During Friday’s win over the Miami Dolphins, Gonzalez had to be licking his chops as Matt Ryan bombs flew downfield to Julio Jones. While there were several passes the two didn’t connect on, Gonzalez sees the value in taking the shots in the first place.

“Defenses are going to have to respect that and realize that we can do it at anytime,” he said after practice Sunday. “It’s going to open things up underneath. The more those guys can stretch the field — you put them on the outside and let them run and let me work the middle with Harry (Douglas) on the other side, it’s a good combination. It’s a good place for us to be, and with the way Matt’s throwing the ball, it’s a beautiful thing.”

Through three games in 2012, the scene has become familiar: Matt Ryan drops back, looks, gets time and slings it downfield to Julio Jones.

Sometimes the play works, sometimes it doesn’t.

But whether it works or not seems to be a small matter compared to just simply going for it, Jones said after Friday’s game.

A couple of long passes by Ryan on Friday either went off of Julio’s hands, fell victim to good coverage or were just overthrown, but Ryan and Julio were able to connect on a 49-yard completion at one point, showing that the play can certainly work.

Replicating the deep ball in practice isn’t exactly as simple as tossing it deep, but Jones says completing those passes on a more regular basis will come. For now, he says, the Falcons just want to focus on going for them.

“We’re gonna get it eventually. We’re just taking shots. We’re trying to be an explosive team and we’ve got to take those shots and we know when those plays present themselves, we know we’re going to be able to hit them during the regular season,” Jones said. “It’s good to get them out there now. It’s preseason. It’s just all about timing, and that’s why we’re trying to get on the same page.”

Also, make sure to follow the official Falcons Instagram account @atlantafalcons.

Early morning at the Falcons’ Flowery Branch facility

Signage at the front gates

Flags greet fans at the entrance to camp

A beautiful day for football

Fans pour through the gates

A camp sign stands in front of the flag pole

Fans line the field early to get as close as they can to their team

WR Julio Jones takes the field

WR Harry Douglas comes out of a route

Sean Weatherspoon smiles as he jogs it off to the next drill

A moment before impact

Two fans show off their Falcons pride

Tony Gonzalez is always getting in extra work

The punt block drill is always a favorite for great photos

Spoon looks on from the sideline

WR Drew Davis attacks the sled

WR Roddy White makes a one-handed snag

With his black visor, Roddy casts an imposing figure against a blue sky

You don’t want none of LB Mike Peterson

A familiar view for anyone who traveled to the top of the hill next to the fields

Julio looks a pass into his hands

Harry warms up with his teammates

Freddie Falcon tries his hand — errr… wing — at running AtlantaFalcons.com

Storm clouds gather before practice

Rain dots a helmet as the Falcons practice through the weather

Friday Night Lights provided a beautiful sky as the Falcons practiced in front of thousands

The injury occurred during Sunday’s practice and Smith said he learned today that it was enough to keep him out for the season.

Svitek was able play both right and left tackle and Smith said this presents a new opportunity for other players on the roster. Starting 10 games for the Falcons last year after starter Sam Baker went down with an injury of his own, Svitek is a player the Falcons will miss when it comes to depth.

“We cross-trained some guys early on and that will be something that we’ll have to adjust with and start cross-training some more guys from the guard/tackle positions,” Smith said. “Will is a real tough guy, one of the toughest guys I know. He played through a lot of injuries and did a nice job when called on when Sam was injured last year.”

In his stead, Smith expects rookie tackle Lamar Holmes to pick up the slack and expressed confidence in the personnel on the roster at the tackle position.

“We were very careful the first couple of weeks with Lamar, and he’ll get some significant playing time in the game this week,” Smith said. “Mike Johnson has been cross-trained at both guard and tackle, so we have options for that position. Believe me, you’re always prepared for injuries because that’s going to happen. You have to have a plan and follow that plan, and we’re looking forward to seeing some of these young guys get some significant playing time.”

On Saturday, head coach Mike Smith echoed that same point after Jerry performed well starting at defensive tackle during the first two preseason games for the Falcons.

“I think Peria has done a nice job for us in the two preseason games and through the entire season,” Smith said. “He came back in really good shape, did a real nice job in the offseason program, came back in really good shape and I think you really see his suddenness and play-making ability in the two preseason games.

“I think he’s in the shape that he’s been in. He’s really worked extremely hard.”

That’s the mentality he’s taken into a quarterback battle that has quickly and interestingly heated up in the first two preseason games, and it seems to be paying off for the undrafted rookie out of East Carolina.

Davis hit the field during Thursday’s 24-19 loss to the Bengals down 24-13 and almost led the Falcons’ backups to a final-minute win, starting his night in the middle of the fourth quarter by going 8-for-8 and finishing the game 11-of-18 for 121 yards and a touchdown.

After the performance, Davis had a typical quarterback reaction to his play.

“We didn’t finish. We got the L,” Davis said. “I’m a guy that’s very hard on myself. If we don’t get the W, I’m very hard on myself. That’s all I can really say. There’s something to look forward to next game.”

Despite his critique of himself, he could very well find his name on the 53-man roster when all is said and done. By all accounts, Davis has had a very nice camp and continues to show improvement every time he steps on the field.

And others have taken notice.

“I thought Dom did a great job,” starter Matt Ryan said after Thursday’s game. “He came in there in the fourth quarter, scrambled around, made some plays with his legs, made some plays with his arm. He’s a guy that works hard every day and is getting better. He’s getting better day in and day out, and it’s amazing how you can see it with the rookies, the young guys. Their improvement is leaps and bounds, and I think he’s doing a great job.”

It’s what he concentrated on all week during practice after having a rocky performance against the Ravens last week, and it definitely showed against the Bengals on Thursday as the rookie finished with four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.

“This week, I went back to what I know how to do and that’s just focusing on making a play one play at a time instead of trying to rush and make a play,” Brown said.

The Minnesota-Mankato product, who is making the transition from wide receiver in college to NFL tight end, knows that every single play is important to his future in the league.

Behind Tony Gonzalez and Michael Palmer, the road seems wide open for Brown, Aron White or Chase Coffman to step up and claim the No. 3 TE spot.

“It’s going to come down to who can perform on offense and at the same time, who can go out and perform on special teams,” Brown said, “so I’m just trying to go out and get better every day at everything I have to do for this team.”

Falcons secondary vs. Bengals WR AJ Green
It’s no secret that two years ago in the NFL Draft, Georgia’s AJ Green was closely tied with Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones in the talent department as not much separated the two. Green went to Cincinnati, Jones came to the Falcons and the rest is history. Still, the Falcons secondary will have a tough test in trying to keep the second-year WR contained. Practicing every day against Jones should certainly help, but a good measure of where the secondary is at this point will be shown in Green’s stat line at the end of the night.

