The tight end position should feature some heavy competition throughout training camp for the Falcons, as the team looks to expand its depth behind long-time starter Tony Gonzalez.

The team made the decision to bring Gonzalez back for one more year last January, a smart decision considering his future Hall of Fame status. But one of the weaknesses of the Falcons position is that they do not have great depth behind Gonzalez. His heir apparent as the team’s future starter is currently not viewed to be on the roster. And part of the competition in camp will be to show if any viable long-term options emerge.

The most likely candidate will be Michael Palmer, who will get the first training camp of his career where he is largely untested for his roster position. Palmer will be a focus of this year’s camp. How well he performs as Gonzalez’s primary backup could determine how much trust this team has in their depth at the position. While Palmer isn’t currently viewed as a potential replacement for Gonzalez due to the sharp drop-off in receiving abilities, a strong summer could force the Falcons to reconsider their long-term prospects of Palmer’s future. He is seen mostly as a blocker and has been used that way each of the past two seasons, but that could change if he can have a strong summer as a receiver particularly if he gets more work with the first team units than in previous summers.

The brunt of the competition will come behind Palmer where the Falcons have multiple candidates competing for what will likely be the third and final spot on the depth chart. Tommy Gallarda, a second-year player, is the most experienced of the group having spent the majority of last year on the Falcons practice squad. The fact that he spent time in Jacksonville’s training camp last summer where Dirk Koetter got a good look at him should give him a leg up from the others in terms of making the roster. Gallarda is a blocker first, which is likely the role the Falcons envision for the third guy on the depth chart.

But he will face competition from undrafted rookies LaMark Brown, Adam Nissley, and Aron White. Brown is a converted former running back and receiver that has good athleticism and speed. But he’s undersized for a tight end at 228 pounds, and will have to showcase his receiving potential as an H-back. Nissley excelled at blocking at Central Florida and with his size he could push for a role there. White is an athletic tight end that worked primarily as a blocker for Georgia, but that was in part because of the other talent they had at the position. All three players have solid chance to make the practice squad and potentially the roster.

Even if any of the untested players make the roster the Falcons might minimize their playing time, instead opting to use a third tackle on gamedays to function as the extra blocker in jumbo packages. This is what the Falcons often did in 2010 when Palmer was a rookie, utilizing Will Svitek in that role. It’s also possible that when cuts begin in late August, the team will begin to scour the waiver wire for a more proven veteran, similarly to what they did a year ago by picking up Reggie Kelly during camp. The team already worked out veteran Daniel Graham in June, indicating that they understand there are some question marks at the position. Depending on how things play out in camp and the preseason will determine if those questions are answered down the line.

The backup positions at wide receiver will likely be some of the most contested positions on the roster this summer in training camp. The Falcons are pretty much locked in at the top of their depth chart, but are intent on seeing what competition can brew on the back-end.

Roddy White and Julio Jones will remain starters this year, and the team is looking for the latter to really step up this year. Jones showed flashes of his ability, particularly in the latter half of last season. The team hopes that with a complete off-season this spring and summer, he’ll be better prepared to be able to play at a similarly high level throughout the course of the entire 2012 season.

White is one of the more reliabe players on the entire team, and you can be certain he’ll play very well this year. He is coming off a year where he had a large number of drops, and he’ll be looking to redeem himself in 2012. But you can expect White to be the team’s top wideout throughout the season. And if that is not the case, it’ll likely be because Jones has really stepped up his game rather than any fall-off from White.

Behind them on the depth chart, but playing what in today’s NFL is practically a starting position himself is third wideout Harry Douglas. Douglas showed improvement a year ago after having a full season coming off his knee injury, and the team hopes he will also continue that upward trend this year. Douglas is at home in the slot, but he got a lot more opportunities on the outside last year due to injuries to Jones. The team is hoping that getting stronger should help allow him to contribute more there this year.

Behind those three receivers is really where the question marks lie. The Falcons have a large number of unproven wideouts and prospects expected to compete for what will likely be two, possible three roster spots.

