Who Will Surprise Us?:Every XFINITY® Training Camp features a number of players who fare better than many anticipated. Last summer, Mike Person, Robenson Therezie and Ricardo Allen were among those who turned heads. With competition being the central theme of the program, it'll be interesting to see which players propel themselves up the depth chart.
Position Battles to Heat Up: As head coach Dan Quinn mentioned Tuesday, there will be no shortage of positional battles to watch throughout camp. Hotly contested battles will take place at right guard, inside linebacker, tight end and kick/punt returner.
How Will the Rookies Fare?: Quinn has made it clear that Atlanta's first-year players will be given every opportunity to earn a lot of snaps — from first-rounder Keanu Neal to the college free agent signings. Neal's performance will be monitored closely as the No. 17 overall draft pick makes his case for the starting job at strong safety.
Free Agents to Get More Acclimated: Atlanta's free agent signings will use training camp to gain more comfort in the system and familiarize themselves with their new teammates. The Falcons made key additions on both sides of the ball this offseason. Center Alex Mack and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu are expected to thrive in Kyle Shanahan's offense; Derrick Shelby and Sean Weatherspoon could also be impact players in Quinn's defense.
How Will Camp Differ from Last Year?: Quinn's first training camp as head coach was all about change. A new offense and new defense had to be installed, and a fresh, high-energy culture — one fostered by Quinn — was being established. Of course the newcomers will have to get up to speed, but most of the current players and staff understand the playbook and organizational philosophy. This familiarity will allow the team to focus more time on specifics — on the field and in the classroom.
