FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The first day of training camp in Flowery Branch where the Atlanta Falcons veterans arrive to join the rookies is all about meetings and checking in.
“I feel good man, I’m not going to lie. It feels good to be back out here,” said Falcons safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson has similar sentiments.
“It’s just fun. I feel like a little kid. I just be happy right after I wake up knowing that football is right around the corner,” said Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson.
Patterson is one face we haven't seen in a while. The running back and Swiss Army knife on offense for Atlanta signed a new deal in the offseason and was held out of OTA’s due to load management. He’s back and ready to go heading into his tenth year in the NFL.
“I’m a playmaker. Just give me the ball that’s all you have to do, and I’ll do the rest. No matter where I’m at. Quarterback? You know me. I can play any position. It’s not hard man,” said Patterson.
One of the other few returning players on offense for the Falcons is wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, who is incredibly confident in the team.
“Everybody has bought in. Everybody knows we have new faces, and everybody just wants to win. Everybody is putting their best foot forward in order to achieve this common goal that we want to achieve, and I feel like we’re a playoff team. If we don’t believe that, who will? We have to be the people who believe that,” said Zaccheaus.
Wednesday morning will be the first practice of camp.