The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ryan working to get new weapons up to speed
New TE Hayden Hurst and RB Todd Gurley impress QB in workouts.
During the coronavirus pandemic that has drastically altered the Falcons’ offseason program, quarterback Matt Ryan has managed to get in some workouts with all of the key members of the offense.
New tight end Hayden Hurst and running back Todd Gurley were the key additions. Hurst was driving back and forth from Jacksonville to work out — following all social-distancing rules — with Ryan.
A few weeks ago, Ryan had some workouts with Gurley in California.
Hurst and Gurley, who passed his medical examination, the team confirmed Tuesday, are being counted on to replace Pro Bowl players Austin Hooper and
Ryan has been running offseason workouts since the 2011 lockout season.
Devonta Freeman.
“I’m excited about both of them,” Ryan said on a virtual conference call with the Atlanta media. “I really am.”
Ryan worked out more with Hurst, the former firstround pick who was acquired in a trade with the Ravens on March 16. The Falcons also received the Ravens’ fourthround pick in the 2020 NFL draft, but gave up their second-round and a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft to get Hurst.
“I’ve been incredibly impressed with Hayden’s work ethic,” Ryan said. “He’s got great speed. Great athleticism. Wants to be a great player. The effort, attitude, all of that stuff is there. The athleticism is there.”
Ryan believes that Hurst is fitting into the group well.
“He’s gotten to know some of the teammates in the times that we’ve spent together which I think is a good thing,” Ryan said.
Gurley, 25, was signed after he was released by the Rams.
“I spent some time with him out in California and I was able to spend a couple of weeks getting to know him a little better and getting a feel for him as an athlete,” Ryan said. “He’s extremely versatile out of the backfield.”
Ryan reports that Gurley — and his left knee — looked fine.
“He looked great, healthy and ready to go,” Ryan said. “I was impressed with that. The thing that struck me the most though was how smart of a player that he is and his ability to retain information, to not have to circle back on things the next day.”
Ryan spent some time teaching Gurley some of the nuances of the offense.
“If I told him once how we were trying to work something or a route concept, or what we were expecting of him, he doesn’t forget it,” Ryan said. “He was back the next day doing it the right way.”
Ryan has been running offseason workouts since the 2011 lockout season. In the past, a group of players have traveled to Florida for workouts. But with the players initially banned from traveling and forced to workout on their own, Ryan had to piece together several different workouts.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of our guys,” Ryan said. “Specifically, individually early on in terms of practicing social-distancing, making sure that groups … were not too big and we were doing things the right way.”
Ryan liked the intimacy of the workouts.
“In certain ways, I think maybe we are ahead of where we would be because sometimes when you are in the normal structure of an offseason there are time constraints and you’re hustling to make sure that you’re getting as much work as you can with different parts of the team,” Ryan said. “There are positives to having it gone this way.”
Ryan said most of the players are in really good shape.
“The one area where we are behind is probably in terms of on-the-field work in terms of our units together,” Ryan said. “That part is going to be the same for everybody. We might be behind where we are at in terms of where we were last year. … Everybody is going through this the same way.”