The player who is most likely to emerge from that group for a spot is third-year player Kerry Meier. The Falcons traditionally have given their fourth and fifth wideouts extensive reps on special teams rather than offense. But for Meier unlike the others, the team may be paying more attention to his contributions this summer on offense. His size, hands, and blocking potential gives him some upside to contribute on offense, but he hasn’t quite put it all together in his two previous summers. The team knows what he potentially brings to the table on special teams, which gives him an edge there, but it doesn’t fully know his potential on offense.

Returning from last year’s practice squad are Kevin Cone and D.J. Davis. Cone is a player that has a good combination of size, athleticism, and speed. He got some work on special teams in the season finale. If he can impress in coverage as well as showcase some big play ability in preseason will likely give him an edge over the others. Davis is more quick than fast that flashed some ability last summer. Between the two, much larger expectations are being heaped on Cone.

Among the rest of the position group, the team will have a bunch of undrafted free agents competing for spots. And it’s likely their ability on special teams will trump any offensive production they may be inclined to show. Also the vacant return duties will factor in here, as whoever becomes the team’s kickoff and punt returners could shake up depth across the roster. That mainly goes for James Rodgers, the brother of Jacquizz, who is competing for the open kick return duties. Rodgers was one of the few undrafted free agents that the Falcons signed that was productive throughout his college career on kickoff returns. He is now nearly two years removed from a major knee injury similar to Douglas, and the team is hopeful that similarly he can regain some of that explosive burst he showcased prior to the injury.

Mike Calvin was a backup throughout his Cal days. But that gave him a large amount of experience working on special teams. Like Cone, he has a good combination of natural size and speed which can be effective as a gunner on special teams. Marcus Jackson began his collegiate career as a quarterback, but made the eventual switch to wideout. Kenny Stafford’s biggest claim to fame is that his uncle is former NFL wideout Cris Carter, but he hopes that his play on the field this summer in camp and preseason will give the team and its fans another reason to remember his name. All three of these players weren’t super-productive while playing in college, but unlike most summers they all have a fairly strong chance to make the roster rather than just trying to impress enough for a practice squad position.

But an issue the Falcons may have to address in the late summer is that if none of the young guys really step up to be able to fill those depth roles, the team may have to sign a veteran player. A number of proven wide receivers will find themselves out of a job come late August and September as roster cuts are made, and the Falcons might make the decision to try and bolster it with a more known commodity than these untested players. That could especially become relevant based around how the competition at the return spots shakes up. Any veteran player the Falcons add between now and the start of the season is likely to be a guy they want to help as a return man rather than any potential offensive production.

The Falcons return all three of their tailbacks from a year ago. Jason Snelling is playing under a new three-year deal he signed this off-season. Jacquizz Rodgers is expected to take more reps as a reserve. And Michael Turner is still locked in atop the depth chart.

Turner will remain the Falcons start this year although they have made statements that he will be on a “pitch count” this year, limiting his reps to try and keep him fresh down the stretch. This has been something that the team has tried to do throughout the past three seasons to limited success. It remains to be seen how much better Dirk Koetter will be at it than previous offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.

The team is adamant they will be looking to mix more of Rodgers and Snelling in the lineup this year, who served as little more than third down backs that would get the occasional carry to spell Turner when he was tired. With the team expected to adopt a pass-heavier attack, the roles of Rodgers and Snelling should expand. Koetter will make ample use of screens in the offense, and Rodgers and Snelling’s quickness should make them the preferred options over Turner on those plays.

Rodgers and Snelling will be directly competing for who will be the top reserve behind Turner, but at the end of the day both players will be utilized extensively. But the team is likely leaning towards Rodgers, who they hope can blossom in the Koetter system, particularly on screens because of how effective he was at Oregon State. And if the team adopts more zone-blocking runs, that should also play to Rodgers’ favor.

At fullback there will be a new face, as Bradie Ewing is expected to take over for long-time lead blocker Ovie Mughelli. Ewing will get competition from Mike Cox, who replaced Mughelli last year after he went down with a knee injury. Cox was solid, but his upside is limited, which should give Ewing the edge in a camp competition. Koetter’s scheme is expected to reduce the overall workload of the blocking fullback from previous years, which means that Ewing may share reps with Snelling as well, who can fill in.

