Atlanta’s first apply of AT&T Training Camp is within the books. Here’s what we realized on a busy Day 1.
Will McFadden
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. The Atlanta Falcons kicked off AT&T Training Campwith a little bit of quarterback news.
Included in that news was the announcement that third-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr.has not but been clearedby his medical staff to apply totally after present process surgical procedure to restore {a partially} torn ACL final season. He can take part in particular person drills and do 7-on-7 work, however something in full-team intervals or that entails contact remains to be off the desk for Penix. That is nothing totally different from what he did in OTAs and minicamp, although, and Penix was energetic and throwing for a lot of Wednesday’s apply.
Speaking with the media afterwards, Penix expressed some disappointment at not being totally cleared to begin coaching camp however mentioned he understands the significance of training endurance together with his physique and the restoration course of.
“I saw my doctor, and he let me know,” Penix mentioned. “We just want to err on the safer side to make sure I am where I need to be, physically and mentally, before I go out there and take my next steps. …It’s tough (not being out there fully), but at the same time I feel like your health is the most important. For me, I want to take that seriously. I have a long injury history, and the last thing I want to do is rush back just to get on the field. I want to make sure my body is healthy. That way, when I do get on the field, I can give this team 100%.”
Penix’s rehab is happening amidst the backdrop of a quarterback competitors in Atlanta. The Falcons signed veteran Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, however he isalso lacking the beginning of coaching campdue to a minor damage, with Stefanski saying he’d be again on the sphere “sooner than later.” Without both quarterback capable of take part within the full-team intervals on Wednesday, undrafted rookie Jack Strand was the first passer withfreshly signed veteran Cooper Rushspelling him when wanted.
There wasn’t a lot full-team work on Wednesday, nevertheless, which meant that Penix has loads of alternatives to throw the ball. Until Tagovailoa can rejoin the motion, these are helpful reps for Penix as he continues to construct chemistry with new receivers Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus and be taught the ins and outs of Rees’s offense. When he isn’t within the huddle, Penix says he is utilizing each likelihood to get a psychological rep. He does this by standing behind the quarterback who’s on the sphere and dissecting the protection from that vantage level, going by means of the play name in his thoughts and what he’d do in that scenario.
“Yeah, I haven’t gotten the sense really from Mike at any point that the injury was affecting his preparation,” Stefanski mentioned forward of apply. “He’s rehabbing an injury, but the way he attacks his day-to-day, from meetings to what we do again on the grass, he’s a consummate pro. Very intelligent, has been in different systems, so he can talk through the nuances of certain schemes that he’s been exposed to, if you will. But very intelligent player.”
Penix mentioned he’d meet once more together with his medical staff earlier than the season begins however that he is been feeling good all through all the work he is achieved to this point. In his most up-to-date check-in together with his physician, Penix mentioned he was informed one other 4 weeks presumably sooner earlier than he’d be able to progress to the following stage, relying on how his physique responds to his work in coaching camp. Until then, Penix’s focus will stay the place it has been this offseason.
“I can’t even think about the season until I am recovered,” he mentioned. “I can’t be on the field unless I am 100% healthy, so I have to make sure I take the rehab process seriously.”
Notes and observations from apply:
Wednesday’s apply was a reasonably fast one which featured quite a lot of position-specific work throughout particular person intervals and some massive performs in the course of the offense-vs-defense drills. Here’s what I noticed.
Getting tight ends concerned:There have been questions on what Atlanta’s new offense beneath coordinator Tommy Rees and head coach Kevin Stefanski would appear like, and we bought our first glimpse of that early in Wednesday’s session. After spending time on particular person work, the offense gathered on one apply area whereas the protection gathered on the opposite to undergo performs as a unit. The first three performs Atlanta’s offense ran in opposition to air all got here out of 13 personnel, which options three tight ends. Heavy personnel groupings have been an indicator of Stefanski’s time calling performs, and the Browns deployed two tight ends on the highest price within the league final yr with Rees operating the offense. With Kyle Pitts, Austin Hooper and Charlie Woerner on the roster, the Falcons are well-equipped to have a number of tight ends on the sphere directly.
