FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons coach Mike Smith is hopeful that he’ll have cornerback Desmond Trufant, the team’s top draft pick, when the team takes the field for its first practice Thursday.
Players are set to report for camp on Wednesday.
“Today, I have not had any update on that,” Smith said on Tuesday, when asked about Trufant. “I’m certainly a positive guy and believe that we’re going to have a full boat when we open up.”
Both sides are optimistic about reaching a deal prior to the start of camp.
There has only been one holdout of a draft pick under general manager Thomas Dimitroff and that was a “paper work” holdout. Back in 2008, Sam Baker was headed out to practice when team officials ordered him back into the building. His paperwork hadn’t been faxed to the league office and approved.
Smith is counting on Dimitroff and his chief negotiator, Nick Polk, to keep their record of no real hold-outs in place.
“I don’t really know what’s going on with that right now,” Smith said. “You want to start with all of them if you can. It doesn’t always happen that way, but I’m sure they’ll be working hard today and through the night to do whatever it takes to get it done.”
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