The Falcons took the practice fields in Flowery Branch this morning to kick off preparation for the 2016 season, and it sure is good to be back.

Before we launch into an overview of the key things that happened at practice today, let's take a moment to remember that we should always take the news out of training camp with a grain of salt. Guys are practicing in shorts and helmets and nothing is at full speed. They're still installing the scheme, so nothing is being done at full speed.

Still, things were pretty fast and physical. Here are some highlights from both sides of the ball and some overall notes.

Offense

Defense

The first interception of training camp went to presumptive starting free safety Ricardo Allen. Yes, he picked off Matt Ryan, but it was a good read.

De'Vondre Campbell is FAST and he can cover. Man, he could actually be a difference maker. He broke up a deep ball to Tevin Coleman , a pass that, if caught, would surely have been a touchdown.

None of the rookie defenders stood out as looking slow or lost, and typically you'll see at least a few noticeable lapses. This is fundamentally wonderful news for Keanu Neal , Campbell and Deion Jones , who seem to be acclimating to the NFL well.

Sean Weatherspoon , with the exception of getting beat deep once for a touchdown by Devonta Freeman, looked really good. If used correctly, he'll be an asset for the team this season.

Of note