Countdown to Training Camp: Day 4 — Wide Receivers
Roddy White will try to put together his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season.
Birdland – Just four days left to the players report!!!!
This is the seventh of 10 installments in the “COUNTDOWN TO TRAINING CAMP 2010.”
Each morning until Training Camp starts, we’ll take a quick look at a position group before the players report for camp on Thursday. They will hit the field for their first practice next Friday.
We’ve already looked at the defensive line, linebackers, cornerbacks, safeties, offensive line and tight ends.
The wide receivers are up today.
THE REALLY BIG QUESTION: Can Harry Douglas make a comeback after knee surgery and become a threat out of the slot?
Roddy White came up 47 yards short from posting his third consecutive 1,200 yard season. He did amass a career-high 11 touchdowns and went to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.
He will remain the main prong in the passing attack from the wide receiver position.
The under-appreciated Michael Jenkins caught 50 passes last season, but averaged only 2.5 yards after the catch.
Loading ...Veteran Brian Finneran could provide some depth and veteran leadership to the unit.
The team drafted Kerry Meier in the fifth round and then added some rather intriguing undrafted free agents in Brandyn Harvey and Ryan Wolfe.
FIVE GOALS FOR THE WIDE RECEIVERS
Wide receiver Harry Douglas is on schedule to return to the field soon. (Curtis Compton/Ccompton@ajc.com)
1. The entire unit needs to improve on yards after the catch.
2. Someone needs to step forward and become more of a threat in the slot.
3. With all of the attention on White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, there should be room for another receiver to step up and make some big plays.
4. Continue to block well downfield in the run game.
5. Make sure they have their assignments down when the team shifts into its no-huddle attack.
Here’s a look at the wide receivers:
Roddy White: His 11 touchdowns was tied for fourth in the NFL last season.
Harry Douglas: Had a strong rookie season and appeared ready to challenge for a starting spot before suffering a knee injury on the sixth day of training camp last season.
Kerry Meier: The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Meier had a school-record 226 career catches at Kansas.
Michael Jenkins: Had a solid 50-catch season for 635 yards, but only had one touchdown.
Brian Finneran: Veteran route runner, who can also contribute on special teams.
Eric Weems: Served as the punt and kickoff returner last season.
Ryan Wolfe: Keep an eye on him. He’s the Mountain West Conference’s leader in career receptions with 283. He will be competing for the fourth or fifth spots.
Troy Bergeron: He bounced back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster last season.
Tim Buckley: Played quarterback at Alcorn State.
Brandyn Harvey: He’s another player to keep an eye on in training camp. The 6-foot-4 receiver caught 131 passes for 1,835 yards and 11 touchdowns at Villanova.
Andy Strickland: Spent the last two weeks of the season on the practice squad. Starred at Wofford. Was in camp with Jacksonville last year.
Date, Practice Times (public availability)
Friday, July 30 — Practice 8:30 – 10:10 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:25 p.m. (open to the public).
Saturday, July 31 — Practice 8:30 – 10:10 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:50 p.m. (open to the public).
Sunday, August 1 — Practice 9:35 – 10:30 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:55 p.m. (open to the public).
Monday, August 2 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:25 p.m. (closed to the public).
Tuesday, August 3 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 4:40 p.m. (closed to the public).
Wednesday, August 4 — Practice 1:30 – 3:40 p.m. (open to the public).
Thursday, August 5 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:25 p.m. (closed to the public).
Friday, August 6 — Practice 10:15 – 11:55 a.m. (open to the public)
Falcons Allstate All-Access “Friday Night Lights”
Team Scrimmage at North Gwinnett High School – 7:30 p.m. (open to the public)
Saturday, August 7 — Mock Game at Flowery Branch – 12:00 p.m. (open to the public)
Sunday, August 8 — No Practice.
Monday, August 9 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 4:40 p.m. (open to the public). COMBINED PRACTICES WITH JACKSONVILLE.
Tuesday, August 10 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:50 p.m. (open to the public). COMBINED PRACTICES WITH JACKSONVILLE.
Wednesday, August 11 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (closed to the public); practice 3:45 – 4:40 p.m. (closed to the public).
Thursday, August 12 — Practice 8:50 – 10:55 a.m. (closed to the public); practice 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. (closed to the public).
Friday, August 13 — Preseason Week 1 vs. Kansas City 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 14 –No Practice.
Sunday, August 15 — Practice 9:30 – 11:35 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:25 p.m. (open to the public).
Monday, August 16 — Practice 8:30 – 10:40 a.m. (closed to the public); practice 3:45 – 4:40 p.m. (closed to the public).
Tuesday, August 17 — Practice 8:30 – 10:55 a.m. (open to the public); practice 3:45 – 5:35 p.m. (open to the public). COMBINED PRACTICES WITH NEW ENGLAND.
Wednesday, August 18 — Practice 10:15 – 11:35 a.m. (closed to public).
