Open practice count: 2 of 11 | See all dates
Most notable player: David Sills V. The wide receiver caught all three of the passes quarterback Kirk Cousins sent his way, including a deep shot he grabbed over cornerback AJ Terrell Jr.
Say what now: “I would feel safe, but I don’t know about anyone else around us,” Neuzil said when asked whether he’d go bear hunting with McGary.
Song of the day: Sandstorm by Darude (2000). The vibe during warmups and position drills was otherwise rather angsty. During 11-on-11 work, the volume was turned down, likely more so for the fans since the speakers were stationed right between the hill and field.
Roll call: McGary and quarterback Emory Jones were not seen at practice. Jones drew a question mark. However, McGary’s absence didn’t after Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Friday that McGary will have some “modifications” to his routine. McGary was absent from the offseason program due to an ankle injury, but after a scope, said he feels “tremendous.”
— With the absence of Darnell Mooney, who’s missing time due to a shoulder injury, KhaDarel Hodge became the third wide receiver on the first-team offense. Hodge joined Drake London and Ray-Ray McCloud III as Penix’s main targets during 11-on-11 work. DJ Chark, whose signing was announced before practice, was present but very limited in his reps, which makes sense since he did just arrive in Atlanta.
— London had an impressive one-handed catch along the sideline during position drills. A kid on the sideline yelled, “Nice catch!” During 11-on-11 work, though, London struggled. He caught two of his six passes from Penix, but one of those two turned into a fumble. London was visibly frustrated, chucking his helmet after a dropped pass that hit him in the hands.
— Penix overall completed five of his 14 pass attempts. Cousins went 9-of-10, while quarterback Easton Stick was 1-of-2. Don’t read too much into these stats, which are admittedly taken by hand. It’s only the second open practice of 2025 with Penix as the starter. There’s going to be an adjustment period, especially since this is also only Penix’s second training camp, ever. Cousins, meanwhile, is a veteran who’s in his 14th preseason.
— Looking at the tight ends, Kyle Pitts Sr., Feleipe Franks and Teagan Quitoriano were Penix’s targets during position drills. Charlie Woerner, Nikola Kalinic and Joshua Simon were slotted with Cousins. Pitts and Woerner are givens among the first-team offense. The third spot will be one to keep an eye on throughout training camp. Saturday, Quitoriano caught a pass from Penix during 11-on-11 work, and Franks did so from Cousins.
— Safety DeMarcco Hellams was full-go. He forced the London fumble, clearly punching the ball out of London’s arms. Hellams also almost picked off a pass Hodge bobbled from Penix.
— These cornerbacks each had a pass breakup: Mike Hughes (Penix incomplete to London), Mike Ford Jr. (Penix incomplete to McCloud) and Natrone Brooks (Penix incomplete to McCloud).
— Not exactly sure which unit the false start was called on, but after a flag was thrown during 11-on-11 work, defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro was seen giving the finger guns to left guard Matthew Bergeron. Perhaps a little smack talk between the linemen?
— Kickoff returners included these pairings: McCloud and Jamal Agnew; Elijah Dotson and Natrone Brooks; Dee Alrod and Mike Hughes; and Jesse Matthews was with either Lamar Jackson or Nathan Carter. Couldn’t tell from a distance which No. 38 it was.
What’s next: The Falcons hold their third open practice Sunday at IBM Performance Field. Tickets are sold out.
Countdown to kickoff: There are 43 days until the Falcons’ Week 1 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 7 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | See full schedule