Falcons WRs Roddy White and Julio Jones vs. Bengals secondary
Speaking of Jones, teaming up with Roddy White tonight creates an interesting matchup with Cincinnati’s cornerbacks. Leon Hall and Nate Clements are two top tier cornerbacks in the NFL and will be tough to contend with. Jones’ outstanding camp and his comfort this year, however, may prove to be the separating factor between these two position groups. A more comfortable Julio Jones could mean more attention on him, which could in turn open things up even more for the always-dangerous White.

Falcons offensive line vs. Bengals defensive front
You’ll be hard pressed to find any game in 2012 when the Falcons offensive line isn’t featured as one of the top and most important matchups. The Bengals defense presents an interesting challenge with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s scheme. With big tackles Domata Peko and Geno Atkins in the middle, and middle linebacker Rey Maualuga lurking behind them, the challenge to keep Matt Ryan upright and Michael Turner running free is very real.

Falcons defensive ends vs. Bengals offensive tackles
John Abraham and Ray Edwards — along with Kroy Biermann and Lawrence Sidbury — are charged with a big task of being the force that kickstarts the Falcons’ pass rush. Against Bengals tackles Andrew Whitworth (left side) and Andre Smith (right), the four DEs will get a chance to see what they can do against some very sizey competition. Smith goes 6-4, 335 and Whitworth checks in at 6-7, 330. The speed coming off the edge for the Falcons could be an advantage if they can get that extra quick step on the big men.

The veteran backup quarterback may have a lot of weight on his shoulders, but the Alabama product isn’t stressing out. He’s rolling with the punches and making the most of every opportunity he gets.

The preseason is his proving ground as he continues through training camp knowing that he’s out of practice squad eligibility with rookie Dominique Davis is nipping at his heels. Through it all, Wilson is keeping with the status quo.

“If I started (changing anything), I think I’d try to press or try to do too much and go out and say, ‘I’ve got make this many passes,’ ” Wilson said Tuesday. “You can’t do that. You’ve got to do what the defense gives you. You’ve got to go through your reads and prepare like I’ve been preparing since I was a starter at Alabama.”

Preparing is hard enough for regular season games, but a little known fact about the preseason is that teams don’t game-plan for one another during the exhibition season. For a position that thrives on research and knowledge about the opponent to be successful, it creates even more pressure at the position.

Against a very tough Ravens defense, Wilson went 8-of-13 for 69 yards with no interceptions or touchdowns. Against a defensive scheme with depth to back it up like Baltimore’s, the inability to game-plan makes things very difficult.

“They’ve got so many looks on defense and so many different things they do,” Wilson said. “We try to take in the most concise game plan as we possibly could and keep it simple with the rules and let the things we go over stand up against all the looks, and it did. It worked out well, but they’re a complicated defense.”

Wilson said that the look from Baltimore was great for him to see where he was at and what he needs to work on from here on out. One thing that won’t change, despite the pressure, is his ability to remain cool.

“Like I’ve learned from Matt (Ryan), Red (Chris Redman) and guys I’ve worked with along the way,” Wilson said, “to say that everything’s on the line — which it is — I try not to go into it like that.”

The veteran backup quarterback may have a lot of weight on his shoulders, but the Alabama product isn’t stressing out. He’s rolling with the punches and making the most of every opportunity he gets.

The preseason is his proving ground as he continues through training camp knowing that he’s out of practice squad eligibility with rookie Dominique Davis is nipping at his heels. Through it all, Wilson is keeping with the status quo.

“If I started (changing anything), I think I’d try to press or try to do too much and go out and say, ‘I’ve got make this many passes,’ ” Wilson said Tuesday. “You can’t do that. You’ve got to do what the defense gives you. You’ve got to go through your reads and prepare like I’ve been preparing since I was a starter at Alabama.”

Preparing is hard enough for regular season games, but a little known fact about the preseason is that teams don’t game-plan for one another during the exhibition season. For a position that thrives on research and knowledge about the opponent to be successful, it creates even more pressure at the position.

Against a very tough Ravens defense, Wilson went 8-of-13 for 69 yards with no interceptions or touchdowns. Against a defensive scheme with depth to back it up like Baltimore’s, the inability to game-plan makes things very difficult.

“They’ve got so many looks on defense and so many different things they do,” Wilson said. “We try to take in the most concise game plan as we possibly could and keep it simple with the rules and let the things we go over stand up against all the looks, and it did. It worked out well, but they’re a complicated defense.”

Wilson said that the look from Baltimore was great for him to see where he was at and what he needs to work on from here on out. One thing that won’t change, despite the pressure, is his ability to remain cool.

“Like I’ve learned from Matt (Ryan), Red (Chris Redman) and guys I’ve worked with along the way,” Wilson said, “to say that everything’s on the line — which it is — I try not to go into it like that.”

With an injury to starting middle linebacker Akeem Dent that will keep him from Thursday’s game against Cincinnati, fortunately, James won’t have to worry about picking up the slack since the two play different positions, but if he was asked to play more, he would in a heartbeat.

It’s pretty much impossible, however, for James to play any more than he did last Thursday against Baltimore — a game during which he logged 62 snaps. That’s the most he’s seen the field since his days of starting for Arizona State.

“I was pretty tired after that,” James said Tuesday. “I’ve gotta get it right. Gotta hydrate up this week.”

Because it’s the preseason, it’s his time to shine and prove that he belongs in one of the 53 final spots on the roster — and he’s off to a great start.

In relief against the Ravens, James led the team in unassisted tackles with 5.0 and also recorded a sack. General manager Thomas Dimitroff, talking to CBS Atlanta during an interview aired while the game was going on Thursday, had high remarks for the veteran linebacker and thinks he could settle into a more permanent spot on the roster.

“Robert’s worked really, really hard in the offseason,” Dimitroff told CBS Atlanta. “He has an element of hustle and urgent athleticism. He has playmaking ability and hopefully he really comes into his own in this scheme.”

James recognizes that he has a long way to go before he can feel settled, but he’s thankful for the playing time he’s getting and the opportunity to make the most of all the snaps he can get — even if he gets another 62.

“I felt a little rusty. Like I said, it’s been a while since I played that many snaps,” James said. “I played a lot of special teams and defense, as well, but I think this game (against Cincinnati) will be a better game. I’m hoping for the best.”

With two weeks and one preseason game already in the books, Polite — who has seen time with Dallas, Chicago, Miami and New England — is in a hurry to get the Falcons’ playbook down cold so he can compete with Mike Cox for the starting fullback position.

