Position battles to watch in Falcons training camp

NFL training camp season is almost here. The Falcons begin their program on July 24 at IBM Performance Field in Flowery Branch.

Here's a look at three position battles that could be the most heated.

Cornerback (Nickel package)

Projected starters : A.J. Terrell, Clark Phillips III, Mike Hughes

Player to watch: Dee Alford

Terrell, entering his fourth season, is a lock at one starting cornerback spot. The intrigue begins with who will line up on the perimeter alongside him.

Phillips, the team's fourth-round pick in 2023, had a promising start to his career in limited action. Quarterbacks completed 51.7% of their passes when targeting the corner out of Utah, but penalties were a concern after he was flagged six times in only seven games. (h/t Pro Football Focus)

Alford made arguably his best play last season on special teams when he nearly returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown.

He played a team-high 457 snaps in the slot and struggled at times. Per data from PFF, in 13 games, Alford allowed a completion on 70.3% of his targets and a 106.8 passer rating, 27.6 points above average.

But as shown on his almost-touchdown, he has playmaking ability. Assistant head coach Jerry Gray recently said Alford "has taken another step" this offseason. After only two years in the league, it would be foolish to write him off.

Hughes, a six-year veteran, replaced Alford as the team's starting slot corner in Week 12, a role he held in four of Atlanta's last six games.

He was targeted 18 times, allowing 10 receptions for 98 yards (9.8 yards per catch) during that span. During the team's June minicamp , he worked with the starting unit as the No. 2 corner.

Outside linebacker (3-4 defense)

Projected starters: Arnold Ebiketie, Lorenzo Carter

Players to watch: Bralen Trice, DeAngelo Malone

Ebiketie, entering his third season out of Penn State, is Atlanta's best returning edge rusher and is penciled in at No. 1 on the depth chart. Carter, a six-year veteran, might start camp with the first-team defense, but he should have competition.

Trice's development will be fascinating to watch, particularly compared to first-round edge rushers Dallas Turner and Laiatu Latu, players the Falcons passed on to select backup quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in April's draft.

He has the tools, most notably lateral quickness, to be a strong pass-rusher, allowing him to capitalize on stunts and bull rushes when crashing into the interior of the pocket, such as on this sack allowed by Packers 2024 first-round pick offensive tackle Jordan Morgan on Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita.

Malone is another name to watch. Atlanta's third-round pick (No. 82 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft was limited to three games last season due to a pectoral injury but should be part of the competition as he attempts a comeback.

Left defensive end

Projected starter: Zach Harrison

Players to watch: Ruke Orhorhoro, Ta'Quon Graham

Harrison was Atlanta's third-round pick (No. 75 overall) in the 2023 draft and was one of the Falcons' best run-defenders on an improved rush defense. According to PFF data , Harrison's 10.5 stop rate against the run was the highest for a Falcons lineman. Among 174 linemen credited with at least 175 run-defense snap counts, it ranked the 14th-highest.

Orhorhoro, drafted 35th overall in April, should challenge for the starting job in the three-man defensive front alongside Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata. Graham played 35% of Atlanta's defensive snaps last season and is incentivized to have a big season in a contract year.