FLOWERY BRANCH Custom Julio Jones Jersey , Ga. (AP) — piece of the offensive line charged with protecting Matt Ryan when they open their preseason schedule at the New York Jets.Right guard is the only position on the line without a set starter, and that will be a key competition coach Dan Quinn will be watching closely in Friday night’s game.Decisions also have to be made at fullback and defensive end.Protecting Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP with a new five-year contract extension that could be worth as much as $150 million, makes finding the best starting right guard a priority.Wes Schweitzer was listed ahead of Brandon Fusco, perhaps Atlanta’s top free-agent acquisition this offseason, at right guard on the team’s first depth chart released this week. The two have rotated with the first-team offense during training camp.Schweitzer’s expected start against the Jets may be based on his 16 starts with Atlanta last season.Fusco started all 16 games for San Francisco last season.“I just want to build continuity with everyone, get comfortable with everyone and with this offense,” Fusco said following Wednesday’s practice.“I miss the game-day feeling and will be excited when I’m out there. Hopefully it’s enough to prove to them I can be the starter of this team at right guard and help this team win.”Schweitzer said this has been “the best camp I’ve ever had, definitely the best offensive camp I’ve ever been a part of. I feel we’re really clicking right now and really pushing for it. It’s just been a really good camp.”Ricky Ortiz is expected to start ahead of Luke McNitt at fullback. The remaining competitions on offense are for backup roles, including a third running back behind Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Candidates include rookie Ito Smith and Terrence Magee.Coach Dan Quinn also is looking at tight ends competing behind projected starter Austin Hooper. Eric Saubert, a fifth-round pick in 2017 who had no catches as a rookie, has impressed the coach in camp.“He’s somebody who certainly has our attention at tight end,” Quinn said Wednesday.“He’s really turning into the pass-catching tight end that I’d hoped we would see. … He’s long Julio Jones Jersey Discount , he’s fast and I now see the athlete.”Quinn said Saubert (6-5, 253) is more confident in his second season. He said Saubert pressed as a rookie and “wasn’t allowing himself to be the athlete that he is.”The Falcons did not re-sign tight end Levine Toilolo, who is now with Detroit. Veteran Logan Paulsen is best known for his blocking skills. That leaves an opening for Saubert to emerge as another target for quarterback Matt Ryan.Saubert must do more than show his skills as a receiver. All players competing for backup spots, including at running back and tight end, must prove they can contribute on special teams.Second-year defensive end Takkarist McKinley , trying to earn a starting role, is expected to play after being limited for about a week with a bruised right shoulder. McKinley returned for full participation on Tuesday and Wednesday.“He was good,” Quinn said. “What I was looking for, like with any guy, was there any hesitancy? He had none. So he responded the right way and was chomping at the bit to get back.”NOTES: LG Andy Levitre and his wife, Katie, who carried pink and blue balloons, had a unique baby gender reveal following practice. With players standing around the couple Julio Jones Jersey Super Bowl , Levitre held a sign that said “A Gatorade shower will let us see.” Other offensive linemen poured two coolers filled with the blue sports drink over Levitre’s head — so he and his wife are expecting a boy. Players then cheered. … Quinn confirmed PK Matt Bryant (undisclosed injury) and OT Ty Sambrailo (right hand) will not play against the Jets. “We’ll get them back into the fold next week,” Quinn said. CLEVELAND (AP) — Quietly, steadily and with little fanfare, the Atlanta Falcons have gotten off the ground.They’re flying again — under the radar.Despite numerous injuries at vital positions, the Falcons have shaken off a 1-4 start and carry a three-game winning streak into Sunday’s matchup with the Browns (2-6-1). Cleveland has changed coaches, dropped four in a row and is trying not to let another season spiral completely out of control.The Falcons (4-4) are coming off their best performance this season, a well-rounded 38-14 thrashing of the Washington Redskins that has pushed them back into contention in the wild-card race. Atlanta coach Dan Quinn said the key to the team’s turnaround has been persistence.