Cox will be among others competing for the fifth and final running back spot. That role will likely go to the player who provides the most on special teams. Antone Smith would be considered the incumbent. He shined as a gunner throughout the latter half of last season, and will also be expected to compete for the vacant kickoff returner spot. Offensively, Smith has shown some ability in the passing game and some explosiveness as a runner, although his primary contribution will remain on special teams.

Also in the mix will be Dimitri Nance, Robbie Frey, and fullback Lee Meisner. Nance gets the benefit of being recruited by Dirk Koetter to go to Arizona State. Nance is probably the superior runner of the group, but he’ll have to reaffirm himself capable in passing situations as well as on special teams. Frey was a solid kickoff returner in college, so that adds potential for special teams. Meisner is a converted linebacker, that will need to utilize those skills to work on coverage units in camp.

The fifth spot will likely go to Cox, Smith, or Nance simply because they do offer more ability on offense, and have experience playing special teams. Cox’s best chance is to beat Ewing for the starting fullback job, otherwise Smith is the top candidate. Frey and Meisner are more likely competing for practice squad spots, hoping that they can make enough of an impact to be carried there.

Matt Ryan is entering a pivotal year for his future in Atlanta. He has two years left on his contract including the 2012 season, and with him coming off his third consecutive playoff loss, there are questions whether Ryan is capable of leading the Falcons to the next level. Fortunately for Ryan, he’s not the first prominent quarterback to lose his first three playoff games. Somebody by the name of Peyton Manning entered his sixth season with an 0-3 postseason record, then helped lead the Colts to two playoff wins in 2003 with an eventual loss in the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots. That 2003 season also marked Manning’s first MVP season, earning co-MVP honors alongside Steve McNair. While such expectations could be considered lofty for Ryan in 2012, it certainly means that the door hasn’t closed on Ryan’s ability to lead this team to greater overall success.

Hopefully helming that success will be new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. Ryan has progressed and improved as an NFL passer each season he has been in the pros, and that is expected to continue under Koetter. The question remains how much improvement will Ryan have. Koetter intends to adopt more of a pass-oriented offense than under previous coordinator  Mike Mularkey, now head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Reports indicate that Koetter will make continued use of the no-huddle offense that Ryan shined in under Mularkey. One of the key areas where Ryan must improve is on the deep passes. Ryan really struggled there throughout 2011, and a hallmark of Koetter’s scheme is the four verticals. It stresses vertical routes from the receivers which help open up opportunities underneath as well. But it is not very effective if the threat of the vertical strike is not present. Without significant improvement in that area, there will be a firm cap on how much progress and production Ryan can show in the new offense.

While there are questions about Ryan’s potential, there are none about his role as the starter. The Falcons brought back Chris Redman as a free agent, who is a strong bet to resume his fifth season as the primary backup to Ryan. The Falcons adopted the growing trend in the NFL last year by carrying two quarterbacks at the start of the season. Although the team did add a third passer to roster midway through the season in John Parker Wilson. Wilson served as the No. 3 quarterback in 2009 and 2010, but began last year on the practice squad. It remains to be seen if he will land the third spot on the roster  this year. He remains still eligible to be on the practice squad in 2012. Wilson did not show a lot of progress last summer in his third year in the Mularkey offense, which likely led to the decision to cut him at the end of camp. He’ll have to show more this summer in Koetter’s offense to stick again. When the team first picked up Wilson as an undrafted rookie in 2009, it was likely with the intent to develop him as the long-term replacement for Redman. But that plan has yet to come to fruition, and without a strong summer the team could abandon that plan completely.

Hoping to alter their plans is undrafted rookie Dominique Davis out of East Carolina. Davis is a raw prospect with good arm strength and athleticism. But his footwork and mechanics are raw, and accuracy erratic, and he’s likely a long-term developmental prospect. But his ability to extend and make plays with his legs could be an intriguing asset for the Falcons. If Davis can showcase that athleticism during the preseason, he could certainly earn a practice squad spot. But he probably has only a slim chance of making the final roster as the No. 3 quarterback unless he has a really strong summer. Otherwise, Davis should be able to clear waivers and make it to the practice squad.

