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FLOWERY BRANCH -- The countdown rolls on!
The rookies report Tuesday and the veterans -- minus one key future Hall of Famer in Tony Gonzalez -- report Thursday. The first practice is set for Friday.
We started our countdown 10 days out.
Countdown to camp: Day 10 – The new coaches
Countdown to camp: Day 9 – Special teams
Countdown to camp: Day 8 – Defensive backs
Countdown to camp: Day 7 -- Linebackers
Countdown to camp: Day 6 -- Defensive line
Today, we’ll look at the tight end group.
Here’s our projected depth chart for the tight end group.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
TE 80 Levine Toilolo, 86 Bear Pascoe, 82 Mickey Shuler, 81 Jacob Pedersen, 49 Brian Wozniak
If you want to see tight end Tony Gonzalez this year, you can find him on CBS.
After five stellar seasons with the Falcons he retired. He played the 12 previous seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Falcons are going to take the committee approach to replacing his productivity.
In the two seasons with Dirk Koetter as the offensive coordinator, Gonzalez caught 93 passes for 930 yards and eight touchdowns in 2012 and 83 passes for 859 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Gonzalez averaged 81.8 catches over five seasons with the team. Of his 409 catches, 267 went for first downs, or 65.2 percent. He played a major role in helping the offense move the chains.
The Falcons signed Bear Pascoe in free agency, and Levine Toilolo returns for his second season. Also, Mickey Shuler, Jacob Pedersen and Brian Wozniak are tight ends on the roster.
“It will be spread through the tight ends and then throughout the wide receivers,” Koetter said. “There will be some more runs in there and then more (passes) to the running backs. But it will be a combination of all of the rest of the guys. We just won’t target the true tight end as much as we have in the past.”
The 6-foot-8 Toilolo is considered a redzone option. He played in all 16 games last season and had 11 catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns.
Pascoe, 28, played five seasons with the New York Giants. He’s started 31 NFL games and played in 66. He has 38 career catches.
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OFFENSE
WR11 Julio Jones, 13 Darius Johnson, 14 Courtney Roby, 18 Freddie Martino, 89 Bernard Reedy,
LT 72 Sam Baker, 76 Lamar Holmes, 74 Terren Jones
LG 63 Justin Blalock, 68 Gabe Carimi, 67 Adam Replogle
C 61 Joe Hawley, 66 Peter Konz, 62 James Stone
RG 75 Jon Asamoah, 69 Harland Gunn
RT 70 Jake Matthews, 79 Mike Johnson 73 Ryan Schrader
TE 80 Levine Toilolo, 86 Bear Pascoe, 82 Mickey Shuler, 81 Jacob Pedersen, 49 Brian Wozniak
WR 84 Roddy White, 83 Harry Douglas, 15 Geraldo Boldewijn, 16 Julian Jones, 87 Tramaine Thompson
QB 2 Matt Ryan, 8 T.J. Yates, 12 Sean Renfree, 9 Jeff Mathews
RB 39 Steven Jackson, 32 Jacquizz Rodgers, 35 Antone Smith, 33 Devonta Freeman, 30 Josh Vaughan, 34 Jerome Smith
FB 42 Patrick DiMarco, 45 Maurice Hagens, 43 Roosevelt Nix
4-3 DEFENSE (with an extra line for the nickel back)
RE 95 Jonathan Babineaux, 50 Osi Umenyiora, 96 Jonathan Massaquoi, 90 Stansly Maponga
DT 99 Tyson Jackson, 91 Corey Peters, 92 Travian Robertson
DT 96 Paul Soliai, 97 Peria Jerry, 98 Cliff Matthews, 65 Donte Rumph
LE 77 Ra’Shede Hageman, 98 Malliciah Goodman, 49 Tyler Starr, 64 Nosa Equae
OLB 71 Kroy Biermann, 48 Brenden Daley, 45 Jacques Smith
MLB 55 Paul Worrilow, 52 Tim Dobbins, 54 Yawin Smallwood
