Atlanta Falcons 2018 training camp: An open thread and tracker for Wednesday’s return

Training camp practices are back in full swing today, which means we get to watch even more Falcons practice time. Practice is good, at least until games start and we stop caring very much about practice.

What should you look for today, after a short rest? Here’s a handful:

• Whether we see Ito Smith and Takkarist McKinley healthy and back in action. Takk’s injury could linger a bit, unfortunately, so I’m hoping that we get the very best case scenario and he’s at least out on the practice field working with trainers today. The Falcons are going to need him in 2018.
• Will we continue to see growth from the up-and-down class of 2017? Takk’s on his way, but the early returns have been promising for Duke Riley, Eric Saubert, and to a lesser extent Sean Harlow, and I’d like to see all three stepping up and making a strong case to make the team and have a role, Okay, maybe not so much Harlow, given what that would imply.
• We’ve heard a ton already about how impressive Calvin Ridley is, and we’ve heard that Isaiah Oliver is solid. I’d like to see more from Oliver and better understand his role in this defense, given that Brian Poole is still at the top of the heap at nickel cornerback for the moment. The Falcons didn’t draft Oliver to sit around, but his role will likely be a mystery for a little bit longer.
• That fullback battle is even more interesting now that Daniel Marx is out of the picture. That leaves rookie Luke McNitt and former Raven Ricky Ortiz to battle it out, and while I still think McNitt wins it, the battle is far from decided and likely won’t be until Week 4 of preseason.
• If you’re planning on heading over to this practice, do be aware there’s rain in the forecast. If it’s heavy enough, the Falcons will likely move indoors, and that will mean no public viewing of practice. Alas.

Here’s our tracker for the day, so follow along.