The defending NFC champions had three major issues as they reported for training camp Wednesday.
The Falcons, who will attempt to become the first losing Super Bowl team to return to the grand game since 1994, entered camp with All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones and first-round pick Takkarist McKinley set to be limited in practice.
Also, the negotiations for a contract extension for Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman are hanging over the team.
Also, the team is not concerned that Jones, who is recovering from foot surgery, was on a Jet Ski on Lake Lanier before the start of training camp.
The standard NFL contract calls for players not to participate in “any activity other than football which may involve significant risk of personal injury.”
The Falcons, through a team spokesman said they “were not concerned” about Jones’ Jet Skiing.
Jones activity became known after he lost a $100,000 earring and hired a diving team to recover it. One of the divers tipped off Channel 11, and they were present when Jones pulled up on his Jet Ski on Tuesday.
“As long as I’m good, it’s materialistic stuff,” Jones told Channel 11. “You can always get that kind of stuff back.”
In addition to Jones and McKinley, wide receiver Taylor Gabriel also will be limited in practice.
“We don’t have any players on (physically unable to perform) list,” Quinn said. “We have three players that will be somewhat limited in their return to camp. Julio Jones, Takk McKinley and Taylor Gabriel. All of those guys will follow our normal program of individual, group install, the night practice, and then we’ll kind of work them into half the reps and then the full stuff.”
The Falcons will be cautious with Jones, who had a bunion removed from his foot in March and did not participate in the offseason program.
“We try to limit him based on his past and follow that model,” Quinn said. “It’s been a good one in terms of his readiness to play.”
The Falcons will monitor Jones’ practice work closely.
“Some days he gets more,” Quinn said. “Some days he gets less. We want to make sure that the reps for him are real meaningful ones. Just reps that he and (quarterback) Matt (Ryan) really need to connect on.
“We try to do that not only during the regular season, but here in camp, too. It’s a fine line to balance, the work you need to get right and get ready.”
Jones started running at the end of the minicamp in May, but wasn’t cutting yet.
“We do have a good plan in place to make sure that over the next month he’s really feeling at his best and he also has to work with Matt to make sure that their connections are strong,” Quinn said.
McKinley, who was selected with the 26th pick in the NFL draft, had shoulder surgery March 3. At the combine he said his recovery period would last four to six months.
The Falcons are hopeful that he’ll be ready to play by the third exhibition game.
“The good news is that he had all of these (opportunities) to really go put forth his best in the rehab,” Quinn said. “That part came across great for him and the training staff. Getting himself together to get right.
“Good news is, (we have) a great report from the (doctors) and he’s ready to start (participating).”
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has been optimistic about working out a contract extension for Freeman, but didn't have an update Wednesday.
“No update,” Dimitroff said. “No update.”
Freeman’s agent, Kristen Campbell, reportedly left Atlanta without a deal being completed, according to NFL Network. The move may signal that negotiations are not going as smoothly as Dimitroff had anticipated.
The Falcons negotiations will be complicated by Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell's decision to reject a five-year, $60 million contact offer. He'll play this season for the franchise tag of $12.12 million. Currently, Buffalo's LeSean McCoy has the highest running back contract, a five-year $40 million deal signed March 8, 2015.
Other contracts to compare include: Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin (five-year, $35.75 million, $15 million guaranteed), Houston’s Lamar Miller (four years, $26 million, $14 million guaranteed) and Jacksonville’s Chris Ivory (five years, $32 million, $10 million guaranteed).
The offseason signings did not help Freeman’s case much: New Orleans’ Adrian Peterson (two years, $7 million), Denver’s Jamaal Charles (one-year, $1 million), Oakland’s Marshawn Lynch (two-year, $16.5 million) and Seattle’s Eddie Lacy (one-year, $5.5 million).
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