Polite, who played in just one game last season for the Patriots after being picked up late in the year, has been keeping in shape physically, so he feels like he’s good in that department. But learning the playbook on short notice has been a task thus far.

“You cut back on the hours of sleep you get a night,” Polite said with a smile after Sunday’s practice. “You’re just trying to rewrite the notes and digest as much as you can get, just force feed yourself. Luckily, I’ve been around enough offenses that some things make sense, but at the same time, some of the terminology carries over and you might get mixed up, so you’ve got to really, really drill it. Repetition: That’s how I learn best.”

Obviously disappointed by the loss, Robertson might as well have thrown a game-ending interception or fumbled at the goal line.

In reality, the Falcons’ seventh-round pick performed his job admirably, and almost for the long haul, too. Robertson saw his first action in the second quarter with the Falcons’ second-teamers and spent the rest of the game rotating in and out of the game in the middle.

“I’m disappointed we lost, but I got a lot of reps,” Robertson said. “I’ve got a lot of learning to do, a lot of stuff I need to work on that the coaches have been teaching me, but I felt good going into the game.”

Robertson’s stat line at the end of the night was about average for a cog in the middle — three tackles — but the stats don’t tell the whole tale of Robertson’s contributions to the defensive Thursday night.

The South Carolina product was consistently blowing up the middle of the Ravens defensive line, knocking the center and guards back on their heels. As the game wore on and he was recognized as more of a force, the Ravens began to pay more attention to him, even double-teaming him at times.

While Robertson said he didn’t feel the Ravens were making too many adjustments to account for him, he did say the early reps against the Ravens’ first-teamers gave him a good measure of where he is in his young career.

“It helped me a lot. I was glad that I got the chance to go against first team, just to see how I’d handle it and let the coaches see how I could handle the situation,” he said. “It helped me out a lot and I got the real pace of the game and felt good about it. Hopefully, I can just learn from it.”

Falcons C/G Peter Konz vs. Ravens DT Haloti Ngata
With so many eyes on the Falcons offensive line during the preseason, especially the interior positions, tonight’s matchup against Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata could go a long way toward setting the performance benchmark at center and right guard, particularly with rookie Peter Konz hoping to be in the mix. Konz comes from a pro-style offense at Wisconsin, but Ngata provides a huge 6-foot-4, 330-pound test for the first-year lineman.

Falcons RB Michael Turner vs. Ravens LB Ray Lewis
Although he’s getting long in the tooth, Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis is still considered one of the best in the game. Known for incredibly physical play and an ability to get downhill quickly, Lewis will certainly present a challenge for running back Michael Turner. But when it comes to these two, think of the unstoppable force vs. the immovable object. There’s just no telling who can come out on top should the two collide in their likely limited action in tonight’s game.

Falcons WRs vs. Ravens DBs
The matchup for Falcons wide receivers will be an important one throughout the preseason as head coach Mike Smith will have the unenviable task of choosing a fifth wide receiver. Kevin Cone and Drew Davis both spent time with the Falcons last year, but there are some strong candidates behind them who could sneak into that final WR spot, and the preseason is the biggest proving ground for players trying to make the roster.

Falcons DL vs. Ravens OL
With DT Corey Peters out for the foreseeable future with an injury and a crowded group at defensive end, the defensive line is one to keep an eye on during the preseason. Rookie DTs like Travian Robertson and Micanor Regis could get some extra reps, and the battle between rookie DE Jonathan Massaquoi and veteran DEs Cliff Matthews and Lawrence Sidbury will start to heat up in the first game of the preseason.

So his first day wearing red and black was a little bit odd for the 11-year veteran.

“You just have to go through the growing times,” Hope said after the first day of 2012 Russell Athletic Training Camp in Flowery Branch. “It’s like the first day of school. I told my wife, I’m too old to feel like it’s the first day of school again, but it’s fun, it’s challenging and it’s an experience.”

The coaching staff has left things wide open for Hope, he said, as they just want him to learn the defense and get it down cold before worrying about starting positions. In the meantime, Hope is just fine taking the younger safeties under his wing and imparting as much knowledge to them as he can, even though he’s in direct competition with them.

A Super Bowl champion with Pittsburgh in 2005, Hope has seen it all in the league and he knows he’s got a lot he can share with younger talent. As a second year player with the Steelers, he was asked to take players like Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu under his guidance, so leading is nothing new to him.

“I’m an open book. Any question you ask me, anything I can help you with, anything that I see that I can make you that much better in,” Hope will help with, he said. “It’s a learning process and it’s the competition that makes everyone better.”

Nicholas, in particular, had to watch from the sidelines throughout OTAs and minicamp as an injury he suffered late last season continued to heal. On Tuesday came word that the veteran linebacker had been cleared to participate in the start of camp, which made him even more eager to get checked in.

“I think it’s always the same feeling,” Nicholas said Wednesday afternoon after checking into camp. “I’m very excited, very, very ready to get going. I’m ready to see some of the guys that I haven’t seen in a while. It’s always an exciting feeling, every year.”

Players are required to check into the Flowery Branch facility today and all players will be staying at the apartments on the premises until camp breaks Aug. 19.

During the media’s availability at the check-in area, rookies Jonathan Massaquoi, Charles Mitchell, Bryce Harris, Peyton Thompson and Michael Calvin arrived, as well as veterans Peria Jerry, Joe Zelenka and Thomas DeCoud.

The first session of training camp open to the public is Thursday as practice gets started at 3:30 p.m. Gates will be open at 2:30 p.m. Admission to training camp is free. Click here for the complete training camp schedule.

For more information on training camp, visit our training camp home page.

Click here to see a photo gallery from players reporting to camp

On Tuesday came more bad news, as Smith announced Tatupu’s season is over.

“As you know, Lofa suffered a pectoral injury last week,” Smith said. “After further testing, it was determined that he would require a procedure to repair the injury and unfortunately he will miss the entire season.”

Tatupu, signed by the Falcons during the free agency period in March, was expected to come into 2012 Russell Athletic Atlanta Falcons Training Camp, beginning this week, and compete with second-year LB Akeem Dent for the starting middle linebacker spot. A three-time Pro Bowler who has a trip to the Super Bowl with the Seahawks under his belt, Tatupu was looking to put together a comeback after spending all of last year out of the game with an injury.

Calling the Falcons a team that “might be built for the long haul,” writer Darin Gantt thinks the Falcons are big on strengths that could push them past nagging wall of playoff disappointments that has haunted the team since Mike Smith took over in 2008.

Writes Gantt: “Wide receiver Roddy White’s still got game-breaking ability, and partner Julio Jones is on the verge of justifying the massive trade they made to acquire him in last year’s draft. Coupled with tight end Tony Gonzalez (back for one more year trying to break his own winless-in-the-postseason streak) and running back Michael Turner (at least in the early part of the season before he tapers off), the Falcons can match fantasy draft picks with anyone.”

