FLOWERY BRANCH — All-Pro receiver Julio Jones said Thursday that he is 100 percent healthy with the Atlanta Falcons' opener three days away at Chicago.
Jones had right foot surgery in March and took just eight snaps in one preseason game, but he's been practicing with no restraints for the last three weeks.
Working in drills full-speed with quarterback Matt Ryan, last year's NFL MVP, has helped Jones stay comfortable as the Falcons try to return to the Super Bowl for the second straight year. This is Jones' seventh year playing with Ryan.
"We connected on pretty much everything yesterday," Jones said Thursday. "The timing is there. We're not going to lose that timing. We're hitting all cylinders right now, me and Matt."
Jones ranked second in the NFL last year with 1,409 yards receiving. In 2016, he had the second-best single season in league history with 136 catches for 1,871 yards receiving.
Coach Dan Quinn expects Jones to have no limitations with his foot against the Bears.
"We are definitely throwing long passes," Quinn said with a smile. "I guess what I'd be concerned about is if he didn't have practice time. That's a different story."
Jones isn't concerned so much with the Bears' personnel or scheme. All he cares about is how the Falcons perform.
"They've got some guys banged up, so we don't know who's going to play or anything like that," he said. "But we've really just got to focus on us, go out there and get after these guys. We're a very talented group. We've just got to go out there and play like it. Know what we need to do when we get out there."
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