Falcons Training Camp 3 To Watch: Wide Receivers
The year is 2020.
Apart from everything else happening in the world, the Atlanta Falcons line up needing to convert a third-and-long. The team opts for a three-receiver set: Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage.
Now, fast forward to July 2022, with the Falcons preparing for training camp just two seasons removed from that trio hitting the field. Only Ridley remains, but he's been suspended for the entirety of the 2022 season.
Going beyond those three, Olamide Zaccheaus is the lone receiver from that team still in Atlanta. All things considered, to say the Falcons have undergone a facelift offensively would be an understatement.
Atlanta's new-look receiving core is highlighted by first-round pick Drake London and trade acquisition Bryan Edwards. Zaccheaus is likely to be the team's No. 3 wideout, but after him, there are two or three slots up for grabs among several players, including free agent adds Damiere Byrd, Auden Tate and Geronimo Allison.
With the top of the pecking order mostly set and the bottom far from it, here are three players to watch in training camp, kicking off when veterans report on July 26.
Drake London (R)
The No. 8 overall pick in the draft, London became Atlanta's highest-drafted receiver since Julio Jones in 2011. With high picks come high expectations, and for London, his include being an every-game starter and the Falcons' top receiver.
While London missed the final four games of his college career and the beginning part of the draft process due to a fractured ankle, he has a considerable advantage on his side when it comes to getting up to speed: facing All-Pro cornerback A.J. Terrell in practice.
The two faced off in minicamp, but with pads on and intensity up, their battles in training camp will paint a much clearer picture as to where London is in his development. If he does nothing but impress, it's an encouraging indication that he's more than ready to seize the opportunity and deliver on his lofty outside expectations.
Bryan Edwards
Acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders in May, Edwards arrived in Atlanta with a step-up on the rest of the receiver's room, having spent the last two seasons in Las Vegas with the Falcons' likely Week 1 starter at quarterback, Marcus Mariota. The two already have strong chemistry and are poised to get off to a strong start in their new home.
“I love that guy. We developed a relationship in Las Vegas,” Mariota said. “He came in as a rookie when I first got there. So, we were kind of learning the system together. I love his competitiveness, I love his drive, I think he’s a great addition to that room.”
Edwards, 23, is entering his third professional season on the heels of a breakout sophomore campaign that saw him total 34 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns. With his arrow pointing straight up, Edwards has a chance to prove he can be a capable starting receiver in the NFL, a journey that begins when he takes on Terrell, Casey Hayward and the rest of Atlanta's secondary in camp.
Geronimo Allison
Allison's arguably the biggest names of the "other" receivers on Atlanta's roster but finds himself on the outside of the roster looking in as camp nears. After going undrafted out of Illinois in 2016, Allison posted 89 receptions for 1,045 yards across 46 games in four seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
Allison opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 and played in just three games for the Detroit Lions in 2021, bouncing around between the practice squad and active roster. Now 28, Allison is looking for a chance to revive his career and seems to have landed in a solid place to do so.
With his 6-3, 202-pound frame, Allison has always been viewed as a big target, something that surely drew Falcons coach Arthur Smith to him this offseason. Since seeing action in each game with six starts in 2019, Allison has been looking for an opportunity, and he's found just that with the Falcons.
Allison will arrive at camp with little outside expectations. However, if he's able to rediscover the form that led to him being a contributor for the Falcons, he'll be difficult to ignore. With camp on the horizon, look for Allison to prove his big frame can still deliver big plays in big moments.
