After ripping through the first four days of practice, the Falcons took Monday off.
They had two light practices before putting on the pads in the third practice and saw an uptick in physical play during the fourth practice.
The Falcons, who are trying to rebound from an 8-8 season, appear more cohesive early in the second year for coach Dan Quinn.
“I don’t think it’s the biggest accomplishment, but I’m most pleased (with) the effort that we’re demonstrating at practice,” Quinn said. “That’s where it starts and if you have that part of your game right and the work ethic, those parts right, then you have a chance to be really good.”
Five things we’ve learned over the first four days:
1. Jones' tightness. While the team elected not to disclose wide receiver Julio Jones' injury, the camp chatter of "tightness" and "tweak" sounds like a hamstring string or groin issue that appears to involve his right leg.
Jones was pulled near the end of the first practice and was held back in the subsequent three practices. He worked some during 11-on-11 drills on Sunday and Quinn expects him to fully participate on Tuesday.
“We didn’t necessarily have a pitch count on him, but we wanted to have a quarter of what we had (on Sunday),” Quinn said. “We’ll (be) back into full for Tuesday.”
2. Allen comfortable. Ricardo Allen, who made the switch from cornerback to free safety last season, looks at home.
“He was probably one of the people I was thinking of when we asked about the communication,” Quinn said. “His ability to now articulate exactly the alert that could happen, a play that may happen based on a formation, the communication that happens on the field, that’s a big part of his jump.”
Allen played in 15 games with 14 starts in 2015, finishing with 68 tackles (59 solo), three interceptions, one sack, one fumble recovery and five passes defensed.
“Ricardo Allen grinds,” Quinn said. “He puts it in. He’s one of the first people here and he puts work in. It’s not just the weight room or on the field. He puts work in the meeting room, on the field and he takes care of himself like a pro.”
3. Jones, Campbell quick studies. Rookies De'Vondre Campbell and Deion Jones have picked up the defense quickly.
“The linebackers as a unit have really embraced the teaching,” Quinn said. “Coach Jeff Ulbrich, the linebacker coach, is one who I think is an expert teacher at it.”
Campbell has looked great in shorts. Now, coaches want to see if he continues to flash in the padded practices. The fourth-round pick from Minnesota has been impressive.
“I mean De’Vondre, he’s an athletic guy and he’s long,” quarterback Matt Ryan said. “Big, athletic, fast, good change of direction. He’s done a great job coming in here as a rookie. … At linebacker, he looked like a (defensive back) playing that ball in the air.”
4. The return of Schaub. The Falcons are pleased with backup quarterback Matt Schaub, who was originally drafted by the team before going on to star for the Houston Texans. He played for the Raiders and the Ravens over the past two seasons as a backup.
“He’s also got a real coolness about him,” Quinn said. “When the pressure’s on, he kind of looks at it and smiles and says, alright, here’s what we’re going to do.”
5. Linebacker shuffle. Paul Worrilow, the incumbent starter at middle linebacker, was moved to weakside linebacker in the team's nickel defense on Sunday.
Worrilow played along side Jones, the Falcons second-round pick, who’s competing for the starting middle linebacker position.
“We are just trying to create more versatility with (Worrilow),” Quinn said. “That was the real goal there, knowing that Paul is also not only going to have a role at (middle), (weakside) and (special) teams, all of the things that we are doing.”
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