The offensive line is a point of concern for Gantt as he thinks getting the group into reliable shape will be a tall task for new offensive line coach Pat Hill.

As not to steal any thunder, click here to read the entire piece, which includes PFT’s favorite camp battles and prospects.

Thoughts?

Jay Adams: You’ve got a couple of new faces and plenty of familiar faces in your position group. Where do you see things standing as you head into training camp?

Gerald Brown: The tailback position is pretty much what it was last year with Mike (Turner), Jason Snelling and Jacquizz (Rodgers), and then we’ve got some other guys that are competing — Dimitri (Nance), Antone (Smith), (Robbie) Frey — so the tailback position is pretty much intact. The fullback position, (Mike) Cox came in and from the Indy game on (last season) as our starting fullback. We drafted Bradie Ewing, who we feel good about, so I think we have good, healthy competition at the fullback position, and that’s what we want. We want guys competing and fighting to win jobs, and I think that’s where we are right now.

JA: The offensive system has yet to be fully revealed, but offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has said enough that the screen game will be more of a part of the offense this year. How does that change what you do on a daily basis with the running backs?

GB: It’s just part of what we do; it’s just that we’ll do more of it. Some of the techniques and how we do things may be a little different, but we’ve had screens in the system. We just didn’t get to them as much. This year, I think there’s a commitment to them, so our backs just have got to be prepared to handle all the adjustments off of our screen game.

JA: You lose a veteran in Ovie Mughelli and gain, like you said, a rookie in Bradie Ewing. Just from their looks, it seems like they have two different styles. With his background at Wisconsin, Ewing seems like he can be a versatile threat in the passing game. What’s your assessment of what he’s going to be able to bring to that position?

GB: Bradie runs well. He catches the ball well out of the backfield, but a lot of the things that he had done at Wisconsin are things that we do here. It’s the same type of blocking scheme and that type of thing, so that’s beneficial to him, as well. I think you find out a lot about that position once you put the pads on, but right now where he is, I think he’s moving along well for us. He understands the offense. He’s doing things that we ask our fullback to do, so we’re excited about having him here with us.

JA: Michael Turner is 30 years old, but he’s in a unique situation in that, because of becoming a starting running back later in his career, he hasn’t taken the same number of hits as the average 30-year-old running back. What do you see as his ability to produce coming up in 2012? Can a 30-year-old running back with less mileage still produce at a high level?

GB: Oh, I think absolutely, Mike Turner can produce. What he’s done over the last four years is pretty amazing. Right now, where we are and where he is physically, he looks as good to me right now as he has ever looked from a physical standpoint. He’s running the ball well and he’s doing things well in practice, but we’ve talked about the load that he’s carried over the last four years. We know we have to monitor that because we want him to be strong at the end of the year. At the same time, we’re trying to win ballgames, but we feel good about Jason Snelling and Jacquizz Rodgers, and when Michael’s not in there, it’s OK. Give them the ball, whether we’re running or passing, and let’s just run the offense. I think we’ll be in good shape there.

JA: You mentioned Quizz, and he’s a guy that fans are really excited about. Knowing him a year now, what differences have you noticed in him this year?

GB: I think the thing that surprised the staff most last year was not having an offseason program and the Jacquizz coming in and contributing as much as he did throughout the season. Mike had most of the workload, but Jacquizz can run our two-minute, he can run our no-huddle attack, he can run our offense and it’s just a compliment to him that he can come in and learn it. He’s a smart kid, he’s a physical kid and he certainly has the ability to make plays, so this offseason is beneficial for him because he missed it last year, as it is for everybody, but he stepped up last year and was a big-time contributor for us.

Jay Adams: You’ve been here a few months. What’s your assessment of the talent you have been working with on the offensive line?

Pat Hill: I like the group I’m working with. I think they’re highly intelligent. My job, like I told them, isn’t to come in here and split the atom. These guys have a lot of plays and a lot of schemes and they understand them very well. My deal that I want to do is I just want to keep working on fundamentals. I’m a great believer in fundamentals. This is a league where everybody runs a lot of the same stuff. The ones that have the edge are the ones that execute it the best. It’s the same thing on the offensive like. We just want to keep working on our fundamentals, get better at our footwork, get better at the understanding of the fundamentals that it takes to win. The run game, the pass game, the screen game — whatever it may be, if we get better at fundamentals, it increases your confidence.

JA: The left tackle position is one that a lot of fans are going to be paying attention to. Do you see that as a position battle that will drag on throughout training camp?

PH: You can’t get anything out of playing in shorts and T-shirts now, and that’s the great thing about pro football. We get a training camp and four practice games. In college, you don’t get that. Here, there’s a lot of time to sort that out. There’s a lot of things that are going to happen between now and September 9 in Kansas City. It’s going to be very competitive. It’s going to be great competition. My belief is I want to get the best five on the field, wherever they may fit.

JA: The Draft was kind to you in that you get Peter Konz and Lamar Holmes with the first two picks the Falcons had in 2012. Obviously, you haven’t seen Lamar out on the field yet (as he recovers from a foot injury), but what are your impressions of Konz’s abilities?

PH: Peter Konz comes from a program that runs a pro-style-type offense, so he’s familiar with inside zone, outside zone, the power run game, so the run game is very familiar. Their pass protection, there’s some similarity. You know, the difference is, like I used to tell my guys at Fresno, too — we ran a pro-style offense and a lot of our kids were able to move on — we’re basic math in college. We don’t go into all the details that happen at the pro level. The pro level, it’s a lot more sophisticated — you have the basics and then it’s an add-on game. The great thing is, though, for Peter is he’s coming out of a program where he has the basics. Now we can add on a lot easier. The guys that come out of some of these programs that are spread and maybe one- or two-protections or maybe two- or three-runs, all shotgun — there’s a lot more involved in that teaching, so Peter comes from a very strong program as far as fundamentals and basics. He had a great line coach in college I know very well (Bob Bostad) , who’s now in Tampa Bay with Greg Schiano, so he’s got a real good head start. The hardest part is, you’ve got to change the chip. The words are now different. If we all had the universal chip where all the blocks were the same and the plays were the same, it’d be a lot easier game, but everybody’s got different names for things. Same thing with me. For example, 62, 63 protection was a lot different for me than 62, 63 is here. It takes me a while to snap into the new chips, so we’re all learning a new language, but he’s picking it up fast.

JA: The big buzz this offseason has been “Protect Matt Ryan.” What do you see as the things that need to occur between now and the first game against Kansas City in order to ensure that happens?

