Falcons linebacker Brooks Reed, who has been out with a groin injury since Aug. 3, said he is close to returning to practice.
“I’m trying to get back here as quick as I can and just do my job,” Reed said on Thursday. “I don’t have much time left with rehabbing. I’ve had to do it before so I know what I’m doing. It should be pretty soon that I should be back.”
After the Friday Night Lights event, Falcons coach Dan Quinn thought Reed would return before the team’s first exhibition game against Tennessee at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Georgia Dome.
Reed, who struggled with a groin injury over the offseason, played four seasons with the Houston Texans. He was signed to a five-year, $22 million contract, with $9 million guaranteed by the Falcons in free agency.
Reed is a key piece to the defense, which is hoping to rebound from being ranked last in the league in 2014.
Reed has attended each practice. He works out with the trainers and watches the rest of the practice.
“That’s definitely the hardest thing,” Reed said. “It’s really tough. You want to come in here and impress, be 100 percent on the field and show everyone why you were picked to come here.
“Right now, it’s been an up-and-down process for me. I’m going to get better, but I just have to be patient a little bit with it. Give it time to heal and very shortly, it should be good and I’ll be ready to rock and roll.”
The injury was originally announced as a hip strain, but Reed said it’s a groin injury. He also said it’s unrelated to the groin injury he suffered over the offseason.
The Falcons already have a plan for Reed’s return.
“They’ll ease me back in,” Reed said. “I’m just getting a lot of mental reps out here while I’m down for right now. I’m making sure that I’m on the right page with all of the coaches, so when I get back out there, I’m competing at the same level as when I left.”
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