With their head-coaching search picking up steam, the Atlanta Falcons are making significant changes upstairs.

The team on Wednesday announced a front-office restructuring that hands more responsibility to assistant general manager Scott Pioli -- and essentially pulls some away from longtime Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff.

Pioli will run Atlanta's pro and college scouting departments while also taking over the team's draft process. He will report to Dimitroff -- his close friend -- who will oversee the salary cap. It's a move that gives Pioli more power over picking players while mirroring the structure of, among other teams, the Chiefs. Pioli came to Atlanta after a serving as Kansas City's general manager from 2009 to 2012.

Both Dimitroff and the new coach will report to owner Arthur Blank, who said in a statement: "While this decision was not tied to the head coach search currently underway, we also believe that independent thinking and collaboration will contribute to taking us to the next level in our league."

Dimitroff is a two-time NFL Executive of the Year, but his recent maneuverings haven't paid dividends. A shrinking of his responsibilities comes as little surprise after Blank refused to provide assurances about the GM's future following a 10-22 record over the past two seasons.

Dimitroff has kept his job, but the leash has been yanked tight. This could get interesting.