<p>A driving rainstorm brought a welcome respite to the Atlanta Falcons' training camp Thursday, stopping a morning practice and giving the team some much-needed rest.</p><p>After conditioning tests a day earlier _ followed by a two-hour practice in 98-degree heat _ the team worked out about an hour before the weather forced the players off the field. The rain continued for another couple of hours.</p><p>"I've never seen anything at training camp like this," defensive end Patrick Kerney said. "Obviously, they guessed right, since it kept raining."</p><p>Kerney and others came back on the field and had fun sliding through the puddles of water. During a passing drill earlier, kicker Jay Feely dived to catch a pass and skidded across the turf for about 15 yards.</p><p>"It's fun to get out and play in the rain a little bit, have a little Slip N' Slide after practice, but at the same time, it's not conducive to what we're trying to accomplish," Kerney said.</p><p>The rest of the Greenville area was hit hard by the storm, too. The rain caused the Reedy River to overflow its banks, flooding some downtown streets and closing Cleveland Park.</p><p>Early in the afternoon, the river was at more than 16 feet _ eight feet above flood stage. It was expected to slowly subside through the evening, according to forecasters.</p><p>But more rain starting falling about 6 p.m., and it forced the Falcons to practice indoors for their night workout.</p><p>___</p><p>DUNN'S HEALTH:@ Tailback Warrick Dunn, who missed the final five games of 2003 with a foot injury, looked good in his return to the practice field.</p><p>He had surgery to repair a torn ligament at the base of his left toes.</p><p>"I can go left or right," Dunn said. "I just wasn't strong. I didn't have the flexibility in my ankle like I have right now. It's taken some time."</p><p>Getting back to work made Dunn a bit nervous before the first practice, and he admittedly lost some sleep simply thinking about his return. He never doubted that he would make it back, even though his injury was serious.</p><p>"I'm a quick healer," he said. "I figured I'd have to take those first few months to stay off it, let it heal naturally, but when it's time to work and rehab, I did that."</p><p>___</p><p>HAPPY TO BE HERE:@ Rookie wide receiver Michael Jenkins agreed to terms with the Falcons late Tuesday night, then arrived in time for the first practice. His efforts weren't lost on coach Jim Mora.</p><p>"Mike did not miss a meeting," Mora said. "We couldn't be happier about that because these are reps that he can't make up."</p><p>For Jenkins, who played at Ohio State, getting into camp on time was a priority.</p><p>"It was important for me," he said. "I just wanted to get out here. Being a rookie is hard, and if you miss some installations and practices, then you're behind and trying to play catch up."</p><p>Fellow first-round pick DeAngelo Hall, a cornerback from Virginia Tech, hasn't signed yet. He was the eighth pick overall.</p><p>Bryan Scott, a second-year player, remembers how glad he was that he was able to get his contract done in time for the start of camp.</p><p>"Coming in as a rookie, there are so many things that are uncertain," Scott said. "You're just hoping to come in and learn fast. But I understand what he's going through, and I think he'll catch up when he gets here."</p>
