Freeman is feeling good and smiling once more
FLOWERY BRANCH — Even as he enters KLV IRXUWK VHDVRQ 7HYLQ &ROHPDQ LV VWLOO taking notes from Falcons teammate Devonta Freeman on all the basics that go with being an NFL running back. How to run. How to catch. How to block. How to make teammates smile. ,Q WUDLQLQJ FDPS )UHHPDQ¶V FRQWDJLRXV personality may be one of his biggest strengths. His ever-present smile can EH D PRRG OLIWHU GXULQJ ORQJ KRW SUDFtice days.
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Freeman is especially upbeat this camp. He is relishing his return to good health following a sometimes scary 2017 season.
Freeman suffered two concussions last year. He spent the last two weeks of the preseason in concussion protocol before suffering another concussion against Dallas on Nov. 12 that forced him to miss two games. A sprained right knee cut into his production late in the season.
1RZ )UHHPDQ LV IHHOLQJ JRRG He’s an important part of an offense that is looking to return to its form of
ZKHQ LW OHG WKH OHDJXH LQ VFRULQJ ³:KDW PRUH FDQ , DVN IRU"´ )UHHPDQ asked earlier this week. “My dream job is football and I get to play. I come to work DQG SOD\ IRRWEDOO HYHU\ GD\ 7KDW¶V LW ´
Coleman said Freeman is “happy to IHHO JRRG KDSS\ WR EH KHUH ZLWK KLV EURWKHUV KDSS\ WR FRPSHWH ´
Coach Dan Quinn says Freeman’s tough demeanor in practice shows that KH ORYHV WKH JDPH HVSHFLDOO\ LQ WUDLQLQJ camp.
³+H¶V VXFK D FRPSHWLWRU ´ 4XLQQ VDLG Saturday. “He has the personality among his teammates. They love him. They love ZKDW KH VWDQGV IRU RQ WKH ¿HOG RII WKH ¿HOG LQ WKH ORFNHU URRP +H LV RQH RI constant support. His makeup and menWDOLW\ EDVHG RQ WRXJKQHVV DQG FRPSHWLQJ WKLV LV KLV NLQG RI HQYLURQPHQW ´
FREEMAN,
Added Quinn: “We truly celebrate guys like Free who live that lifestyle.”
Quinn immediately noticed a change in Freeman early in camp.
“It is awesome to see Free
back, feeling like himself,” he said.
Freeman was one of the first players to catch the attention of Quinn, then a ¿UVW \HDU FRDFK LQ 7KH coach immediately talked about Freeman’s skills as a runner and receiver, and the running back’s breakout season lived up to the hype.
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the NFL with 1,634 combined rushing and receiving yards LQ DQG ZDV ¿UVW ZLWK 14 all-purpose touchdowns.
He added another 1,000yard rushing season in 2016. Even while missing two games last year, he ran for 865 yards with seven touchdowns and had 36 catches for 317 yards.
Most running backs would be happy with 36 catches, but
for Freeman it was a big drop from 2015, when he caught 73 passes for 578 yards.
Freeman hopes he and Coleman have more targets from quarterback Matt Ryan in the second year with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian.
“I think we’ve got enough talent to be utilized in the passing game,” he said. “We
need to take advantage of that.”
NOTES: The Falcons had their fourth annual military day, welcoming soldiers from Fort Benning and 24 families from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors who have lost a loved one in the military. “It was a great way for us to pay tribute back to them,” Quinn said . ... A German TV crew, on a tour of at
least eight NFL training camps, visited the Falcons and plans to return when Atlanta hosts this season’s Super Bowl. “It would be a perfect scenario if the home team could reach the Super Bowl,” said Christoph Dommisch of 7Sports. Dommisch and other members of the crew wore traditional lederhosen — shorts and suspenders.