The Falcons suited up on Sunday for another day of 2015 XFINITY Atlanta Falcons Training Camp. Fans were out in numbers to see their favorite players in person.
For the second year in a row, the American Academy of Dermatology is partnered with the Atlanta Falcons to provide free SPOTme skin cancer screenings to all fans.
Pads Go On: The Falcons held a padded practice for the first time this season, and by doing so were able to train with a greater sense of intensity. William Moore, known for his hard-hitting style, was happy to play physical football again.
"I'm glad to be back out here with the pads," he said. "You find out what you got. Everybody can run; that's why we're out here … we have a great physical football team."
Chester Taking on Mentorship Role: Offensive guard Chris Chester, who previously worked with Kyle Shanahan in Washington, was brought on board in part to help his teammates learn the new offense. The 32-year-old's been a helpful teacher thus far, according to right tackle Ryan Schraeder.
"I got to play with (Chester) most of the spring. He just came right in and it was like I played with him for the last couple years," said Schraeder. "We just gel together. He helped me transition to the offense, and he's been great since he's been here."
Clayborn Impresses: Defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn, a first-round pick in 2011, had a productive day. With a lot of depth on the edge, Atlanta chose to move Clayborn inside, and so far, it looks like a good decision. The former Buccaneer excelled during seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills by gaining leverage and eating a lot of space.
"I think it's the initial quickness," Quinn said of Clayborn's greatest strength. "As an inside guy, he's played so much defensive end. Sometimes, when a defensive end moves inside to play tackle, that's where the quickness shows up.
"He may be smaller, but he has that type of explosiveness inside. It's a real unique combination."
Hardy Makes Presence Felt: Justin Hardy stood out in a big way by making a number of catches over the middle. Working mostly with the second-team offense, he proved to be a reliable target on short and intermediate routes — just as he was in college. Matt Ryan continued to praise the rookie receiver during his media scrum.
"Justin Hardy's done a great job coming in as a rookie," the veteran QB said. "He's smart — smart football player. Obviously he had a ton of catches in college … so he knows how to get open. He understands offensive football."
Injury Update: Schraeder was limited as he recovers from a slight muscle strain. He hopes to be a full participant on Monday. Quinn said Moore, who's coming off a shoulder injury, didn't look inhibited at all. Justin Durant was given a scheduled morning off, and Lamar Holmes (PUP list) sat out once again with a broken foot.
