FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons defensive end Ray Edwards, who’s recovering from a mysterious knee surgery, will not have a limitation on how many snaps he’ll play against the Steelers on Saturday.
The Falcons’ starters are expected to play into the third quarter. The team will monitor Edwards, but would like to see him stay on the field with the rest of the starters. He has recovered from offseason knee surgery that took place during the lockout when he was not under the team’s supervision. Edwards has declined to discuss the specifics of the surgery.
The Falcons started to ramp up his practice schedule last week when they practiced with the Jaguars in Jacksonville.
“We have to make sure that we are smart in what we are doing,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “This will be his first exposure, and if it’s going well, we’ll make a decision during the ballgame.”
Edwards, a former Minnesota Viking, was signed as a free-agent to help bolster the Falcons’ pass rush.
“I’m anxious to see all of the guys,” Smith said. “As you get closer, we are now getting within 15 days of the season opener. Everybody has a heighten excitement about going out and performing.”
Reserve linemen
While Garrett Reynolds and Mike Johnson are in a battle for the starting right guard position, reserve tackles Will Svitek and Jose Valdez are trying to wrap up roster spots.
Svitek played in all 16 games last season.
“He’s done a great job,” offensive line coach Paul Boudreau said. “He’s worked at jumbo tight end for us.”
Valdez has to make the roster because his practice-squad eligibility has expired.
“Jose has as good of feet as anybody that we have,” Boudreau said. “He’s good in space. He’s very smooth. His whole thing is getting [repetitions] for playing time. Each year that he’s practiced, he’s done pretty good.”
Valdez spent the entire 2009 and 2010 seasons on the practice squad after being signed as an undrafted free agent from Arkansas in 2009.
Clabo corner
Right tackle Tyson Clabo, who was the first Falcons’ offensive lineman to play in the Pro Bowl since Bob Whitfield after the 1998 season, believes the line can continue to flourish.
“What we did last year, really doesn’t matter,” Clabo said. “It’s about what we are going to do now, today. We have two games to get better before we play Chicago.”
Boudreau doesn’t believe his group has been technically sound in two exhibition games.
“I’m not going to sit here and blame it on not having an offseason,” Clabo said. “We’re going to be ready to play ball when it’s time to play ball.”
Clabo figures that he’ll bond later with the winner of the Reynolds-Johnson battle for the starting right guard spot.
“It’s just one of those things that you have to deal with,” Clabo said. “In the NFL, that happens every year. Whoever is in there, we’ll come together when it’s time to play ball.”
Smith runs scout team
The Falcons did some game-planning for Pittsburgh, and it was strange to see Smith holding up the plays for the scout team to simulate for the starters.
“I try to help and become more active with giving the looks,” Smith said. “It’s just something that when we get into this part of the season, that’s one of my staff duties.”
The head coach doesn’t normally run the scout team.
“The guys that are running the cards are just as important [as the starters],” Smith said.
Etc.
Defensive tackle Corey Peters (knee), defensive end Lawrence Sidbury (ankle) and cornerback Dunta Robinson (hamstring) will not play against Pittsburgh. ... Linebacker Akeem Dent (knee) and cornerback Christopher Owens (hamstring) will be game-time decisions. ... Linebacker Robert James (groin) will play. ... Pittsburgh running back Jonathan Dwyer, a former Georgia Tech standout from Kell High, has 18 rushes for 51 yards and is their second-leading rusher in the exhibition season.