He and Wilson will be competing directly for the third spot, but there is no guarantee that the Falcons keep either player. Redman was only signed to a one-year deal and thus the priority for the Falcons could be looking to see if either Wilson or Davis are potentially ready to assume the role as No. 2 in the near future. If the answer is no, then it’s quite possible the Falcons pass on both and look elsewhere for a developmental backup.

It’s hard to predict the final 53, certainly at this point because injuries are always a factor. Guys get hurt in camp, and thus open up opportunities for others. The team also does a nice job scouring the waiver wire at the end of August for other teams’ cuts to add to the roster. And what areas they target depends heavily on which units did not bring the sort of competition envisioned. For example, if Ovie Mughelli is limited early in camp due to his recovering from his knee injury, it could open the door for either Mike Cox or Bradie Ewing to win the starting job. And if that is the case, it’s highly unlikely the team will keep Mughelli as a resreve. And if Ewing is the one that emerges as the starter, then it might prompt the team to keep one fullback on the roster, have Snelling serve as his primary backup, and thus keep a fourth tailback like Frey, Nance, or Smith.

First let’s go through the players that are locked in, meaning they are near certainties to make the roster unless injuries occur:

Quarterback (2): Matt Ryan, Chris Redman
Running Back (4): Michael Turner, Jacquizz Rodgers, Jason Snelling, Bradie Ewing
Wide Receiver (3): Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas
Tight End (2): Tony Gonzalez, Michael Palmer
Offensive Line (5): Justin Blalock, Tyson Clabo, Todd McClure, Peter Konz, Lamar Holmes
Defensive End (3): Ray Edwards, John Abraham, Kroy Biermann
Defensive Tackle (2): Jonathan Babineaux, Corey Peters
Linebacker (4): Stephen Nicholas, Lofa Tatupu, Sean Weatherspoon, Akeem Dent
Cornerback (4): Brent Grimes, Dunta Robinson, Asante Samuel, Dominique Franks
Safety (2): William Moore, Thomas DeCoud
Specialist (2): Matt Bryant, Matt Bosher

That’s a grand total of 33 players that are locks to make the roster. That leaves 20 roster spots open. It’s likely that the following players will have the best chances to fill those:

Running Back (1): Ovie Mughelli
Wide Receiver (1): Kerry Meier
Offensive Line (2): Joe Hawley, Andrew Jackson
Defensive End (2): Lawrence Sidbury, Jonathan Massaquoi
Defensive Tackle (1): Vance Walker
Linebacker (1): Spencer Adkins
Cornerback (1): Darrin Walls
Safety (2): Shann Schillinger, Charles Mitchell

That’s 11 players that are strong probabilities that they will find their way on the final roster, leaving a total of 9 spots remaining.

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Well, here is the prediction for who will make the Final 53 as teams have until Saturday afternoon to make those decisions. Only one player from my previously mentioned locks won’t make the team, due to the Falcons roster moves earlier this week.

QUARTERBACKS
Matt Ryan
Chris Redman

Wilson’s poor performance vs. the Ravens I think might have gotten him cut, especially given the injury issues the Falcons have on their lines.

RUNNING BACKS
Michael Turner
Ovie Mughelli
Jason Snelling
Jacquizz Rodgers

Despite a strong performance last night against the Ravens, I don’t see either Antone Smith making the roster, but he remains eligible for the practice squad. Injuries on both lines I think will prevent the Falcons from carrying a fifth running back in Week 1. But once those units get healthy, do not be surprised if you see them pick up someone later in September.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Roddy White
Julio Jones
Harry Douglas
Kerry Meier
Eric Weems

Brandyn Harvey showed enough to potentially make the roster, but the Falcons don’t appear able to afford a sixth receiver when they have other injury issues elsewhere.

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We fans have a tendency to exaggerate things particularly when it comes to preseason play. There have been thousands of preseason “superstars” over the years in the National Football League that went on to do little in their pro careers to merit anything but a very obscure trivia question. So I must preface what I’m about to say with that statement.

Brandyn Harvey’s play in the preseason opener against the Dolphins reminded me of Michael Jenkins on his better days, and at least merits some sense of optimism.