“The main thing for us was the message to be real consistent, to stay the course,” Quinn said this week. “Although we got knocked down, defensively especially from the communication standpoint, we had to work hard to increase on that. There might be some new voices leading the way. We just tried to stay consistent with the guys. Make sure that we knew what we were doing was right and we had to do what we did better.”Nobody’s doing it better than Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who is playing like he did as the league’s MVP in 2016. Ryan has thrown 19 touchdown passes, only three interceptions Julio Jones Jersey For Sale , and is completing 71 percent of his passes. The 33-year-old leads the NFL with 335.6 yards passing per game, and he recently went 213 attempts between interceptions.Matty Ice is on fire.“He really is playing well. He is executing very well,” said Browns interim coach and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. “You can see the comfort zone that he has with (Falcons offensive coordinator) Steve (Sarkisian) in Year 2. That usually is the way that it is in our league.”Last week, Ryan passed for 350 yards and four touchdowns, one to star receiver Julio Jones, who ended a 12-game scoreless drought and finished with seven catches for 121 yards.Cleveland’s defense will get another stiff test one week after dealing with Kansas City’s high-flying aerial circus. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs scored 34 in three quarters before coasting through the final 15 minutes.Williams knows Ryan’s capabilities after facing him twice a season while he was defensive coordinator in New Orleans. Back then, Williams could take chances and blitz a young Ryan. Those tricks don’t work as well on a savvy veteran.“I look at it as an older quarterback — you start to get into the double-digit years, plus years and stuff — the influence of whoever is coordinating him and whoever is coaching him, he is having some say in some things and doing some really, really good things,” Williams said. “He is very accurate. Our work is going to be cut out for us. You can’t fool those kinds of guys that many times.”BROWNS DOWNCleveland’s task of stopping Ryan, Jones and Co. got harder when starting linebacker Christian Kirksey and cornerback E.J. Gaines were lost to season-ending injuries.The Browns should have rookie cornerback Denzel Ward and safety/corner Damarious Randall back from injuries. Randall may draw the assignment of covering Jones, who presents problems with his size and speed.“Big Julio Jones Jersey On Sale , fast, strong. I mean, you name it,” Randall said when asked to describe Jones. “He’s pretty much what you want in your typical receiver nowadays. He’s the guy that if you had to pick a receiver No. 1 in the league, I’m pretty sure probably all 32 teams would pick Julio Jones.”NEW RUNNING BACK TANDEMWith Devonta Freeman on injured reserve for at least six more weeks, Atlanta’s distribution of carries has been unexpectedly balanced. Tevin Coleman is starting, but rookie Ito Smith’s role is expanding. Proof came in last week’s win when Coleman had 13 carries for 88 yards, and Smith added 10 for 60 yards and a touchdown.“He’s gotten better for us every week,” Ryan said of Smith. “I’ve been really impressed with his growth from game to game. It’s really cool to see that from young players, particularly rookies.”GO, BAKER, GOThe Browns want rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield to cut it loose.Mayfield was tough on himself after some missed throws last week, but Williams’ said his message to the No. 1 pick this week was to only look forward.“We have his back. Now Julio Jones Jersey Sale , let’s go,” Williams said. “You’re a smart enough quarterback, instinctive enough quarterback. We understand that mistakes are going to be made. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Just cut it loose and play, and make faster and faster decisions.“That’s the No. 1 thing that I’ve tried to convey to him.”PERFECT FITNewly signed defensive end Bruce Irvin is expected to make his Falcons debut. Quinn said Irvin will play as a pass-rush specialist in the nickel package.Quinn was Seattle’s defensive coordinator for two seasons when Irvin played for the Seahawks. That familiarity, along with Irvin’s desire to return to his hometown, helped the Falcons reach a deal when Irvin said he was offered more money elsewhere.“I know Bruce,” Quinn said. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’ll fit in really well with this group.”