PH: Fundamental work. I term it as being a swing coach. Tiger Woods has got a swing coach, who works with him on the same swing every day, over and over. Pass protection is learning how to get into a groove and having belief in your fundamentals. There are going to be times when you get beat, but when you get beat, you can’t get away from your fundamentals. You’ve got to step back, clap it off and come back and fundamentally get strong again. That’s the hardest thing about protection, because in the heat of battle, you’re going to get beat once in a while. It’s not going to be perfect every time. How can you snap back and get ready for the next play and put that beside you? There’s some times when even the great golfers have a bad shot every once in a while. We’re gonna have some bad shots, and when we have a bad shot, how do we recover and get to the next one. That’s what I’m concerned about.

JA: You inherit a guy here who seems like he’d be a gem for a new coach at any position in Todd McClure, who has seen his share of turnover in his NFL career. How much do you lean on a guy like that when you, yourself, are learning as much as the players you’re teaching?

PH: He’s a true pro. That guy’s got a wealth of knowledge. I’ll admit: as a new guy coming in — in the NFL, the more familiar you are with the personnel, the better you are. I don’t have a familiarity with any of the defensive personnel. When I was (the offensive line coach) in Cleveland, after one year, I knew the personnel in the league. I forced myself and said, ‘When I’m here, I’ve got to learn the personnel.’ So, right now, when we’re getting ready for a game plan, the first question you’ve got to ask is: Can you handle this guy? What kind of guy is this? Heck, I’m fine with that, just as long as we get it done as a joint effort, and when you’ve got a guy like Todd McClure and Tyson Clabo and JB (Justin Blalock) and those guys that have been through the wars, anything they can contribute, you’d be a fool not to listen.

Jay Adams: A lot of the talk this offseason has been about the idea that Matt Ryan has really bulked up and spent some significant time in the weight room. Have you noticed a change in him?

Glenn Thomas: Yeah, that has been an emphasis for him. It isn’t something necessarily that we have put on him personally. I think he feels that he would play good at a little heavier weight. Maybe from an endurance standpoint throughout the season, he’ll be able to hold up and take some of the hits and move around, maybe break a tackle here and there might benefit him. There’s some credibility to it increasing arm strength with a little bit of added bulk, but from what we see right now, he’s throwing it well. He’s always thrown it well — we know that — so that’s not the issue, but (strength) is an emphasis for him. When he gets his mind set on something, that’s what he’s going to do. As long as he feels like he’s comfortable with that weight and can play productively at that weight, then it sounds good to me.

JA: A lot of people don’t know that you’ve been in the building ever since Matt stepped foot into team headquarters. In this new position, how much does that continuity help both of you?

GT: Oh, I think it’s been huge. Hopefully, it’s helped (offensive coordinator) Dirk (Koetter) with the transition to the new offense. We talk the same language. We can revert back to years past — plays, situations. That helps Matt connect to a new scheme. Up in the meetings, Dirk’s like, “Well, how did we do this in years past? How do we coach this? What are the teaching points?” and I think (the continuity) makes that transition a little smoother that I know the coaching points and what Matt’s thinking, what he’s used to seeing, what he’s used to reacting to.

JA: How much does what you do change with the new position with, of course, the added responsibility of overseeing a position group, but also with a new offensive coordinator?

GT: I think that’s probably a big part of what my responsibility is: How do I convey to Dirk what Matt’s expecting, what he’s thinking, what he likes, what he’s good at? I think that’s a big part of what is expected of me being here for the last few years. It seems to be that it has been helpful to Dirk. It has been helpful in the transition. Dirk’s been great with the fact that he’s just removed himself a little bit and let me go and when he has something to interject, he interjects and we’ve worked good like that.

JA: Chris Redman has obviously been around the team for a while now. John Parker Wilson seems like he’s coming into a make-or-break time as far as competing for the No. 2 spot. How do you view both of those guys today?

GT: As you know, those guys have been together for several years now, so the room itself is awesome. Anything goes. They’re going to crack on each other and have fun and all that, but they’re supportive of each other. They understand the situation. Everybody’s trying to get reps and so forth. They’re playing good. Schematically, they’re helping each other for what to see — “If you make a mistake here, this is what I saw” — so they’re both, JP and Red, doing a good job of being supportive of each other, and they’ve been playing good.

JA: And how are you handling the fact that Chris Redman (born Aug. 7, 1977) is older than you (born Sept. 22, 1977)?

GT: (Laughs) Well, I’ll tell you, JP and Matt take care of that for the most part. Yeah, they probably give a daily reminder to Red that he is older and he’s got me by a couple of months. They take care of the dirty work for me.

Jay Adams: Let’s start out with Sean Weatherspoon. He’s a guy, when he was brought in, that is turning into what he was meant to be. Have you seen a major progression in him since his rookie year?

Glenn Pires: Yeah, I think he’s a guy that, as he gets more experience and more reps and experiences different things, he really learns. He’s a one-time guy. He gets it one time and he’s off and running. His assets are his speed — he’s an explosive guy — and once he gets it, he gets it. In terms of what you’re saying, yes, because every time we get a new play, a new experience, a new route, he learns it — bang! — and now he’s rolling.

JA: Without Mike Peterson in the mix and with Curtis Lofton leaving in the offseason, do you see Sean stepping up more as a vocal leader?

GP: Yeah, and I think he had that last year, too. I think we could definitely feel that a year ago, but the good news is, now it’s other guys, as well. It’s not just him. Now it’s Akeem Dent, Robert James, Spencer Adkins, Lofa Tatupu — all those guys are now going to come together and they’re going to see Sean as a leader at some point, but they’re a good group. They all work together.

JA: Because you’ve got such a young group as a whole, does that make Lofa Tatupu’s experience that much more valuable?

GP: I think so, yeah. And he’s really embraced that. He’s a great guy. He’s like a coach on the sideline and he knows the value of helping everybody. That’s going to make everyone better. He’s a good, good veteran that way.

JA: The battle between Lofa and Akeem for the middle linebacker spot is going to be a fun one to watch. Do you see that going through camp?

GP: It’s going to be one, and I think it’s going to be a very healthy battle. We’ve got two quality guys. We’ve got two team guys, and however it goes, they’re going to work together through the whole process, and that’s what’s very healthy about it.

JA: You evaded it all year last year and even had the group chase you through the locker room, so the question is: Will we see you on D-Block this year?

GP: Well, I’m doing this interview with you now, which is probably one of the last ones you’re going to have for the whole year, so I like to be low key (laughing). My theory is to let them do all the talking.

Jay Adams: During these stages of the offseason, do you get a sense of where things stand at the positions as we head into training camp?