OLB 59 Joplo Bartu, 53 Prince Shembo, 51 Marquis Spruill, 46 Walker May,
RCB 21 Desmond Trufant, 28 Javier Arenas, 37 Ricardo Allen,
NB 26 Josh Wilson, 27 Robert McClain, 28 Javier Arenas, 41 Dezmen Southward
LCB 23 Robert Alford, 24 Jordan Mabin, 43 Devonta Glover-Wright
SS 25 William Moore, 36 Kemal Ishmael, 40 Kimario McFadden, 22 Zeke Motta
FS 20 Dwight Lowery, 41 Dezmen Southward, 29 Sean Baker
SPECIALISTS
K 3 Matt Bryant, 6 Sergio Castillo
KO 5 Matt Bosher
P 5 Matt Bosher
KR 17 Devin Hester, 28 Javier Arenas, 14 Courtney Roby
PR 17 Devin Hester, 27 Robert McClain, 28 Javier Arenas
LS 47 Josh Harris
H 5 Matt Bosher
Date Practice Times (public availability)
Tuesday, July 22 Rookies report
Thursday, July 24 Veterans report
Friday, July 25 Practice 3:30 – 5:50 p.m. (open to the public)
Saturday, July 26 Practice 3:30 – 5:50 p.m. (open to the public)
Sunday, July 27 Practice 3:30 – 6:05 p.m. (open to the public)
Monday, July 28 Practice 3:30 – 6:05 p.m. (open to the public)
Tuesday, July 29 Practice 3:30 – 6:05 p.m. (open to the public)
Wednesday, July 30 Players’ Day Off (No Media Availability)
Thursday, July 31 Practice 3:30 – 6:05 p.m. (open to the public)
Friday, August 1 “Friday Night Lights” at Archer High School (Lawrenceville)
6:45 – 9:10 p.m. (open to the public)
Saturday, August 2 Practice 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. (open to the public)
Sunday, August 3 Practice 3:30 – 6:05 p.m. (open to the public)
Monday, August 4 Combined Practice w/Tennessee 3-5:30 p.m. (open to the public)
Tuesday, August 5 Players’ Day Off (No Media Availability)
Wednesday, August 6 Practice 3:30 – 6:05 p.m. (open to the public)
Thursday, August 7 Pregame Walkthrough (No Media Availability)
Friday, August 8 Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins
Georgia Dome
7:00 p.m. ET – CW69
Saturday, August 9 Practice 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. (open to the public)
Sunday, August 10 Players’ Day Off (No Media Availability)
Monday, August 11 Practice 3:30 – 5:50 p.m. (open to the public)
Tuesday, August 12 Practice 10:00 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. (open to the public)
Wednesday, August 13 Combined Practice w/ Houston Texans (Houston, TX)
Thursday, August 14 Combined Practice w/ Houston Texans (Houston, TX)
Friday, August 15 Pregame Walkthrough (No Media Availability)
Saturday, August 16 Falcons at Houston Texans
NRG Stadium
8:00 p.m. ET – CW69
Sunday, August 17 Players’ Day Off (No Media Availability)
Monday, August 18 Practice 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (closed to the public)
Break Camp
Q&A with Falcons QB T.J. Yates
Falcons to practice with Titans, Texans in training camp
Falcons coach Mike Smith will try to rebound from first losing season on Hard Knocks
Sam Baker is back to help line re-establish its identity
Falcons WR Roddy White: 'Hard for me to deal with' death of a brother
How much the Falcons rookies will be paid
Rookies getting advice on NFL life
Open competition in training camp will be good for Undrafted Rookies
Sean Weatherspoon suffers season-ending Achilles injury
What's next for Sean Weaatherspoon?
What's next for the Falcons at linebacker?
Falcons minicamp is open to the public
VIDEO CORNER
Sean Weatherspoon to miss 2014 season
Matt Ryan on Harry Douglas' contribution to the offense
Falcons defensive line coach Bryan Cox
Falcons tight end Levine Toilolo
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