In 2014 Antone Smith had a breakout season. The running back simply came out of nowhere to be one of the team's leading scorers. Smith proved his worth as he averaged 17.1 yards per play acting as the Falcons' secret weapon. That playmaking ability is what earned Smith a contract extension during free agency, but there is concern about his availability as the running back is recovering from a season-ending leg injury.
Smith's 2014 season was cut short after the running back suffered a broken leg No. 16 against the Carolina Panthers. It was a huge blow to the Falcons' season considering what a star Smith was becoming. As organized team activities kick off in Atlanta, Smith told the media that his recovery is on schedule and he hopes to be ready come training camp.
"The recovery is going pretty good," Smith said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "I'm up and running. I'm almost full force, but not quite where I need to be. In time, that will take care of itself. I can't give you a time table on what they are doing. But with me, right now, I'm just learning the playbook with everybody else. I'm familiar with some of the things. There are a lot of different techniques and different language. It's a fit for my skill set, but it's a fit for anybody that wants to run the ball. They want to run the ball here and that's the biggest thing. They want to run the ball. I don't care who's the running back you want to be in this scheme right here. I'm happy for this scheme."
Smith is expected to play a critical role in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's offense which will be run heavy. The Falcons said goodbye to both Steven Jackson and Jacquizz Rodgers in the offseason with the intentions of having Devonta Freeman and Smith as the rotating backs. However, they drafted Tevin Coleman who is now the favorite to win the starting spot over Freeman and Smith. The leg injury to Smith gives Coleman one less player to compete with.
Rookies will play a big role for the Falcons this year. According to NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, Vic Beasley and Jalen Collins are expected to start at their respective positions. Justin Hardy is expected to be the No. 3 wide receiver while Coleman could get the nod at the running back spot.
