Falcons mini-camp ends with Ryan hot and Horn wanting out
By Steve Wyche | Monday, May 12, 2008, 03:13 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Flowery Branch - The Falcons wrapped up mini-camp today with first-round pick Matt Ryan completing five-of-five passes for a touchdown in a two-minute drill.
After the workout, Smith was asked if there was any chance Ryan could start in the season-opener against Detroit.
“We are not going to rule out anything in terms of who is going to start,” Smith said. “We are not going to put a ceiling on any of our players whether if it’s the quarterback, offensive tackle, linebacker. We are going to let them go out and compete.
“I will say this, the quarterback position is probably one of the more difficult positions to make the transition. But if any body can do it, Matt is a guy that can.”
Take that for what you will.
It’s hard to say if Ryan did or didn’t have a good camp. He was going against fairly vanilla defensive looks against players in jerseys and shorts. We’ll know a lot more about the Boston College product about 10 days into training camp.
He looks like he can make the throws he needs to make but the thing you notice most about him is that he’s quickly worked his way into the good graces of his teammates. Ryan has the swagger and the leadership we heard so much about - at least for now. Those attributes tend to hold little water if a guy doesn’t produce on the field, but Ryan seems to be off to a good start.
In other developments:
— Wide receiver Joe Horn said that he would like to be traded (for the full story, go to the Sports page on AJC.com).
“I want to win a Super Bowl and I want to win a Super Bowl here in Atlanta but I don’t think I can help this team win a Super Bowl sitting on the bench, waiting for third down,” Horn said. “They’re going with the younger guys and I don’t have a problem with that if that’s the course they’ve chosen. I want to have an opportunity to play with a team that needs a veteran to play and contribute and who helps the young guys.”
GM Thomas Dimitroff said the team has plans for Horn. Whether those plans are to try and trade him remain to be seen. However, this is a team that is getting younger and looking at younger players and Horn isn’t part of the long-term plan.
Horn’s potential replacement is rookie Henry Douglas, who had a very strong training camp - again, in shorts and jerseys. Douglas caught just about everything thrown to him and he got open. He even stayed after workouts to do extra work with offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.
— FS Jimmy Williams is said to have reported to offseason workouts weighing more than 230 pounds. Williams acknowledged being overweight and that the coaching staff is not happy.
Williams said he has been going through some unspecified off-field problems that caused him to go home to Hampton, Va. for two or three weeks and kept him away from workouts. He said that the coaching staff and other team staffers have been very supportive. He declined to provide any details.
Williams worked as the No. 3 free safety behind Erik Coleman and Antoine Harris.