Thinner Poe gets $125K

FLOWERY BRANCH — Before he signed with the Falcons, Dontari Poe never had a weight clause in his contract.

But after collecting a $125,000 bonus for coming into camp under 330 pounds, Poe feels just fine.

“No, first one,” Poe said when asked if he ever had a weight clause.

Did he make the weight? “Oh, yeah,” Poe said. “(The weight clause) was cool with me.”

Poe signed a one-year, $8 million contract in the offseason after playing five seasons for the Chiefs.

Poe was listed at 346 pounds by the Chiefs, but Falcons coach Dan Quinn believes Poe, a two-time Pro Bowler, could be more effective under 330.

Poe looks forward to playing both tackle positions in the Falcons’ defense.

“We’re just playing football,” Poe said. “K.C. was a different style of game. This is faster moving, and (coaches) let the (defensive) linemen get up the field and play.”

Jones’ foot still an issue: Two-time All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones, who’s recovering from offseason foot surgery, apparently is working through some issues with his surgically repaired foot, although he looked fine in pass-catching drills during the first practice of training camp Thursday.

Jones was jumping to make some catches and didn’t appear to have any problems with his foot after landing.

“( Jones) has communicated to me over the summer the running that he’s done, so I think he felt good on most of his cuts,” Quinn said. “He’s such a specific guy that there’s certain things that may bother him . ... When we can get him in the team stuff, we will.”

Who’s on guard? When the Falcons went offense against defense in passing drills Thursday, Ben Garland was working at right guard with the first unit, and Wes Schweitzer with the second unit. Rookie Sean Harlow, a fourth-round draft choice out of Oregon State, drew snaps with the second unit at left guard.

“Ben was the one that started the whole thing off,” Quinn said. “Wes and those guys, we’ll rotate them through.”

Garland and Schweitzer also will spend some time at center. The loser of the competition must be able to play all three interior line positions as a backup center and swing guard.

“Some days one will be a guard and some at center,” Quinn said. “Some days we’ll have them both at guard. (Offensive line coach) Chris (Morgan) is going to be real deliberate in how we go about creating those reps.”

While the first padded practice is Saturday, Quinn said the battle to replace Chris Chester at starting right guard will rage well into the exhibition season. Chester retired over the offseason.

“It’s going to be a while before somebody steps up there,” Quinn said. “The reason being at their position it’s going to be so much about having the contact and the protection that goes along with having the pads.”

Graham signs: The Falcons signed guard Larson Graham, a rookie from Duquesne, on Thursday. Graham, 6 feet 5 and 291 pounds, played offensive tackle at Duquesne. The move puts the Falcons’ roster at 90. They have room to add one more player because they have an International player exemption for former English rugby player Alex Gray, who’s working with the tight ends.