J.Mike's Missives

The Falcons are looking at Thursday like children at the end of another school year.

By this time tomorrow the Birds will be done with another year of organized team activities and dashing away to vacation spots before the start of Russell Falcons Training Camp.

In all, Falcons players will have 42 days off.

“To sum it up, we’ve been able to put in 85-90 percent of our scheme,” Head Coach Mike Smith said when asked about the team’s work at OTAs. “We’ve been able to work on a lot of situations and this week we ended up working on some specific ones — things that don’t necessarily occur quite often in the game.”

An overwhelming majority of players attended the voluntary workouts. Those that missed had the proverbial “note from the principal” or conversation with Smith.

Smith said the team focused more on the passing game in the non-contact drills and will turn more attention to the running game when the pads go on in training camp. Wednesday, the team focused on red-zone offense and defense.

Coaches aren’t looking to set a depth chart after this round of voluntary workouts.

“It’s really hard to establish one, especially in the interior line,” Smith said. “It’s a little easier, possibly, to have an idea with some of the skill positions. These 19 workouts have emphasized the passing game. I think we’re a little bit behind right now in the running game but, in terms of the depth chart, it would be hard. You have to base it off last season.”

That would include the need for five new starters on defense and spots for up to eight draft picks and — perhaps — more undrafted free agents.

Regardless, rookies must feel the most like school children these days. They’ve been buried in books and the focus of many teachers’ instruction and fits of rage.

But now it’s time for a well-deserved summer vacation.

“We’ve thrown a lot at them,” Smith said. “It’s been by design. We wanted to try to give them as much as we could in a short amount of time. I’ve seen improvement. We still have a long way to go in the learning curve and it will be interesting to see how these guys retain what we put in over the break we’re going to have in the month of July.”

In other OTA news…

… Center Todd McClure told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wednesday afternoon he has no plans to retire. In a previous interview he said he’s ready to enter the season with the comfort of familiar faces along the offensive line.

The Falcons return all five starters from a front five that powered the league’s No. 2 rushing attack in 2008.

“It seems like every year I was playing with somebody different,” McClure said. “To have that continuity and have the same guys come out with a year under their belt only makes you stronger. I can’t say I’ve been more excited for a season in my whole career than I am for this one.”

… Smith said the addition of offensive lineman Jeremy Newberry (signed Tuesday) gives the Falcons more veteran presence on offense.

“We’re glad we were able to acquire Newberry,” he said. “He got one week with us but he’s a guy that’s played a long time in this league. I think he’s 32 years old. Schematically, he’s heard some of the verbiage our guys use. He’ll be another veteran presence there on the offensive line.”

… Rookie defensive tackle Peria Jerry missed “two-and-a-half weeks,” of OTAs according to Smith, but the first-round pick is back on the field and should be ready for training camp.

J. Michael Moore News, Offseason AJC, Head Coach Mike Smith, Jeremy Newberry, OTAs, Peria Jerry, Todd McClure