Jason Snelling did it all as a utility running back for the Falcons, and his retirement left a big void behind Steven Jackson, with no one clear candidate to fill it.
Coach Mike Smith said rookie Devonta Freeman will get an opportunity to do it.
“We’ve got some options, and we’ve got to find out what Devonta Freeman can do,” Smith said Saturday. “To me, if he can step up and be a good pass protector, he’s got a chance to be a three-down back.”
Snelling was the only player behind Jackson with that ability. He could be effective in short-yardage and passing situations and even played some fullback when injuries left that position thin.
Jacquizz Rodgers is not ideally suited for short-yardage work. Antone Smith didn’t get many chances from scrimmage in 2013 even as he showed flashes of big-play ability, though Mike Smith said he could play a larger role in 2014.
Freeman, a fourth-round draft pick out of Florida State, comes with a reputation as a good runner. In 2013 he rushed for 1,016 yards on 173 attempts (5.9 average) with 14 touchdowns and was the first FSU player since Warrick Dunn in 1996 to top 1,000 yards.
But Freeman said he has work to do in pass protection.
“If you can block, protect that million-dollar quarterback, that’s first,” he said. “Catching and running, I feel like that’s the easy part of it. It just comes naturally. Blocking, that’s something you’ve got to have pride. That’s one of the things I’m going to work at the most.”
Freeman is just 5-foot-8, but is solidly built at 206 pounds. He said he runs “downhill more than inside” and has a knack for finding seams in tight spaces.
“He’s built like a change-of pace back, but he’s not really,” Mike Smith said. “He’s a guy that can run between the tackles. We are anxious to get more stuff to him and see what he can take because the (pass) protection stuff is very important.”
On the mend: Smith said wide receiver Julio Jones and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon are unlikely to participate in any of the team's activities before the start of training camp.
Smith said neither Jones (foot) nor Weatherspoon (knee) would be “doing a whole lot” in the offseason conditioning program or the full-team minicamp scheduled to begin later this month.
“Our focus is strictly on getting them ready to go for training camp” in late July, Smith said.
Jones suffered an injury to his left foot in Week 5 last season and missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery. Jones also had surgery in March 2011 to insert a screw in the foot to repair a stress fracture. After Jones had some outstanding workouts in spite of the injury, the Falcons traded five picks to move up and take Jones with the No. 6 overall pick.
Weatherspoon missed the final two games of 2013 because of the knee injury. About three weeks ago Weatherspoon said he was at “80 percent” health and wasn’t sure of his timetable to return to the field.
Safety Zeke Motta (neck) also isn’t expected to participate in offseason activities. Motta had surgery in December to repair a cervical fracture.
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