Atlanta Falcons training camp 2026: Day 9 news, notes, injuries, and updates

BUFORD, Ga. — The Falcons found themselves back under the Georgia summer lights, with one of their most anticipated practices of training camp coming at Buford’s Lanier High School. The practice start time was at 7:00 p.m. with the pads out and a presumed tackling period also in store.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans as the session was abruptly brought to an end at around 8:10 p.m. after a lightning strike was observed in the area, before any tackling took place and in the midst of what was an exciting day of 11-on-11s.

This was much to the disappointment of the capacity crowd which filed into the Lanier Longhorns’ bleachers. Excitement for the season is mounting, as it always is at this time of year, and the team did treat the fans to an intriguing hour or so of practice nonetheless.

Below are my news and notes from Day 9 of Falcons’ 2026 Training Camp, at Lanier High School.

Injury Updates

Safety Jessie Bates III remained out. It was stated previously that he is dealing with a back ailment which has now cost him a fourth straight day of practice. S DeMarcco Hellams got most of the work with the first team in his place.
DL Zach Harrison was activated and cleared to return to practice, so there is some good news on the injury font.
RT Jawaan Taylor remains out, on the PUP list, and RT Wanya Morris was still out as well. T Michael Jarrel continued getting most of the first team reps at right tackle, and I saw T/G Ethan Onianwa and T/G Kem Dewberry rotated in with the first team some as well. Taylor was right in front of me at the beginning of the night, and it was interesting to note that he was wearing a full leg sleeve (his injury is listed as an elbow/triceps).

QB Tua Tagovailoa seems to be fully back and in the swing of things after missing the first few days of camp, and getting worked back in over the next few. He took all of the first team reps in 11-on-11 periods, and looked pretty good.

Overall, the former national champion with the University of Alabama went 6-8 in these scrimmage periods, including 2-3 during an early red zone portion inside the 10, throwing touchdowns to WR Jahan Dotson and WR Drake London (who operated out of the slot on this particular play). His best throw of the day came on a layered pass which traveled over 35 yards in the air and landed in the hands of WR Olamide Zaccheaus off a well established play action where the protection held up.

London and Dotson each were recipients of throws which came in the full field portion of 11-on-11 in addition to their red zone looks, making both the only players who caught multiple passes with the first team. TE Kyle Pitts on a short catch was the other recipient of a Tagovailoa completion.

I was also impressed with how effectively London was schemed open on his second completion, where he ran what looked like a drag route from right to left and was left without a defender within 15 yards of his vicinity amidst the chaos of the play, gaining some real chunk yardage in the immediate aftermath.

After his brief “hold in” which resulted in his briefly becoming the highest paid running back in the NFL (until Jahmyr Gibbs’ extension a few days later), RB Bijan Robinson also seems to be getting his footing under him with each passing day.

Following a rough first play of 11s where he was motioning from the left for what looked like an end around play with the quarterback operating out of the shotgun, Bijan had the handoff from Tua botched which resulted in a fumble. That, however, was not a tone setter as both players bounced back rather quickly.

Namely, the first play in which Robinson successfully touched the ball — a toss play to the left out of the shotgun — he found an open hole in the defense, turned the corner and made a move in the open field which freed him up for a 55-yard touchdown run. The capacity crowd was the loudest of the night on this play as the former Texas Longhorns running back poetically scored on a field whose logo imitates that of his alma mater.

Robinson had a later play, on an identical toss to the left out of the shotgun, where he once again managed to turn the corner for a pretty decent gain as his shiftiness in the open field remains the team’s most dangerous offensive threat.

Young defensive lineman have their moments

While the first team offense had a strong day overall, the defense was not without some of their own victories.

Tagovailoa wound up taking a couple of sacks, and the first one came courtesy of DT Brandon Dorlus, who has gotten to the quarterback multiple times already throughout the course of this camp. Dorlus, who broke out with 8.5 sacks a year ago, will be one of the key cogs of this defensive line going into his third year in the league.

DT Maason Smith, who was acquired in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for DT Ruke Orhorhoro, had his standout moments as well. He had a big push up the middle which caved in the offensive line and resulted in the second sack of Tua, and earlier in the night he beat C Ryan Neuzil in a one on one drill pitting offensive lineman against their defensive counterparts before scrimmages began.

Nobody was more impressive in that particular drill (which the offensive lineman mostly dominated) than EDGE James Pearce Jr. who somehow got around Michael Jarrel without even being touched on a speed move on his first rep, before handily beating T Brandon Walton on his next rep. Pearce got more work with the first team defense today after spending time exclusively with the second team early on in camp.

Other Notes

K Nick Folk remained automatic, as the team started the evening with some field goal drills. The veteran free agent signing kicked in at least three field goals, and maybe even more that I just missed seeing because they sent him out there before the official start time, drilling one from 50+ as a long. As far as I know, he has missed just one kick in all of camp, and that was on a play where he slipped.
LB Kendal Daniels and LB Harold Perkins both rotated in with the first team once again. It seems that the rookies will be tasked with making an immediate impact on the Falcons’ defense this year.
While Bijan was the main headliner, the “other” B. Robinson also had a strong day. RB Brian Robinson Jr. rotated in with the first team on a red zone play inside the 5-yard-line and punched it in for a touchdown before scampering for a 20-yard rushing touchdown after making a defender miss on his very next touch, with the second team.
RB Nathan Carter had his own score from a red zone snap, as he continues to lead the pack in that RB3 competition.
The second team defense mostly got the better of their counterparts, led by QB Jack Strand and QB Cooper Rush. Rush did not complete a single pass in 11-on-11 and Strand’s lone moment of the day came on an early touchdown strike from inside the 5-yard-line to WR Vinny Anthony before he was stifled as well.
The Falcons had some moments of some creativity and trickery in this practice. In the middle of field goal drills, they had a snap where instead of the next Folk kick they broke into a half speed fake field goal where P Jake Bailey threw a touchdown pass to C Corey Levin (the defense, which was in position, did not attempt to stop or break up the pass as everyone was moving in a jog).
The most unique play came with the second team out there, where they ran a type of “Philly Special” which involved Carter taking a toss and then handing the ball off to Dotson, who targeted Jack Strand near the sideline about 20 yards downfield (the pass fell incomplete, however).
QB Michael Penix Jr. did not get any work outside of some warm up throws. The coaching staff has in the past given him his own 7-on-7 period at the end of practice to get some work in. Whether that was part of the plan in this practice we do not know as it was cut short.

That’s all from me for Day 9 of camp. Tomorrow will be a scheduled off day before the team gets back to it on Monday. Our own Jeanna Kelley will be back out there at Flowery Branch. We are now less than a week away from the first preseason game, where the Falcons will host the Denver Broncos.

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