearing that Duckett may have been more severely injured than he or his agent were admitting when the tailback was attacked by three men as he left a concert last Tuesday, the Falcons broke off contract negotiations early Monday morning. The stance of club officials was that they would not resume discussions until they determined for themselves the extent of the injuries.

Vice president Ray Anderson confirmed early in the day that the Falcons sent national scout Mike Hagen to East Lansing, Mich., to assist in ascertaining the severity of Duckett's injuries. The team retained Ross, from the Lansing area, to examine Duckett.

By agreeing to permit the examination, Duckett and agent Joel Segal essentially called the team's bluff, and won.

Family members and agent Segal have contended that Duckett suffered a chipped tooth and a small laceration on his lip that required two stitches. Duckett's brother, Tico, on Monday morning reiterated the injuries were insignificant. "He's basically got a fat lip and that's it," Tico Duckett told ESPN.com.

But Kenya Smith, a cousin of Duckett, told Associated Press that the former Michigan State star was "basically kind of fighting for his life" during the attack. Smith did not, however, describe Duckett's injuries and on Monday clarified that he meant his cousin was "fighting hard, trying to avoid injury, not clinging to life in some hospital bed."

That report prompted the Falcons to apprise Segal early Monday morning that talks would cease until the club determined Duckett was not damaged goods. And it allowed Anderson to strongly suggest the ongoing impasse in negotiations is in part motivated by the injuries that Duckett sustained and that the player was simply buying time until he recovered from his injuries.

"We know now why there has been no sense of urgency (to negotiations)," Anderson said Monday afternoon. "We suspected all along, at least knee jerk-wise, that there was more to this, and now that appears to be the case.

"In light of the new reports, we need to see for ourselves what kind of injuries T.J. has. We have to know, since we're going to make a significant investment in the player, his current shape. Our sense is that he is out of camp because he is physically unable to perform right now."

But now that Duckett's injuries are as advertised, minor facial lacerations, the impasse at the bargaining table is more about cash than contusions. Atlanta made its initial contract proposal on July 8 and, despite published reports to the contrary, Segal has responded with a counter-proposal, albeit it not until late last week.

The major stumbling block is the upfront money involved in the deal. The Falcons had offered a single signing bonus of $3.2 million, with no "second-level" option as most of the first-round choices have received. Segal has counted with a proposal that calls for a combined signing and option bonus in excess of $5 million.

Anderson said the Falcons have subsequently offered a deal that, between the signing bonus and second-level option bonus, guarantees $4.4 million.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.