GREENVILLE, S.C.. -- Here are five observations from the Falcons' training camp.

Camp Classic Moment

The career of tight end O.J. Santiago, or at least the productive period of his NFL tenure, might have ended abruptly here in 1999. During the Falcons' first training camp here, players were provided golf carts to facilitate their travels around the somewhat spread-out Furman University campus. Since this is the heart of NASCAR country, some veterans removed the governors that were designed to keep down the speed of the golf carts. Suffice it to say, a few players fell into the role of Jeff Gordon, taking turns at hair-raising speeds and generally terrorizing summer campus residents. During one such race, Santiago fell off the back off a cart driven by defensive end Chuck Smith, severely bruising his entire side. The team's third-round pick in 1997, and a prospect with what appeared to be a bright future, Santiago missed much of that camp, fell into poor condition, and really hasn't been the same player since. Santiago had a career-low 15 catches (to that point) for the '99 season and then was traded to Dallas in 2000, where he failed to catch a single pass. This spring, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Cleveland Browns, where he will attempt to resurrect his career. Suffice it to say that no-nonsense coach Dan Reeves has made certain that the restrictor plates are back on the golf carts and that players drive with a lot more caution. Close runner-up for the most memorable moment came in 1999, when tailback Jamal Anderson agreed to a new contract after a long camp holdout. Some of the reporters, unaware of the site of the negotiating session between agent Jim Sims and the team, staked out team officials and then followed Reeves' car in a fairly impressive convoy to a nearby hotel. — Len Pasquarelli

1. Just a guess but, if top overall draft choice Michael Vick starts a game as a rookie, it likely won't be until the final month of the season. Unlike some quarterbacks who have played in the Dan Reeves-designed offense, even some veterans, Vick does not seem overwhelmed by a system with tons of ponderous verbiage. That's the good part. The downside is that Vick simply isn't a very polished passer at this point of his development. A tremendous athlete? No doubt about it. A guy who can make something out of nothing because of his ability to break out of the pocket? Most definitely. But the Thursday practices were a continuation of Vick's problems with accuracy. No one should be surprised by Vick's struggles as a passer. In his two seasons at Virginia Tech, he had only 313 attempts and about 350 "dropbacks" and that isn't much experience reading defenses. Compare that to Drew Brees, who played all four seasons at Purdue and had 1,678 attempts. Vick needs to get plenty of camp "repetitions" to move to the next stage of development. He remains No. 2 on the depth chart but the suspicion is that, should starter Chris Chandler go down with an injury that would force him to miss a start, the replacement would be veteran Eric Zeier and not Vick.

2. Under first-year defensive coordinator Don Blackmon, who replaces Rich Brooks in that post, the Falcons are promising a more aggressive scheme up front that will produce more sacks. Certainly this is a team that needs to generate additional pressure, as reflected in last year's sack totals. The Falcons had only 31 sacks (only seven teams had fewer). The starting end tandem of Patrick Kerney and Brady Smith combined for only seven sacks last year, which is why Chuck Wiley, a true bargain basement pickup claimed on waivers from Carolina in 2000, is making a strong bid for a starting job. Brady and Kerney are a bit undersized and seem to be too easily stymied if they don't beat the offensive tackle with their initial move. Kerney is better suited to playing the weak side, where he doesn't have to contend with a tight end. Blackmon and new defensive line coach Bill Johnson have experimented early in camp with flipping the defensive ends from one side to another and that practice may continue to afford each player the best matchup. Look for more blitzing from weakside linebacker Keith Brooking, who is still sitting out some practices as he continues to recover from a broken foot suffered last season.

3. Many fans panned the choice of Alge Crumpler in the second round this season, but the criticism about the former North Carolina tight end had more to do with recent draft history than with his credentials. During the 1999 draft, Reeves swapped Atlanta's first-round choice in 2000 to Baltimore for the Ravens' No. 2 pick in '99. As it turned out, that Falcons' pick was the fifth overall in 2000 and Baltimore used it to grab tailback Jamal Lewis. The Falcons used the second-round pick they acquired to chose Mississippi State tight end Reggie Kelly, who posted only eight receptions as a rookie. Kelly is actually developing into a solid player in an offense that often features two-tight end formations. But when the team selected Crumpler in the second round three months ago, it precipitated a kind of "here we go again" reaction. Truth be told, many scouts rated Crumpler the best all-around tight end in the draft and Atlanta may have gotten a heist drafting him with the 35th overall pick. Crumpler is deceptively athletic and catches everything in sight. In a conference where standout tight ends are few, he looks to be a keeper, at least early in camp.

4. Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, one of the best in the league at his position and also Reeves' son-in-law, has his work cut out for him in camp. Atlanta lost three of the four top components on its special teams units and must find replacements. The Falcons failed to re-sign future Hall of Fame kicker Morten Andersen, lost punter Dan Stryzinski in free agency and dealt punt returner Tim Dwight to San Diego as part of the deal that netted them Vick. It appears that Jake Arians, who spent all last season on the Atlanta practice squad and has yet to kick in a regular-season game, is the frontrunner for the job Andersen held for six seasons. Former Buffalo punter Chris Mohr was signed as a free agent and could benefit from the move into a dome, but might not be as good a hang-time and positional punter as Stryzinski. The club drafted former Purdue wide receiver and Dwight wannabe Vinny Sutherland in the fifth round, but the jury is still out on him. The good news is that kickoff return specialist Darrick Vaughn, a seventh-round pick in 2000 who led the NFL with an average of 27.7 yards and returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, is back for his second year. Vaughn is getting some time returning punts in camp. Also the Falcons' coverage units should be improved, especially if free agent import and former Pro Bowl performer Travis Jervey has recovered from two straight injury-marred seasons.

5. The roster is replete with young veterans the Falcons plucked off the street but who have been productive for Atlanta, and that is testimony to the work of vice president of football operations Ron Hill and his staff. Wiley was a reject in Carolina, but he posted four sacks in 2000 and is challenging for a starting job. Defensive tackle Ed Jasper was signed in 1999 after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, started 15 games a year ago and is currently working with the first unit. Cornerback Conrad Hamilton was released by the New York Giants, was out of football last year as he rehabilitated from a knee injury, and could be the team's "nickel" defender. Linebacker Antony Jordan was waived by Indianapolis in 1999 and didn't even play that year, signed with Atlanta last season and is now the strongside starter. Another bargain basement linebacker, Chris Draft, was claimed on waivers last year and started eight games. Safety Chris Hudson was out of football last year but the five-year veteran could win a roster spot as a special teams contributor and backup in the secondary.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.