Dirk Koetter: One of Coach Smith’s main goals of minicamp and OTAs is to expose the team to everything they’re going to see in training camp, so they don’t have anything that they’re surprised by in training camp. I think ‘mission: accomplished’ on that. We exposed them to all the drills we’re going to use, all the situations we’re going to use, plays for situations, plays against different defenses — so from that standpoint, they’re progressing as they should be.

JA: When Coach Smith first approached you about the offensive coordinator position here, what did you think about the talent you’d have to work with?

DK: Well, from afar, obviously, it’s impressive. At Jacksonville, we had played Atlanta in the preseason. We had scrimmaged against Atlanta the last two years. At that time, I was probably more familiar with the personnel on defense than I was on offense, but I was impressed with the talent.

JA: You get a veteran quarterback in Matt Ryan, who has really progressed over the past few years. Now that you’ve been here a few months, what’s your assessment of where he is in his career?

DK: The thing that jumps out at me is Matt’s experience. He’s been game-tested, so he knows how fast things have to happen. You don’t have to go through that as you would, say, a rookie quarterback, and then Matt’s work ethic and leadership are the things that really jump out at me. He obviously has the skills to be here, or he wouldn’t be here, but the way he works on the field and off the field, in the classroom and in the weight room, and then his leadership — the way he sets the tone with the guys on offense — is what really jumps out at me.

JA: When you’ve got a combination like Roddy White and Julio Jones, does that change anything? Do you ever go back to the drawing board and figure something out just for them?

DK: Sure, it would be tempting to do that, but the defensive coordinators in the NFL, every play that’s ever been run, you’ve got guys that have seen it all — Mike Nolan on our staff, Coach Smith when he was a defensive coordinator. I think the thing, when you have top-flight receivers like we do, is that you don’t have to say it’s about trickery; it’s about execution, and when you have good guys, you just need to go out and be able to execute. It doesn’t have to be tricky plays, but basic plays, you’ve got guys that can win one-on-one.

JA: Throughout your pro career and college career, you’ve never been shy about putting points up on the board. The Falcons have, at times, dealt with stalling out in the red zone in recent years. What’s your approach to red-zone scoring and getting the ball where it obviously needs to be?

DK: In the NFL, if you follow it, when you get in the red zone, offensively your goal is to get 60 percent touchdowns inside the red zone. If you do that, you’re going to be top 5 in the NFL in touchdown scoring percentage. You’re not going to be able to score every time, but once you get down there, you want to finish with touchdowns, not settle for field goals, not turn it over. Your approach, your philosophy, building up to that, the plays that you use to attack the defenses that are up that week — that’s what you’re looking for: to try to have touchdowns on Sunday.

Jay Adams: In the earlier stages of the offseason, what are some of the things you look for out of your players and how much was that time used to acquaint yourself with the personnel you’ve got to work with?

Mike Nolan: First off, what I’d like to see out of them is a lot of energy, and there is energy. There’s always excitement, I think, in a new system. Outside of that, the thing I think that both groups — the players and the coaches — are always working on at this time is trust in one another. The players are working on the trust around them, and so are the coaches. It’s kind of a deep topic, but at the same time, that’s going on 24/7. If the guys can really trust the things around them and the scheme, it helps them be a good player, which is what they’re learning right now. They buy into it a little bit more. At some point, hopefully they take ownership of it and then it really takes off, but in these early stages, you’re just trying to get them to learn the system, learn the language and in the process, build a lot of trust and accountability among all the players.

JA: I’ve heard a couple of veteran players remark already that they’re able to get your system down to the point where they’re able to play it fast. How much, as a player, does feeling confident in a system go into playing in a way that is almost instinctual?

MN: I think it’s really key. It’s vital to being really good. There’s a lot of good schemes in the NFL, but if the guys don’t execute it fast and they’re thinking about it and all that stuff, then you might have a good bag of tricks but it’s not working because there’s too much thinking going on. You have to get it to the point where, first off, you have to simplify the teaching. You can’t have 10 different words for the same thing and you can’t have words mean absolutely nothing. There has to be that to play fast, so I’d like to think it’s that, but again, it’s a process. There’s some things we play faster than other right now because they’ve done them maybe before, but there’s some new things we need to play fast that, in the process, that’s really our goal through all these OTAs and training camp and minicamp. To be honest with you, some teams don’t gel until the middle of the season. I’ve been a part of those several times and that’s just the way it is. But as we all know, we’re trying to finish the race good as much as start it, but the finish is the important thing. But I think you can get to that point a lot quicker — what I mean is get to that experience, play fast, play quick — if it’s easy to learn and we’re teaching it right, they’re studying it, learning it and we have good players.

JA: How would you describe your personel style on coaching pro athletes as someone who has been around them for most of your life?

MN: Coaching is parenting. It really is, and if the players know you love them and you’re trying to give them the best, you can have any style you want. But if they know you love them, they pretty much buy what you’re giving them, but if they think you’re selfish or if they think what you’re doing is covering your own tail and they see you don’t support them and things like that, they don’t buy it. I don’t care how nice you are, how mean you are, how loud you are, how quiet you are. I think young people really see that, so in my opinion, they’ve got to know you care but that’s not one day, two days — that’s a process. It’s no different than us with the players. There’s certain players I feel I can trust better than others. They all have their different personalities, but I’ve got to know that they’re buying in so I can give them more, and if they’re not, then I’ve got to know why it is. If it’s my fault they’re not buying in or a coach’s fault, we’ve got to get that corrected, meaning if that guy doesn’t trust that coach, then something’s not gelling on that thing. Like I said, coaching is parenting, in my opinion, 100 percent, and they need to know you love them. I’ve seen guys just cuss players unmercifully and think, ‘Oh, my God,’ but the player just knows it’s a bunch of hot air and they know that coach supports them and loves them, and they buy it so it doesn’t bother them. But I’ve seen some other guys use some language and they kind of go, ‘Hey, Coach, you’re not going to do that to me,’ so it has to do with the relationship between the two. That’s one thing all my year’s have taught me and that’s really true.

JA: You said back when you were hired by the Falcons that you’d rather have 10 guys with four sacks than four guys with 10 sacks. How do you put players in the position to have that kind of success across the board, and do you feel like you have the personnel here to do that?

