Falcons quarterback Dominique Davis, after serving as the No. 3 quarterback and not playing a down last season, wants to secure the No. 2 quarterback spot.
The position is open because the Falcons elected not to re-sign Luke McCown, who signed with the New Orleans Saints in free agency.
“I’m just trying to be sharp in the meeting room and apply it out here on the field,” Davis said. “I’m trying to show these coaches that I’m out here working hard, trying to learn and trying to secure this No. 2 spot.”
Davis dazzled at times during the 2012 exhibition season as he completed 33 of 56 passes (58.9 percent) for 402 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions and compiled a quarterback rating of 76.6.
He feels more in control this offseason.
“It’s a lot slower,” Davis said. “Just as far as calling the play in the huddle, the cadence and just sounding more confident in the huddle.”
The former star at East Carolina, who passed for more than 7,100 yards in two seasons, was undrafted after not being invited to the NFL scouting combine.
He paid a registration fee to participate in a regional combine with 500 players at Flowery Branch. He moved on to the super-regional combine in Detroit.
Davis has backed Matt Ryan before. He started his career at Boston College and was a redshirt freshman during Ryan’s senior season.
In 2008, he helped lead the Eagles to the ACC Championship game. He later transferred transferred to Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College.
He led Fort Scott to an 11-0 record and a showdown with Cam Newton and Blinn (Texas) College for the national junior college championship. Newton’s squad edged Davis and Fort Scott 31-26 when they returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown with 15.4 seconds left in the game.
After junior college, he signed with East Carolina and became the first quarterback at the school to complete more than 700 passes for 7,000 yards or more as he had 727 completions in 1,103 attempts for 7,192 yards.
Ryan on contract: Ryan said his contract situation was not a distraction and again stated his desire to remain with the Falcons.
“All I need to worry about is taking care of my business on the field,” Ryan said. “I have to do everything that I can to be the best player that I can be. I’ve always had the opinion that if you do that, the rest of the stuff falls in place. I’ll kind of leave that with people experienced in dealing with that, my agents and with our front office.
“I have got a lot of confidence in both sides that we’re going to get this done and hopefully I’ll be here for a long time.”
Deep at wide receiver: Wide receiver Drew Davis, who signed in 2011 as an undrafted player, has carved out a niche on the roster.
“He had his first touchdown catch against Philadelphia last year, so he’s gotten a taste of what it means to score a touchdown as a wideout,” coach Mike Smith said. “He’s gotten better. The thing he has improved immensely on is his contribution on special teams.”
Davis, fighting to be the top receiver behind Roddy White, Julio Jones and Harry Douglas, must continue to play well on special teams.
Etc.: Cornerback Asante Samuel went down late in practice, and the trainers took a look at his right ankle. He was walking just fine after practice. … The Falcons will hold their Friday Nights Light scrimmage in training camp at Gainesville High this year. The date has not been announced.
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