FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Internally, the expectations for the Atlanta Falcons' offense in 2025 are already super high.

That became clear as the team held its first training camp practice Thursday.

The optimism was expressed directly by multiple players on the unit, so take it from them.

• Right guard Chris Lindstrom: "We have that belief that we can be the best offense."
• Quarterback Michael Penix Jr.: "Potential? We should be the best in the league."
• Right tackle Kaleb McGary: "I'm horribly biased — you're asking an O-linemen — I think we're the best ever."

The Falcons have retained the majority of their starters from last season. The only major difference is that Penix and center Ryan Neuzil are starters from the get-go. Penix isn't going to take that role from Kirk Cousins in Week 16 like last year, nor is Neuzil only going to start eight games while Drew Dalman is injured. Cousins has been named the backup, and Dalman has signed with the Chicago Bears.

In his three starts at quarterback last season, Penix helped the Falcons average 32 points per game, which ranked sixth among offenses from Weeks 16-18. Neuzil started those eight games for Atlanta beginning in Week 4, and the Falcons ranked seventh with 5.9 yards per play with him in the lineup.

So, it is fair to say the Falcons have an idea of what their offense is capable of. They can make predictions on what that means for their future, but they will still have to manifest them on the field. And in the NFL, fortunes can change very quickly — that reminder was served Thursday.

Wide receiver Darnell Mooney took a hard fall when diving to catch a deep ball from Penix during 11-on-11 work. Mooney walked off the field with a trainer, with his helmet in hand, and did not return. No update was provided on Mooney, as Falcons head coach Raheem Morris spoke before practice, but this is something worth keeping in mind as training camp progresses. Especially given the early hopes for the offense.

"I like to just buy into the clean slate and let our guys go out there and kind of define it," Morris said. "It's kind of like when we talk about identity all the time. Those things got to be defined daily. I can tell you what I want it to be, but that may not necessarily be it when you turn on the tape. You want to make sure it is when you turn on the tape. I just look at that, like with the team, I'm really optimistic about the guys, really fired up how they came back, really fired up about what they looked like up until this point, and now we got to go out there and do it."

Open practice count: 1 of 11 | See all dates

Most notable player: Kyle Pitts Sr. The tight end caught both of his passes from Penix during 11-on-11 work. He was also seen toward the end of practice working with his position coach, Kevin Koger, specifically on his blocking. Pitts is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so the former first-round draft pick needs a strong season — and he's off to a strong start.

Say what now: "You'll never find somebody more willing to be paid in all your life," McGary said. McGary is entering the final year of his three-year contract but provided no update beyond that.

Song of the day: Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind (1997). The vibe was all over the place. This opened up the team period, though.

Roll call: Cornerback Kevin King, cornerback Cobee Bryant, inside linebacker Malik Verdon and defensive lineman LaCale London were not seen at practice. Inside linebacker Troy Andersen was also absent, but he was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list before practice.

General observations:

– Happy birthday to wide receiver Drake London. He caught one pass from Penix during the opening series of 11-on-11 work. From a distance, it looked like an impressive contested catch along the left sideline, over cornerback Keith Taylor.

– Penix completed six of his eight pass attempts during 11-on-11 work with the first-team offense. Cousins completed six of seven with the second-team offense. They ran five series, apiece, with their respective units. Quarterback Easton Stick ran the last series but did not throw a pass. He closed out the team period with a rather long run, though.

– The defense was constantly rotating players among the first- and second-team units during 11-on-11 work. Rookie edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. received a significant amount of reps with the starters, while veterans Arnold Ebiketie and Leonard Floyd were with the backups. Of course, that's not set in stone, but it was noticeable early on.

– There were a good amount of drops during position drills, specifically when the quarterbacks threw to their wide receivers and Pitts. It's not concerning right now, considering it was their first practice, but it needs get cleaned up sooner rather than later.

– Wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III was spotted chatting with running backs coach Michael Pitre. It seemed as though they were going over footwork, perhaps juke moves. This isn't newsy or anything, but it is always nice to see different position group members mix and mingle for the betterment of the overall team.

– Fans were all over the hill and could be heard throughout practice. They chanted "ATL" during position drills. And during 11-on-11 work, anytime running back Bijan Robinson touched the ball, they reacted with cheers. After catching his last pass from Penix, Robinson finished off his run with a wave to the crowd.

What's next: The Falcons hold their second open practice Saturday at IBM Performance Field. Tickets are already sold out for fans.

Countdown to kickoff: There are 45 days until the Falcons' Week 1 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 7 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | See full schedule