Falcons secondary face speedy Miami receivers in joint practice 

MIAMI GARDENS, Fl. — Tre Flowers doesn’t relish the fact that he’s stepping into a first-team role because Jeff Okudah is hurt. He understands he has an opportunity in front of him, but he’s more than cognizant that it’s because Okudah is in the process of rehabbing an ankle injury sustained in practice last week. 

That doesn’t mean he isn’t going to prepare like anything less than the starter. Even before Okudah got hurt he wasn’t. 

“Just speaking on Jeff, you hate to see that, and I want to say that first,” Flowers said. “I always prepare like I’m starting… Mentally, I come to the game and give it my all. With him going down, it wasn’t like I had to do this or I had to do that. You stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” 

Speaking to the media for the first time since Okudah’s injury, assistant head coach Jerry Gray said he is appreciating the competition he sees from players like Flowers and Mike Hughes as they step into Okudah’s vacant shoes opposite A.J. Terrell in the Falcons secondary.

But it’s still early, and Gray said he’s learning just as much about what he has in these players to make sure he’s making the best decisions – schematically – for the new guys rotating into a spot formerly held by Okudah. 

“The biggest thing is: How do you mesh with the group? That’s No. 1,” Gray said. “But we’re also trying to figure out if you’re a press guy or off guy… We know who Jeff is, but let’s see who Mike is, who Tre is. Let’s see who Dee Alford is. Let’s see who these guys are.” 

While this is happening on the field, Gray has just as much homework off the field for Okudah as he works his way back to 100 percent, which could be in the early weeks of the season. 

Right now, he has Okudah watching old film on Indianapolis because, well, he wants him to see how a Frank Reich offense operates since the Falcons face Carolina in Week 1. 

“You have to prepare yourself as if you’re getting ready to go in this game here,” Gray said. “…Now, what do you do (after you’re injured)? You don’t go brain dead. You still have to be prepared. So, if he’s prepared, once he’s ready to go he won’t miss a beat.” 

In the meantime, players like Flowers are trying their hand with the first-team, trying to consistently stack the long, hot days of training camp, especially those against the Miami receivers.

“We all come from different systems,” Flowers said of this secondary. “We’re free agents, draft picks and guys who have been here, but (the coaches are) bringing us all together.”