Previewing Falcons Training Camp with Carl Dukes

Carl Dukes is a well-known figure in the world of sports talk shows, boasting more than 20 years of experience in both radio and television broadcasting.

He started his career in San Antonio before relocating to Houston. Since 2012, Dukes has been a part of  92.9 "The Game.” He co-hosts the leading sports show in the Atlanta area with Mike Bell.

Additionally, he hosts a weekend program on Infinity Sports Radio during the weekends.

Craig: Are you fully on the Penix Jr. train?

Carl: Absolutely. He has special arm talent. He's committed and loves football. He's also garnered the respect of his teammates in a very short period of time. He started those three games last year, but he's going to be very special and one of the stars that shines bright this upcoming season among the young quarterbacks that are coming of age.

Craig: In looking at the schedule, if Atlanta is sitting at 2-2 heading into the bye week, would you feel good about their chances of being on track for a playoff berth?

Carl: I think so. I would feel pretty good about that kind of start. I'm not going to discredit the Bucs as they've won the division each of the last three years, so they're the team to beat, but two wins in September would be a good start.

Craig: If they don't reach the postseason, do you think Raheem Morris is gone?

Carl: The fan base believes that if we don't go to the playoffs, that Morris along with GM Terry Fontenot will be fired. I'm not so sure about that. How do you deem success? Listen, they could have a winning record this year and not make the playoffs. Michael Penix Jr. could be spectacular, Bijan could lead the league in rushing and Drake London could be number one in receiving yardage. All of that could happen, so the upside of where your franchise is headed, looks a lot better than your actual record in that scenario. Arthur Blank as an owner has been very patient in his tenure. He's not fired guys in a bad situation.

Craig: First day of camp is on July 24th. What position battles are you most eager to see?

Carl: The secondary is going to be interesting. They drafted multiple secondary pieces, and I think Xavier Watts out of Notre Dame is going to be a starter. They've got to figure out their nickel situation and there will be some competition there. The secondary should be improved and the big question on defense is how they'll mix in Jalon Walker and James Pearce from Tennessee and how will those guys be used, and more importantly, what the rotation looks like. For the first time in a long time, the Falcons now have a multitude of edge guys that they can use in different ways. I think those options will be fascinating to watch when camp opens up. They have to fix this defense and that's where the focus will be when camp starts.