DEPTH CHART: Edwards to play vs. Ravens

Atlanta Falcons center Joe Hawley (61) and guard Mike Johnson (79) block defensive tackle Trey Lewis (97) and defensive tackle Vance Walker (99) during NFL football training camp in Flowery Branch, Ga., Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Hawley is set to open the season as the starting center after Todd McClure had right knee surgery on Monday. (AP Photo/Paul Abell)

BY CHRIS VIVLAMORE 

FLOWERY BRANCH — With two starting positions still up for grabs, several players will get more playing time in Thursday finale than would normally be the case in an exhibition finale. The biggest competition continues to be for the starting right guard position between Garrett Reynolds and Mike Johnson.

Falcons coach Mike Smith said he expects Johnson to get more snaps this week. Johnson missed the exhibition opener with concussion symptoms and the coaching staff is trying to get an equal look at each player against the opposing first-team defense.

“There are certain competitions that we need to continue to evaluate because at this point we don’t really have clear-cut winners on who will be the starters,” Smith said.

Christopher Owens and Dominique Franks are battling for the nickel back spot.

MORE TIME FOR EDWARDS: Another player who could see extended time Thursday is defensive end Ray Edwards. The free-agent signee made his exhibition debut against the Steelers after missing the first two games following offseason knee surgery.

Defensive end Ray Edwards (l) will get some more action against the Ravens. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

“That is something we would like to do in terms of getting him up to speed,” Smith said of Edwards’ anticipated playing time. “I thought that there were some things that Ray did very well [in his debut]. It’s hard to judge the first game back. You can see his explosiveness. It was first-game rust that you see on all the guys and that’s why we’d like to get him some more snaps this week.”

Here’s the depth chart that was released by the team for the Ravens’ game (I tweaked it and added James Sanders, No. 2 behind William Moore for now. –dol):

OFFENSE

WR 11 Julio Jones 83 Harry Douglas 14 Eric Weems 15 Andy Strickland

                                                                 12 Kevin Cone

LT 72 Sam Baker 65 Jose Valdez

LG 63 Justin Blalock 69 Andrew Jackson 68 Paul Fenaroli

C  61 Joe Hawley 66 Brett Romberg 67 Rob Bruggeman 64 Ryan McMahon (Todd McClure injured)

RG 75 Garrett Reynolds 79 Mike Johnson

RT 77 Tyson Clabo 74 Will Svitek 66 Matt Murphy

TE 88 Tony Gonzalez 89 Reggie Kelly 81 Michael Palmer 85 Marquez Branson

86 Ryan Winterswyk

WR 84 Roddy White 80 Kerry Meier 17 Brandyn Harvey

19 Drew Davis 

00908 Flowery Branch; Former Atlanta Falcons center Jeff Van Note, left, and current Falcons center Todd McClure, right, are shown after Falcons practice at Falcons training camp Wednesday afternoon in Flowery Branch, Ga., Sept. 8, 2010. McClure is the current Falcons center who broke the team record for consecutive starts when Atlanta opened at Pittsburgh last season. Jeff Van Note is the Falcons Ring of Honor center who started 225 games. Jason Getz jgetz@ajc.com

QB

2 Matt Ryan 8 Chris Redman 4 John Parker Wilson 13 Adam Froman

 

RB 33 Michael Turner 44 Jason Snelling 27 Gartrell Johnson 35 Antone Smith

22 Jacquizz Rodgers

FB 34 Ovie Mughelli 42 Lucas Cox

DEFENSE

RE 55 John Abraham 90 Lawrence Sidbury 98 Cliff Matthews 96 Emmanuel Stephens

DT 91 Corey Peters 99 Vance Walker 97 Trey Lewis 73 Carlton Powell

DT 95 Jonathan Babineaux 94 Peria Jerry 76 Kiante Tripp

LE 93 Ray Edwards 71 Kroy Biermann 92 Chauncey Davis 70 Tom McCarthy

OLB 56 Sean Weatherspoon 59 Spencer Adkins 51 Robert James 49 Youri Yenga

MLB 50 Curtis Lofton 52 Coy Wire 43 Akeem Dent 45 Bear Woods

OLB 54 Stephen Nicholas 53 Mike Peterson

RCB 23 Dunta Robinson 21 Chris Owens 26 Kamaal McIlwain

LCB 20 Brent Grimes 24 Dominique Franks 29 Darrin Walls

SS 25 William Moore James Sanders (DOL projection on JS/Not from team.) 36 Rafael Bush 38 Rafael Priest 30 Matt Hansen

FS 28 Thomas DeCoud 39 Shann Schillinger 41 Suaesi Tuimaunei

SPECIALISTS

K 3 Matt Bryant

KO 5 Matt Bosher

P 5 Matt Bosher

KR 14 Eric Weems 83 Harry Douglas

PR 14 Eric Weems 83 Harry Douglas

LS 82 Joe Zelenka

H 5 Matt Bosher 80 Kerry Meier

–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog

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