Play-action passes:During that very same interval, there have been a number of performs the place the quarterback ran a play-action faux from beneath middle. Fans who’ve been clamoring for extra under-center, play-action passes ought to like what they see from this offense.
Jerrell operating at proper deal with:Michael Jerrell labored with the first-team offensive line at proper deal with on Wednesday. He labored with the starters throughout OTAs and minicamp whereas free-agent signee Jawaan Taylor works by means of an damage. Taylorwas positioned on the energetic/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) recordWednesday morning, leaving Jerrell, Jack Nelson and rookie Ethan Onianwa to play the place in his absence.
“Doing well,” Stefanski mentioned of Jerrell Wednesday. “I got to see him work a little bit yesterday. He’s doing well, getting better. Different guys come in at different stages of their rehab. So, there’s some roster things that you have to do in camp with the PUP and those types of things. But, I feel confident in all those guys that they’re all really progressing well.”
Aside from Jerrell, the beginning offensive line group consisted of the standard gamers: Jake Matthews at left deal with, Matthew Bergeron at left guard, Ryan Neuzil at middle and Chris Lindstrom at proper guard.
New faces on protection:Christian Harris continues to get the primary reps subsequent to Divine Deablo at inside linebacker, and he had move breakup in opposition to Pitts in the course of the full-team session on the finish of apply. Other newcomers who’re getting run with the same old starters are security Sydney Brown, who performed a little bit of nickel within the 11-on-11 interval, and Samson Ebukam and Da’Shawn Hand, who have been an enormous a part of the line of defense rotation.
Rushed into motion:In the wake of their quarterback news Wednesday, the Falcons signed veteran Cooper Rush simply earlier than the beginning of apply. It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours for Rush, who’s now studying a brand new playbook and introducing himself to a constructing full of recent faces. He did not obtain a ton of snaps within the first apply, however that can seemingly change as camp continues this week.
Top performs from offense vs. protection intervals
- Brian Robinson Jr. ran an awesome wheel route out of the backfield and caught a deep move from Penix in opposition to Edge defender Jalon Walker. The protection from Walker was tight, however it was an awesome throw and alternative for Robinson to indicate off his receiving expertise.
- Speaking of big-time throws, the perfect move of the day got here from Penix simply a few performs later. Rookie receiver Zachariah Branch lined up throughout from A.J. Terrell and used his 4.35 velocity to get behind him on a vertical route. Penix laid the ball over his exterior shoulder and allowed Branch to remain a step forward of Terrell and the security to haul it in for a landing.
- Cornerback C.J. Henderson had move breakup in opposition to Chris Blair to finish the 7-on-7 session in apply, and he almost got here down with an enormous interception on a move from rookie Jack Strand meant for receiver Dylan Drummond. While he high-pointed the ball properly and bought his arms on it, Henderson could not preserve management of the ball all the way in which to the bottom.
- Kendal Daniels was again out on the sphere Wednesday after lacking OTAs and minicamp with an damage. The rookie subbed in at linebacker after the starters and was largely paired with fellow first-year defender Harold Perkins Jr., who has been getting quite a lot of motion at inside linebacker as properly.
- Charlie Woerner was pretty energetic as a checkdown choice, which felt notable for a participant with 15 catches in his two seasons with the Falcons. It could possibly be an indication of simply how concerned the tight ends shall be on this offense.
- Defensive deal with Devonnsha Maxwell, who has performed within the UFL the final two seasons, earned what seemingly would have been a sack on Sunday with an awesome rep that illustrated the form of get-off line of defense coach Nate Ollie calls for.
- Practice ended with a leaping, downfield move breakup by cornerback Cobee Bryant on the left sideline.
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