FLOWERY BRANCH http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/jason-croom-jersey , Ga. (AP) — Even as he enters his fourth season, Tevin Coleman is still taking notes from Falcons teammate Devonta Freeman on all the basics that go with being an NFL running back.

How to run. How to catch. How to block.

How to make teammates smile.

In training camp, Freeman’s contagious personality may be one of his biggest strengths. His ever-present smile can be a mood-lifter during long, hot practice days.

“It’s definitely effective,” Coleman said after Saturday’s practice. “Just having him here and bringing in the energy and getting other guys motivated to compete and work hard, just his presence here lightens everybody up. I like that.”

Freeman is especially upbeat this camp. He is relishing his return to good health following a sometimes scary 2017 season.

Freeman suffered two concussions last year. He spent the last two weeks of the preseason in concussion protocol before suffering another concussion against Dallas on Nov. 12 that forced him to miss two games. A sprained right knee cut into his production late in the season.

Now Freeman, 26, is feeling good. He’s an important part of an offense that is looking to return to its form of 2016, when it led the league in scoring.

“What more can I ask for?” Freeman asked earlier this week. “My dream job is football and I get to play. I come to work and play football every day. That’s it.”

Coleman said Freeman is “happy to feel good, happy to be here with his brothers, happy to compete.”

Coach Dan Quinn says Freeman’s tough demeanor in practice shows that he loves the game, especially in training camp.

“He’s such a competitor,” Quinn said Saturday. “He has the personality among his teammates. They love him. They love what he stands for on the field Jonathan Allen Jersey , off the field, in the locker room. He is one of constant support. His makeup and mentality, based on toughness and competing, this is his kind of environment.”

Added Quinn: “We truly celebrate guys like Free who live that lifestyle.”

Quinn immediately noticed a change in Freeman early in camp.

“It is awesome to see Free back, feeling like himself,” he said.

Freeman was one of the first players to catch the attention of Quinn, then a first-year coach, in 2015. The coach immediately talked about Freeman’s skills as a runner and receiver, and the running back’s breakout season lived up to the hype.

Freeman ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,634 combined rushing and receiving yards in 2015 and was first with 14 all-purpose touchdowns.

He added another 1,000-yard rushing season in 2016. Even while missing two games last year, he ran for 865 yards with seven touchdowns and had 36 catches for 317 yards.

Most running backs would be happy with 36 catches, but for Freeman it was a big drop from 2015 Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey , when he caught 73 passes for 578 yards.

Freeman hopes he and Coleman have more targets from quarterback Matt Ryan in the second year with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian.

“I think we’ve got enough talent to be utilized in the passing game,” he said. “We need to take advantage of that.”

NOTES: The Falcons had their fourth annual military day, welcoming soldiers from Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, and 24 families from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors who have lost a loved one in the military. “It was a great way for us to pay tribute back to them,” Quinn said. … A German TV crew, on a tour of at least eight NFL training camps, visited the Falcons and plans to return when Atlanta hosts this season’s Super Bowl. “It would be a perfect scenario if the home team could reach the Super Bowl,” said Christoph Dommisch of 7Sports. Dommisch and other members of the crew wore traditional lederhosen — shorts and suspenders.

Drop back. Throw long. Repeat.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was flinging the ball far downfield Thursday during a voluntary offseason training practice, targeting an array of receivers that includes newcomers Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead.

”Someone kind of joked that we completed more deep balls in practice today when we did the whole offseason last year,” coach John Harbaugh said.

The Ravens’ top priority this season was to vastly improve a passing attack that last season ranked 29th in total yardage and was dead last with 5.7 yards per attempt.

General manager Ozzie Newsome dumped Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin and Michael Campanaro Tarell Basham Jersey , signed the aforementioned trio of free agents and drafted two wide receivers.

Chris Moore and Breshad Perriman are the only two of 13 receivers on the roster who caught a pass for Baltimore last season. Whether it’s a change for the better remains to be seen.

”Obviously, we’ve got to do our job – catch the ball, catch touchdowns, first downs and all that,” Crabtree said. ”I’m confident in the guys we have. We’ve got some football players here.”

Crabtree has five career TD catches of at least 40 yards; Snead will fit nicely in the slot; and Brown in 2015 had a 1,003-yard, seven-touchdown season with Arizona.

Forget the check-down pass, because the Ravens are looking to go long in 2018.

”Joe’s known for throwing the deep ball, and I think we’ll hit a lot of those,” Brown said.

Flacco is the starter, but backups Robert Griffin III, Lamar Jackson and Josh Woodrum will keep the receivers busy downfield this summer.

”Every one of our quarterbacks has a reputation for throwing the ball deep,” Harbaugh said. ”I feel like that’s got to be a big part of who we are. We want to throw it out there Jacoby Brissett Jersey , and go get it.”

That was the Ravens were looking for from Perriman when they drafted him in the first round of 2015. Perriman has thus far been a huge disappointment, but the hope is that this is the year he finally fulfills his potential.

”He’s in great shape. He’s playing very fast,” Harbaugh said. ”Not just that – he’s catching the ball really well. He looks much smoother, and he’s getting in and out of routes quicker. He’s taken a step in the right direction. I know he’s determined to carry that right through training camp.”

Crabtree, 30, has become the leader of the pack simply because of his age and experience.

”I don’t have a choice. I’m going on 10 (years) in the game,” he said. ”That’s just my role. At the same time, I’m out there competing like I’m 21. I’m going to have fun with it.”

Crabtree had 58 catches with Oakland last season, down from 89 in 2016. Snead started the 2017 season in New Orleans with a three-game DUI suspension and fought through a hamstring injury. Brown is looking to regain the form he showed in 2015.

All three hope the move to Baltimore will bring about a return to stardom.

”We’ve all had our ups and downs,” Brown said. ”It just feels good to have a new start and keep things rolling.”

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