South Atlanta News

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons are on a summer break for the next month. The team held its final offseason practice exactly a week ago and will return to the facility in late July for training camp. An official report-back date has yet to be announced. The Falcons' first preseason game is scheduled for Aug. 9 against the Miami Dolphins.

As the dead period begins and preseason games remain distant, five questions about the team persist.

1. Will quarterback Kirk Cousins remain full-go when contact is allowed?

The Falcons' major free-agent signing came with concerns: Cousins is returning from a torn Achilles tendon sustained in Week 8 of the 2023 season. He has expressed confidence that he'll be ready by training camp since his arrival in Atlanta in March.

Cousins participated fully in all aspects of the Falcons' offseason program, unlike his previous stint with the Minnesota Vikings where even organized team activities were uncertain.

"The second half of the season, the conversation was: What will OTAs look like?" Cousins said. "The answer I got back was, 'We won't put you in the practice reps. It's just not worth it.'"

Atlanta did not hold Cousins back during OTAs. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed that Cousins did everything expected of him.

"I would love to get in and play if we can," Cousins said regarding preseason games.

2. Who will be the other starting cornerback opposite A.J. Terrell?

The Falcons did not select a cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft despite it appearing as an obvious need. Coach Morris and others involved in decision-making expressed confidence in existing options such as Mike Hughes and Clark Phillips III, who shared starting reps alongside Terrell during offseason workouts.

"There's no coasting," secondary coach Justin Hood said. "You become a starter in the NFL... The goal is to still go win football games."

Veterans Kevin King and Antonio Hamilton Sr., both signed during free agency, are also contenders along with rookies Trey Vaval and Jayden Price.

"It's been fun," Hood said about evaluating players during offseason activities.

3. What will defensive tackle Grady Jarrett's workload look like?

Jarrett has been absent since Week 8 of 2023 due to a torn Achilles tendon but aims to participate fully come training camp after undergoing surgery and rehab.

"That's my goal," Jarrett said regarding his participation level at training camp.

His absence last season significantly impacted the team's run defense, which allowed more rushing yards per game after his injury.

"I feel confident going out on the field... make sure I'm in good shape going into Game 1," Jarrett added.

4.How will running back Bijan Robinson be utilized in his second season?

Coach Morris clarified plans for Robinson during minicamp: "get the ball to Bijan as much as you can."

Robinson led all rookie rushers last season with 214 carries for 976 yards and four touchdowns while catching 58 passes for an additional 487 yards and four touchdowns.

"I'm going to be more of a runner... it's run first," Robinson said about his role this upcoming season, drawing comparisons to San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey according to Morris.

5.What will the new kickoff format look like in a game setting?

The NFL has revamped its kickoff rules significantly, creating uncertainty until live action occurs.

"I think it's going to change a lot because it's bringing the play back to life," special teams coordinator Marquice Williams said.

The new format involves different positioning rules which could lead to more plays, accumulated yards, and points.

"It's going to create so much more value for our players... it's going to create more points in the game," Williams added.