MN: I don’t know. That’s something I can’t answer. That’s one of the things that, while they’re learning about me, I’m learning about them, too. But I’ll take either one. That’s what scheme’s all about. Scheme is second; players are first, and the scheme you use needs to utilize your players. Some guys can pressure and you want to use them; some guys aren’t very good blitzers. Some guys are better at covering, some guys are better at man — everybody has a bit of a strength, and if you stick them all in a box and say they can or can’t do this or that, that can be a mistake also, so it’s real important that you identify guys properly and the better you do that, and the better you do using the scheme, which is nothing more than a bunch of tools, then you put together a pretty good deal. Like I’ve said, it’s a process all the time. There’s things I feel better about today than I did two months ago, but in two months from now, I should feel a little bit better, as well. I’m hoping, anyhow, as long as the guys stay the same. Injuries and a lot of stuff comes into play, but it’s a process and it’s fun. They learn and get better, and so do we.

JA: Sean Weatherspoon in his first two years has really come a long way. In your short time that you’ve been around him, what do you see as the ceiling for him and how much more growing does he have left to do?

MN: He’s a good player now, but he could be a lot better than he is. And he will be. No question, because he loves football and he’s exciting to watch and he’s a play-maker, for all those reasons. But he’s done well, but he can still do a lot better. I’m not just saying that because that’s the blanket statement for people, but as I’m watching him, he’s got a lot of upside, so as much good as you’ve seen, he’s got a lot of good in there going forward. Primarily, what I see is a guy who just loves to play, but in the new system, he’s still trying to learn the language and things like that, so there’s some way to go, but he’ll find it very friendly and I think he already does see, down the road, how exciting it can be in this system, because a lot of guys have benefitted from it. He’s got what it takes to get there. It takes a little bit of time, but like I said, he’s already a good player. It’s one thing when a guy’s not very good and you’re just hoping to get him to the point where he can just get on the field. He’s already on the field and he’s been a good player, so you’re just looking for him to make some strides where he can be a guy that, in some cases, wins the game for you.

While there are some great and deserving names on his list, there could be an argument that one Falcon was overlooked. Linebacker Akeem Dent, in his rookie year, proved to be not only a solid special-teamer, but one of the more accomplished in the league.

Dent’s 19 special teams tackles in 2011 was tied for second-highest in Falcons history. The most was turned in by Artie Ulmer in 2002, and Jason Snelling sat alone in second with 19 in 2008 until Dent came along.

Dent was also third in the league in special teams tackles last season, behind Seattle’s Heath Farwell (21) and Minnesota’s Eric Frampton (20), neither of which made Brandt’s list either.

That’s especially true after the addition of veteran safety Chris Hope over the weekend, who will come in and likely provide some much needed depth at the safety position.

Much like when the Falcons added vet James Sanders — a Super Bowl champ himself with the Patriots early in his career — last year during the preseason, Hope will bring with him a wealth of experience from which the Falcons’ relatively young safeties will draw from.

A former Pro Bowler with Tennessee and Super Bowl winner with Pittsburgh in 2005, Hope is in a position to not only boost what the Falcons already have at safety but provide an experienced shoulder to lean on for William Moore and Thomas DeCoud, as well as rookie safety Charles Mitchell, who was drafted in April.

With 20 interceptions in his career, Hope is certainly no stranger to asserting himself at that position, which begs the question: Can he vie for a starting spot with all things being equal in training camp?

The current strong safety position is filled by Moore, who has had a stranglehold on the job since earning it in 2010 over then-starter Erik Coleman. Last year, Sanders came in and earned a starting nod in place of DeCoud early in the season, but DeCoud earned the spot back before the two platooned at the position.

While Hope’s role with the Falcons has yet to truly be determined, it’s important to remember the mantra that is repeated day-in and day-out during training camp: Competition breeds success.

And while Hope is in the second half of his career, a safety with his credentials certainly seems like he’d bring quite a bit of competition with him to camp — which is great for all the Falcons’ safeties.

What say you?

The Falcons’ wide receiving unit is one that gets its fair share of the spotlight, with the combination of Roddy White and Julio Jones being one of the best in the NFL. But every spot on the Falcons’ 53-man roster is crucial, and the open void left by Weems’ departure is one Robiskie is focused on filling.

With a roster filled with candidates, Robiskie certainly has his pick. Two in particular — Kevin Cone and Drew Davis — would seem to be the likely favorites after spending a year on the practice squad in 2011, but college free agents James Rodgers, Michael Calvin, Marcus Jackson and Kenny Stafford can’t be overlooked.

“We’ve got to find someone who can step up and be Eric Weems,” Robiskie said. “Somebody here was Eric Weems before Eric Weems, so we’ve got to have somebody that wants to step up with the group I have. Somebody’s got to step up and say, ‘Hey, Coach. Eric Weems left. I know what he did, I know the contribution he made and what a good player he was. Coach, I want that job.’

“Whichever one of my guys is going to do that through… training camp and preseason games, he’ll be the guy that’ll have that spot.”

Robiskie doesn’t expect this decision to be made lightly. In fact, he said he expects the battle for that final wide receiver spot going all the way through 2012 Russell Athletic Training Camp and the entire preseason.

Cone, who was a late addition to the Falcons’ training camp roster in 2011, took the opportunity presented to him last year and ran with it. A wide receiver from an option-happy Georgia Tech offense, Cone caught just five passes in his college career before earning a spot on the Falcons’ practice squad before eventually making his way to the 53-man roster for the final game of the regular season and the wild-card matchup against the Giants.

Davis was another college free agent last season who turned in an impressive training camp to earn a practice squad spot. The Oregon product honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors and was a co-recipient of the Todd Doxey Award, given to the Oregon player who exemplifies the traits of dedication associated with being an outstanding teammate as a senior. He caught 42 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns in 2010 and helped lead the Ducks to the BCS National Championship Game. In four seasons in with the Ducks, Davis appeared in 46 games and caught 73 passes for 823 yards with six touchdowns.

With Robiskie expecting the preseason to be the proving ground for his younger wide receivers, Davis said he’s putting a lot of emphasis on making the most of those four exhibition games to impress Robiskie — as well as special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong.

“I do, because most people don’t get a chance to play in the season, so the preseason is a chance to prove yourself not only on offense, but on special teams, too. That’s where you’re getting evaluated a lot, too. Going in there, making sure you’re popping up on film — whether it’s offense, special teams or just making sure you’re in the film when the game ends is most important.”

Built most like Weems and a darkhorse candidate for kick and punt return duties, Rodgers — brother of Falcons running back Jacquizz Rodgers — finished his career as one of the greatest receivers and all-purpose players in Oregon State history. He established a school record with 222 career receptions, including an OSU record 91 catches in 2009. He also set the Oregon State career record with 6,377 all-purpose yards and is the first player in OSU history with 1,000 yards rushing and 2,000 yards receiving.

Calvin’s college career at Cal was derailed by a knee injury, which dropped him on the depth chart, but he’s capable of putting up solid numbers with a 6-2, 210-pound frame.

