Add Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley and linebacker Deion Jones to the list of players not taking part in OTAs, according to coach Dan Quinn on Friday.
Wide receiver Julio Jones and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, as previously reported, also are not attending OTAs.
Defensive end Adrian Clayborn was at the first two sessions, but was excused from Thursday’s workouts.
“Deion and (Julio) are still working on some rehab,” Quinn said, but there are no known surgeries on the two players. “They are getting a chance to finalize some of that. We’ll get a chance to visit with them later on, but I’ve talked to them.”
Earlier in the offseason, Quinn said he was eager to work with Beasley, who received the team’s $12.3 million fifth-year option.
Quinn clearly would have preferred for him to attend the workouts.
“We did as much as we could do in the classroom and through the video,” Quinn said. “He wanted to stay doing the training that he was doing on some of the things we spoke about. He’s certainly applying it in the training, but of course there is nothing like the on the field stuff.”
Quinn is expecting all of the players for mandatory minicamp, which is set for June 11-13.
The Falcons want to feature Beasley in the pass rush. He’s recorded only five sacks in each of the past two seasons after making 15.5 sacks in the 2016 season.
“Everything for us has involved pass rush,” Quinn said. “Our angles, our takeoffs and how we’d work our hands. There are some specific exercises and techniques that I wanted him to work through that I thought would make a big impact for his time. Every moment was devoted to that.”
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