FLOWERY BRANCH, GA — There were more players added to the walking wounded on the sideline of Saturday's mock game at the Falcons training facility.
After Friday night's scrimmage at North Gwinnett High School — the first time live full-contact has been seen by the Falcons this preseason — several players came away hurt.
Perhaps most notable of the new group of injured is veteran wide receiver Michael Jenkins, who went down Friday night with a shoulder injury. Head coach Mike Smith said he doesn't know the extent of the injury yet and was hoping to find out more this afternoon.
For Curtis Lofton, William Moore and Andy Strickland, it was just a matter of getting them some rest.
"A bruised thigh, an ankle, something that we just think the guys need a day's rest before we get back to work on Monday," Smith said. "We're going to try and get most of those guys back."
Thomas Johnson had a boot on his right foot as he walked out to practice Saturday and has not practiced the past two days. Smith said he has something going on with his Achilles.
Rookie tight end Michael Palmer left during Saturday's practice and Smith said he didn't know what the injury was or how severe it is.
Anderson gives back: Jamaal Anderson spent a considerable amount of time with a group of young men on the field after Saturday's mock game. Anderson invited the football team from the Alabama School for the Deaf to attend practice, and then hang out with him and some of his teammates after the mock game.
Anderson, whose father is deaf, talked with the players through sign language and gave out some autographs before heading out of camp for the rest of the day.
"It felt really good to get these guys out here," Anderson said. "A lot of players were out here like, 'How are they able to play football?' and I was like, 'One thing, when you lose a sense, your other ones pick up,' so that's one thing I know about these guys. They're very intelligent. They're very smart, and it's always good to give back to them."
Not so Coy: Linebacker Coy Wire has a reputation as a bit of a prankster. A video feature on AtlantaFalcons.com called "Nick Cam," where linebacker Stephen Nicholas gives fans a candid look at camp, caught Wire pulling one of his more famous pranks.
Wire has a full wardrobe of Ghille suits, which are mainly used by the military to camouflage soldiers during combat. Wire has one that, when worn, makes him look like a harmless bush.
As his teammates were coming in from a long night at meetings, Wire donned the suit, crouched down and began scaring his teammates as they walked in.
"I've been doing this for years," Wire said. "I used to do it in Buffalo, too. I collect masks, anything I can use to scare people. I have about 12 different masks and my Ghille suit."
When asked if Wire had anything more planned in the near future, he said — with a wry smile on his face — no.
"I'm going to say no and just leave it at that," Wire said. "Put that out there so they can get relaxed a little bit."