Jackson, a product of Lamar University in the Southland Conference, is the first player out of its football program to reach the NFL since the school reinstituted the sport two years ago. He caught 65 passes for 1,159 yards and 14 touchdowns during his two seasons at Lamar.

Stafford, out of Toledo, was a tryout invite during the Falcons’ rookie minicamp in May. He caught 21 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown in 2011 at Toledo.

Mike Nolan thinks so. The new defensive coordinator has only been around Weatherspoon for a few months and has yet to coach him on a Sunday, but in his early assessment of the third-year linebacker, Nolan sees the ceiling for Weatherspoon as very, very high.

“He’s a good player now, but he could be a lot better than he is. And he will be,” Nolan told AtlantaFalcons.com. “No question, because he loves football and he’s exciting to watch and he’s a play-maker, for all those reasons. But he’s done well, but he can still do a lot better. I’m not just saying that because that’s the blanket statement for people, but as I’m watching him, he’s got a lot of upside, so as much good as you’ve seen, he’s got a lot of good in there going forward.”

Nolan went on to note that Weatherspoon should find, and has already found, Nolan’s system to be very conducive to his style of play, saying that Weatherspoon is seeing how exciting the scheme can be.

It’s rare to see Weatherspoon on the field without a smile on his face or a song at the ready to sing at the top of his lungs, and that’s one of the biggest things about Weatherspoon that Nolan has been impressed with. His love for the game and excitement to be on the field leads Nolan to believe that Weatherspoon can be formed into a player that, down the road, can be the difference in games.

“It’s one thing when a guy’s not very good and you’re just hoping to get him to the point where he can just get on the field,” Nolan said. “He’s already on the field and he’s been a good player, so you’re just looking for him to make some strides where he can be a guy that, in some cases, wins the game for you.”

American football, Palmer says, is the fastest growing sport in Eastern Europe and the city he visited during his trip — Kraljevo — has only been playing the sport for the past five years, three of which were without pads because they didn’t have them.

The two three-day camps Palmer and his crew held in Serbia were highly attended by the locals, with 50 people showing up for the first camp and 70 for the second.

“It was very rewarding,” Palmer said. “We’re already talking about going back next year and making the camp even bigger and maybe even bringing a couple more over there with us to teach even more football. I really can’t say enough of how awesome of a trip it was.”

It wasn’t just the enthusiasm about the sport in a war-torn country that Palmer came across that changed him; it was also many of the experiences away from the field.

Barely two decades out of communism, Serbia still shows many of the effects of war and atrocities that became commonplace during a tumultuous 20th century. Palmer visited a monument located at a mass grave left by Nazis during the 1940s where 1,000 Serbs were murdered and marble tree stumps, symbolizing life cut short, now dot the landscape.

He saw a coliseum where people in the city of Kraljevo were forced to go and chant for dictator Josip Broz Tito and if they refused, they were killed on the spot.

Outside of town, he visited a gypsy village located on the skirt of a junk yard. When a dump truck would come by to drop off a load, the village would bee-line for the dump to dig through the garbage.

But through all that, there was so much positive that Palmer took from the trip. He took note of how and what the Serbs value and, by the end of the trip, found himself envying their simple lifestyle and rich values.

“We get going and we work and work and work, and it’s all about material things, making enough money and all these things,” Palmer said. “These people truly have it figured out. When you die, you don’t take that stuff with you. It’s the lasting relationships that you had here on Earth. Those are some of the big things we took away from it.”

But Palmer brought just as much to them. Along with bringing a touch of the NFL to a country that is becoming rabid for the sport, Palmer left with his new friends his faith. When Palmer was thinking about colleges years ago, he had one offer — from Clemson. He took it with the confidence that he’d prove himself enough to earn a trip to the NFL one day.

When his college career ended, the NFL Draft came and went without his name being called. He got a call from the Falcons and an invite to 2010 training camp and made the 53-man roster despite the long odds. Through the whole process, Palmer drew on his favorite Bible verse — Jeremiah 29:11, “that says God says that he knows the plans he has for me and to give me a future and hope and not to harm me. I began to really trust in Him then,” Palmer said.

“I’m going into my third year now, which is kind of hard to believe,” he said, “but it’s something that’s definitely huge for me and I can say I wouldn’t be where I am now today without it.”

Exactly what he tried to instill in those he came across in Serbia.

Below are photos Palmer took during his trip.

From left to right: Josh Hepner (missionary in Serbia), Srdjan Cosic (president of the Royal Crowns football team in Serbia), Cecil Flowe (head football coach at Parkview High School), Eric Godfree (head coach at Loganville High School), Mark Whitley (athletic director and defensive line coach at Parkview High School), Richard King (discipleship pastor), Greg Slattery (offensive line coach at Camden County High School), Michael Palmer, David Brown (played DB/WR at Parkview High School with Palmer).

The gypsy village Palmer visited near the dump site.

The mass grave monument in Kraljevo

A view of the Serbian countryside

Naturally, the position isn’t exactly written about all the time. A good punter is like a good offensive lineman: You only hear about him if he’s suddenly not so good, and if he’s good, he might as well be invisible.

When a team spends a draft pick on a punter, however, that pressure has got to increase exponentially.

Matt Bosher — drafted by the Falcons in the sixth round in 2011 out of Miami — posted some rough early results in 2011, with punting averages ranging in the low-to-mid 30s, and it didn’t take long for fans to call for Bosher to get the boot.

With the lockout last year canceling OTAs and minicamp, Bosher — like most rookies — was affected immensely, but special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong thinks it was the No. 1 reason why the rookie punter was slow out of the gate.

“He would have liked to avoid a slow start last year,” Armstrong told AtlantaFalcons.com, “but he suffered the most from the lack of OTAs and minicamp because we knew there were some things that we needed to address with him, but by the rules, we couldn’t get to him, we couldn’t address his issues, so we had to do it during the season.”

Once Armstrong got Bosher caught up, the effects started to show on the field as Bosher finished the season extremely strong. In the last six games of the regular season, Bosher averaged more than 50 yards per punt in every game except one, when he averaged 47.8.

Bosher finished his rookie season with a 42.7 yards-per-punt average, which put him at No. 30 in the league in the category, but his first portion of the season provided an unbalanced look at Bosher’s potential.

In 2012, Armstrong is looking to avoid the low numbers as he expects Bosher to continue to grow into a reliable leg for the Falcons.

“You’d like to see him start off with the same consistency that he finished the season with,” Armstrong said of Bosher’s progression heading into 2012. “I think he will grow. He’s become more knowledgable about his profession. He’s done a nice job here in the offseason with his work, so I think he’s preparing himself, because he wants to avoid a slow start.”