FLOWERY BRANCH — With the retirement of starting right guard Chris Chester following last season’s Super Bowl LI loss, it was expected that the battle to replace the veteran would be among the most watched by Atlanta Falcons fans.
It hasn’t disappointed as second-year player Wes Schweitzer (San Jose State) and four-year veteran Ben Garland (Air Force) have emerged as the early front-runners.
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said that so far it has been a fun showdown to watch between the two 300-plus pound linemen.
“Ben and Wes are guys we admire a lot for their work ethic and toughness. They have a go-for-it mentality and are trying to find an edge to get better,” Quinn said. “What makes it even more meaningful to me is that they play the same spot and are battling but are also looking after one another and supporting each other. We really like both of them in the run game.”
Schweitzer said the line as a whole is already ahead of last year at this time and they all know they could hold the key to another run at a Super Bowl berth.
“I really like the OL group as a whole. We’re playing fast and tough,” he said. “We’re just all trying to take the next step. Just in my one year here it’s already at a different level.”
Schweitzer, who was working with Garland at the end of Wednesday’s practice, the second of three mandatory minicamp workouts, said both have embraced the challenge of trying to win the starting spot.
“It’s football. It’s a competition every day. The key is how far can you push yourself,” Schweitzer said. “We’re trying to embrace being humble and help each other, which has made us both better. Ben has been around a while and has seen a lot of things I haven’t and has helped me get better. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can and compete.”
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES: Second-year linebacker Deion Jones said don’t take your eyes off the 2017 version of the Falcons defense.
“I think we’re ahead of where we were last year at this time and the guys are just flying around,” he said. “I think we’re all more comfortable with what we’re doing. I think we’ll be even better than we were at the end of last season.”
And that doesn’t even factor in some of the newcomers, like third-round draft pick Duke Riley (LB, LSU) and first-round pick Takkarist McKinley (DE, UCLA). Jones said he has been impressed with the rookies in the early going.
“The new guys are flying around and coming along real fast,” he said. “They’re already starting to get the approach of what this team is all about.”
Jones did say that despite putting it behind them, they will use the fourth quarter collapse of the Super Bowl loss as motivation.
“You know, we got a taste of it and it left us with a bitter taste,” he said. “We know we have what it takes to get back there and that’s what we’re going to work on.”
Thursday
April 25th, 2024
1:42AM