Is Harvey going to actually be the next Jenkins? If that means becoming a starter for the Falcons and being a quasi-productive player that averages 45 catches and 3 touchdowns per season over a six-year span, then the answer is no. More than likely, Harvey’s future in terms of what he can actually do as an NFL player probably mirrors that of fellow Villanova grad Brian Finneran rather than Jenkins.

But it’s easy to compare Harvey and Jenkins. Harvey is listed at 6’4″ 205 pounds, which is only a tad off the 6’4″ 214-pound frame that Jenkins sported. They are both long, lean, and probably most similarly they can block. On a team that likes to run the ball as much as the Falcons, being a good blocker can make you stand out. Finneran was also blessed with a large frame, blocking skills, and the steady veteran experience and versatility that allowed him to fill a variety of roles in the Falcons offensive attack.

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The debut of Julio Jones was an impressive one. His stat sheet popped, catching 2 passes for 43 yards and gaining 12 yards on the ground. It could have been even better if Matt Ryan had connected with him on the opening play that was a deep shot down the field.

But with Jones, it was less about actual production and more about potential. Every fan that watched last night’s loss to the Dolphins could walk away with that gleam in their eye as the prophetic highlight reels begin to flash through their minds. Jones showed speed, burst, vision, and toughness, all of the things that you look for in a playmaker.

And that’s what Jones will be for the Falcons this year, a playmaker. It’s why the team was so accepting of Michael Jenkins’ dismission as training camp opened. They want somebody out there that can scare defenses into changing the way they defend the Falcons. Jenkins was a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Jones has the potential to be the opposite, someone that can not only perform in multiple facets of the game, but excel in them. He showed that last night with his ability as a runner after the catch, on the ground, and showing the speed to get behind a defense.

It’s clear from the early misses that Ryan and Jones rapport isn’t all-world and is still a work in progress. It’s something that bears watching the remainder of this preseason and into the regular season. It takes years to build up the sort of rapport that Ryan has with Roddy White, but it’s certainly positive that you can see both Ryan and Jones are striving to build something similar between the two of them. And when they do start to be in sync, we might start to see defenses get out of sync trying to defend it all.

With the Falcons picking up 24 undrafted free agents, including yesterday’s addition of Georgia Tech wide receiver Kevin Cone, it is time to revisit what these two dozen players are bringing to the table in terms of this summer’s camp battles.

The undrafted rookies get somewhat a reprieve, since labor rules prevent veteran free agents from practicing until tomorrow. That means that these players all had the opening weekend to showcase their skills before some veterans were able to come in and outshine them.

Here is a position by position look at where these undrafted players fit in on the Falcons roster outlook:

Quarterback – As said before, Froman is a fourth arm that might have a shot at a practice squad position, but he’s not in a legitimate position to push for a roster spot unless there is an injury to either Chris Redman or John Parker Wilson. He’s more of a long-term developmental project for the Falcons.

Running Back – If the Falcons fail to bring back Jason Snelling, it certainly should increase the changes that Philip Sylvester can make the roster. But he’ll have to beat out both Gartrell Johnson and Antone Smith for that third running back spot. And his only way to do that will either to shine on special teams or show a short learning curve when it comes to pass protections. Snelling’s departure also increases the chances that either Thor Merrow or Lucas Cox can crack the roster as the backups to Ovie Mughelli at fullback. The team will be looking both at blocking ability and special teams production.

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While the team has yet to release an official schedule for training camp, Falcons players are expecting to report to Flowery Branch on Wednesday to undergo physicals according to wide receiver Roddy White. On-field practices are expected to commence Friday according to the AJC.

Thirty two player representatives voted unanimously this afternoon to approve the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for a ten-year period with no chance to opt out. Thus ending the 132-day NFL lockout which began in March.

Teams are allowed to talk with their players beginning tomorrow, including negotiating contracts with veteran free agents, although they will not be able to officially sign those players until Friday at 6 pm Eastern. But teams will be allowed to start signing their own draft picks as well as undrafted rookie free agents tomorrow. Teams can also begin to cut current players on their roster on Thursday afternoon at 4:01 pm Eastern.

The Falcons have announced that single game tickets will begin to go on sale tomorrow morning.