Thursday, August 19 — Preseason Week 2 vs. New England 8 p.m.
Friday, August 20 — No Practice.
Saturday, August 21 — 9:30 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. (closed to the public); 3:45 p.m. – 5:25 p.m. (closed to the public).
Sunday, August 22 — 9:35 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (closed to the public)
Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
161 comments Add your comment
FalconsFan284
July 26th, 2010
9:42 pm
Poor hiram—–What was said was, “Seen went to the bathroom and you came out.” I just compared you to excrement!
hiramsaint
July 26th, 2010
10:01 pm
yeah – but you had to be there watching him take a dump – that really gross dude.. thats a bad habit , watching men in the bathroom. you probably shouldn’t posting your personal life on a blog bein’ a mayor and all
FalconsFan284
July 26th, 2010
10:20 pm
Hiram—-You did exactly what I said you would do. You couldn’t talk football so you had to attempt a personal attack. It would be funny if you weren’t so pathetic! You have my sympathy. I know you have nothing to offer in way of conversation. You know you have nothing. LOL!
But since you want to really know, I’ll tell you. Seen went to the bathroom, then walked out and said, “You all should see what I just did!” Then a few seconds later you walked out and he said, “See, it’s huge!” Then you smiled with that sweet corn grin of yours and said, “I sure am BIG!!!!”
BTW there are dentists that can clean up some of that tartar build up. They just may not want to work on someone that smells like you! I can’t really blame them either!
Ken Strickland
July 26th, 2010
10:31 pm
HIRANSAINT-How is it you can find everything I said about your beloved AINTS so laughable, when everything I said about them was factual? Are you really laughing at the futulity of your own DEF? If so, I can understand you laughing to keep from crying. None of you AINT fans have addressed a single issue that I’ve brought, or answered a single question that I’ve asked.
Let’s see if you’re laughing when we go to New Orleans and whip the bayou out of your beloved AINTS. And we’re going to do it by destroying that sorry excuse for a DEF, that’s gotten even sorrier than last yrs DEF. You see, we proved down the stretch last yr that we can stop the run. Over the last 7gms, we were the NFL’s most dominant run DEF.
Do you really think one of your UFA OLB’s will replace the production of former OLB SFujita, or DE ABrown will improve upon former DE CGrant’s production? Do you honestly believe FS DSharper and DE CSmith will come close to duplicating last yrs production?
The high flying Falcon OFF is going to dominate the clock and your sorry DEF.
MaxxFalcon
July 27th, 2010
1:01 am
Michael Jenkins had a HORRIBLE year last year. See ATL vs NYG last year, he was terrible, cost us the game with his lack of concentration and bad hands. He looked like he was turning the corner in 2009, which is why he was rewarded with a new contract, and then he promptly took many steps back in 2009 and was much more of a liability than a weapon
MaxxFalcon
July 27th, 2010
1:02 am
*looked like he was turning the corner in 2008*
hiramsaint
July 27th, 2010
5:32 am
ken – so dominant that you missed the playoffs? the jets can show you a dominant d and we won the super bowl so it really is a useless argument your putting up. the jets laid off for an already locked po birth and y’all barely squeaked a win in a meaningless game . your nowhwere man.
Ken Strickland
July 27th, 2010
5:36 am
MAXXFALCON-How can you say MJenkins had a horrible season when he caught 50 passes after he went from the #2 to #3 receiving option when we added TE TGonzalez? You had to expect him to get fewer passes thrown his way, which would automatically lead to him getting fewer receptions.
You and others might want more from him in certain areas, but the circumstances just didn’t allow it to happen, although some of it was surely his fault. Check the NFL stats and see how many #3 WR’s managed to catch 50 passes, and you’ll see they played in a pass happy OFF. The leading receiver for the pass happy Super Bowl AINTS, MColston, had only 70 receptions last yr. Their 2nd leader in receptions had 51, only one more than MJenkins, our #3 receiving option.
JUST TRYING TO PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE.
Sid
July 27th, 2010
11:13 am
I said it before and want to make sure you are listening……………..Kerry Meier will be a taller version of Steve Largent and catch anything you throw that he can get his hands on.
Mark it down.
Brew Wheeze is going down twice this year……………
FalconsFan284
July 27th, 2010
11:48 am
hiram—-When you tell a lie expect to get called on it. The Jets game was not a meaningless game for the Jets! In fact, following that game, Rex Ryan was quoted as saying he didn’t believe the Jets could make the playoffs any longer. They were in the heat of their playoff chase, no eliminated from it! They did not have their spot secured. They were still trying to catch the Pats for the division crown and the Ravens for the Wild Card. I would tell you to look it up but I know it’s useless.
Your statement just showed everyone here, that reads your garbage, you know nothing about football!
hiramsaint
July 27th, 2010
2:43 pm
i know we won the super bowl ha aha ahh