Peria Jerry returns to practice and hopes to have an impact

FLOWERY BRANCH -- A few days before training camp, Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry made the drive to Birmingham on Monday to see the legendary sports doctor, James Andrews.

The drive was tense.

If Jerry received a good report, he would be medically cleared for training camp. If not, he likely would have started training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list.

Tired of being isolated from the team since injuring his right knee in the second game of last season, Jerry wanted desperately to get back on the field.

He made the trip with wide receiver Harry Douglas, who also needed medical clearance. Andrews examined Jerry's left knee and declared him fit to rejoin the team.

"I've been doing what the doctors asked me to do," said Jerry, who took part in the team's first training-camp practice Friday morning. "They have been letting me participate in limited drills."

He did not participate in the evening practice.

Douglas also was cleared, and that made for a more joyful ride back across Interstate 20.

"That night, I actually went in and talked to [trainer] Marty Lauzon, and he said, ‘man, I haven't actually seen you smile in so long,'" Jerry said. "He was like, ‘what's going on?' I was like, ‘you just don't know how exciting it is just to be back out amongst the group.'"

Jerry, the team's 2009 first-round draft pick, opened last season as the starting nose tackle. He played well in victories over Miami and Carolina before the injury, but had only one tackle to show for his work.

Thomas Johnson took over at Jerry's starting position and finished the season with 11 starts. Vance Walker and Trey Lewis also made starts at nose tackle. Against New Orleans and Washington, defensive end Kroy Biermann was listed as the starting defensive tackle.

After the season, general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith concluded that the defense missed that strong push up the middle that Jerry was expected to provide. So Jerry's return to the lineup is one of the keys to improving the defensive line, which recorded only 28 sacks and finished 26th in the NFL in that category.

"I don't sense any of that pressure," Jerry said. "It's all a group thing. It's going to take work amongst all of us to get the sack numbers up. I don't think it will ever be on one person."

After going through his first practice, Jerry said his knee felt fine. He said if the Falcons had a game today he would be ready to play.

"I'm back now. I’m on the field," Jerry said. "They would have to tell me that I can't play."

Jerry can't wait for his workload to increase.

"All I can do is what they ask me to do," Jerry said. "I've got some really good veteran guys beside me like [Jonathan] Babineaux, [John] Abraham, Chauncey [Davis] and Jamaal [Anderson]. They've all been there with me through the whole thing."