FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Falcons held their fifth practice of training camp on Tuesday, but it was the first one in which the players donned full pads. This is a pivotal milestone in the camp schedule, because it provides a much more realistic depiction of the team's competition and skill level, especially for the players in the trenches.
Perhaps Falcons defensive line coach Jay Rodgers said it best: "When you put the pads on is when it really starts."
There was an intense level of competition between Atlanta's offensive and defensive line on Tuesday, most notably during the later 11-on-11 sessions. Our beat writer Terrin Waack fleshed out a bit more of the line battles in today’s camp report, but to my eye the offensive line had a solid day. In the full-team periods, they opened up good running lanes for Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Carlos Washington Jr., who has emerged as a player to keep an eye on this preseason.
But the part of practice that I most enjoyed, and therefore will be the primary focus of today's piece, was the 1-on-1 period between pass-catchers and defensive backs at the goal line. At this part of the field, defenders could use their hands for pretty much the entirety of the route, which created a physical atmosphere in a primarily skill-based drill.
Even with the added contact from the defense, I thought the offense once again did well. Here is how things broke down in the drill from my count, and then I'll elaborate a bit further down on specific details I noticed.
- Receiver Drake London won his reps against cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Natrone Brooks.
- Tight end Kyle Pitts also did really well in the drill. He beat safety DeMarcco Hellams three times, using his size and length to his advantage.
- Undrafted rookie wide receiver OJ Hiliare won a rep against safety Richie Grant.
- Receiver Dylan Drummond won his rep against cornerback Anthony Johnson, as did rookie Casey Washington. It wasn't all bad for Johnson, though, as he had a nice pass breakup against Rondale Moore early in the period.
- Receiver Austin Mack won his rep against undrafted rookie corner Trey Vaval.
- Receiver Josh Ali got the better of undrafted rookie corner Jayden Price to secure a nice grab.
- Receiver Darnell Mooney looked smooth against defensive back Harrison Hand and finished his rep with the catch.
- Receiver KhaDarel Hodge, who made a big play later in practice, beat Hughes in the 1-on-1 session.
- In a bit of positive news for the defense, second-year corner Clark Phillips III had a winning rep against Washington. That matchup was one of the more exciting ones.
- Cornerback A.J. Terrell also looked very comfortable defending a pass against receiver Daylen Baldwin on a jump ball to the back corner.
- The highlight of the drill, defensively, came courtesy of veteran corner Antonio Hamilton Sr. Hamilton undercut receiver Chris Blair to intercept a Michael Penix Jr. pass.
It's at this point that I should mention I didn't see every single snap that took place, because it all happens fairly quickly. But the rundown above corroborates my instinct that it was a good day for the offense in this drill as well. A lot of that can be attributed to quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has received glowing reviews from his teammates and coaches so far in camp.
More often than not, Cousins put the ball right where it needed to be on time and with the appropriate amount of touch or pace, whichever the moment called for. His pass to Mooney was particularly noteworthy, as the receiver didn't need to alter his stride or move his hands even the slightest bit to catch a feather-soft ball lofted over his outside shoulder.
The potential for the 2024 season continues to look ever more promising with each Cousins' pass, and that's exactly why the Falcons identified him as the best immediate option.
As for the future, Penix ripped a few nice touchdowns during the drill, but it's clear why the Falcons are content to let him learn behind Cousins. The arm talent is undeniable for the rookie, but Tuesday's drill showed that some development is still needed in the feel for layering the ball in that area of the field.
That's exactly what practice is for, though, and an errant Penix throw is no major cause for concern. He's had plenty of excellent passes in his college career and, more importantly, the right mentality to take growth in stride as a pro.
Besides, Tuesday's session near the end zone was less about the quarterbacks and more a showcase for the new talent the Falcons possess at wide receiver. In that sense, it provided the feeling that this year's group may be more equipped to win individual battles when needed.
