FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- By the time the Atlanta Falcons wrapped up Tuesday's practice, two of the four starters in the secondary were out with injuries.
Cornerback Desmond Trufant was sidelined again with a shoulder strain he suffered last week. And then during Tuesday's practice, strong safety William Moore exited the field with a strained calf and didn't return.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn said he didn't have an immediate update on Moore or defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman, who suffered a face/neck injury in practice. Quinn did, however, sound optimistic about Trufant's return.
"Hoping that he'll be back working in individual starting in the next day or so," Quinn said of Trufant. "He had a strain with it that we just had to calm it down, and now it's back where he can go and get the contact again. So, we're hoping in the next day or two to get him back."
Trufant didn't play in the first preseason game against Tennessee, while Moore played well against the Titans in 10 snaps. Moore was limited throughout the offseason while recovering from major right shoulder surgery so the last thing he needed was another injury concern.
These bumps and bruises emphasize the need for quality depth across the board, including in the secondary. The absence of Trufant and Moore from full-team drills Tuesday means guys such as cornerback Phillip Adams and strong safety Kemal Ishmael got more extensive reps.
"It's next man up in terms of the philosophy," Quinn said. "The standard doesn't change in terms of how we go. It's unfortunate Des and William weren't able to be out there today, but the opportunity for other guys to get turns, to get with the group and say, `Hey man, you can count on me, too.' I think that's the message that came across. And we totally do [count on them] with those guys."
In other injury news, running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, as well as outside linebacker Brooks Reed, participated in a portion of 11-on-11 drills coming off their injuries. Freeman and Coleman had been sidelined with hamstring strains, while Reed suffered a groin injury early in training camp.
Quinn said the players are day to day, meaning their status for Friday's preseason game against the New York Jets remains unknown.
Meanwhile, running back Antone Smith remained sidelined with a groin injury suffered in the preseason opener.
A few quick-hit items from the 14th practice of training camp on Tuesday:
Wide receiver Leonard Hankerson continues to impress with his flawless route running and ability to catch with ease. If he remains healthy, Hankerson should be a real asset for quarterback Matt Ryan.
Sean Renfree continued to work with the second-team offense behind Ryan, with T.J. Yates third up. Renfree and Yates have rotated at times during camp, and this week's setup likely indicates the rotation for Friday's game against the Giants.
Safety Sean Baker had a chance to pick off a Yates pass but dropped it. Rookie cornerback Jalen Collins also was in position for a pick down the sideline but the pass got through to Bernard Reedy, who made a nifty catch.
Hall of Fame pass rusher Bruce Smith was at practice again offering his expertise to the defensive line and coach Bryan Cox.
The music playlist included DMX ("Ruff Ryders' Anthem"), Rob Base ("It Takes Two"), and 2Pac ("All Eyez On Me").
