FLOWERY BRANCH — The Atlanta Falcons will hold their mandatory three-day minicamp starting Tuesday with some positive energy coming off last week’s OTAs.
The Falcons will still need to address several key areas before full training camp begins next month and accessWDUN will be at all three days of minicamp to report on their progress.
All three days -- Tuesday through Thursday -- are open to the public. Tuesday and Wednesday begin at 1:10 p.m. while Thursday’s practice will start at 10:55 a.m.
One key area was handled on Friday when they signed first-round pick and No. 8 overall selection Vic Beasley (outside linebacker) to a four-year contract worth $14.5 million deal, which included an $8.8 million signing bonus.
Here are just a few of the things we will look at over the three days:
1. OFFENSIVE LINE: Atlanta will get see how Jake Matthews (foot), Joe Hawley (knee), and Peter Konz (knee), who all returned to practice for the first time for individual drills last week, handle live practice. The Falcons are trying to develop depth on the line with newcomers James Stone (center) and Tyler Polumbus (tackle) getting some work with the first team as well.
2. DEFENSIVE LINE: How quickly will Beasley, who was held out of OTAs with a slight shoulder strain, learn the system and who will new coach Dan Quinn find to fit into his new scheme. The Falcons had the second-worst pass rush in the NFL last season.
3. RUNNING BACK: Second-year player Devonta Freeman appears to be the early front-runner for the No. 1 spot to replace the departed Stephen Jackson. Freeman took most of the first-team snaps during OTAs. Indiana rookie Tevin Coleman also is vying for playing time as is veteran Antoine Smith, who is returning from a broken leg.
4. PASSING GAME: Can the Falcons maintain their top 5 ranking from a year ago? It should still one of the most feared passing attacks in the league with Julio Jones and Roddy White and adding Leonard Hankerson from the Redskins, who had a career season under new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in 2012 with 57 receptions.
We also will see how Quinn and new defensive coordinator Richard Smith, along with former head coach and defensive passing game coordinator Raheem Morris, begin to jell one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2014 into a reliable unit.
Also, there already were some notable changes to how the Falcons conduct practice and we will see how those will help as they try to rebound from two straight losing seasons.
