Atlanta Falcons second-year LB Akeem Dent returned to contact practice on Sunday after clearing the NFL’s concussion protocol. Barring further injuries, he’s expected to play Friday against the Dolphins.
“He participated today fully and he is ready to go,” coach Mike Smith after Sunday’s practice.
Dent suffered the injury August 9 while on special teams coverage in the preseason opener against the Ravens. He missed Thursday’s game vs. Cincinnati.
“I stayed in the books while I was out,” Dent told Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I was still in meetings. I was still able to go over and watch film and tape and stuff like that.”
Dent is expected to play an integral part in defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s schemes. The Falcons, who lost their leading tackler Curtis Lofton to free agency, have a lot of faith in Dent.
“We want him to be out there on the field playing the game full-speed,” Smith said. “We only got to evaluate him part of one game.”
Falcons waive WR Michael Calvin: The Falcons waived undrafted free agent WR Michael Calvin on Saturday. Calvin starred in the Falcons’ “Friday Night Lights” scrimmage at Peachtree Ridge High School on Aug. 3 but was recently dealing with a leg and reached an injury settlement with the team.
Two more Falcons suffer concussions: DT Eli Joseph and WR Kevin Cone suffered concussions and are following the league’s concussion protocol, similar to what Akeem Dent just passed.
Joseph suffered his concussion in Thursday’s preseason game vs. Cincinnati, and WR Kevin Cone, who was battling with WR Drew Davis for the Falcons’ No. 5 receiver spot, suffered his concussion at practice Saturday.
Falcons training camp over: The Falcons finished their last practice at Flowery Branch on Sunday and will return home for the first time since July 25. The Falcons will play at SunLife Stadium in Miami on Friday and then travel to Jacksonville on August. 30.
For more Falcons coverage, follow Mike Singer @CBSSportsNFLATL.