Atlanta Falcons starting nose tackle Corey Peters was carted off the practice field with an apparent lower left leg injury on Sunday. Head coach Mike Smith said he did not have an immediate update. If Peters, a second-year player who established himself as a rookie, is unable to return soon, former first-round pick Peria Jerry is expected to step in.

The Atlanta Falcons will hold out a number of starters in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Patriots, including starting cornerbacks Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson.

The knee injury that ended the rookie season of Falcons DT Peria Jerry was never fully disclosed, and rumors continue to swirl about the exact nature of the injury.

Despite the obvious discord between Adalius Thomas and coach Bill Belichick, the LB is still a member of the Patriots, a situation the Boston Globe‘s Albert Breer attributes to a front-loaded contract that behooves the Patriots to keep Thomas on the roster at least until the new league year begins on March 5.

Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck and Eagles RB Brian Westbrook were among the players who sustained injuries in Week 2.

I had the chance recently to watch two spirited practices at Atlanta Falcons training camp, chatting with owner Arthur Blank, GM Thomas Dimitroff, coach Mike Smith and a number of players in the process. I left Flowery Branch with a good feel for the 2009 Falcons.

The real pressure point of the first round is coming in the second quarter, with picks 8 through 12 all unsigned to this point. That span includes the player who has been absent from his camp the longest thus far — defensive end Aaron Maybin has missed the Bills’ first week of practice. It also includes a wide receiver who many believed would go in the top five (Michael Crabtree of the 49ers) and the first running back selected in the draft (Knowshon Moreno of the Broncos).

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Peria Jerry, the 13th overall pick in the NFL draft, signed a five-year deal Friday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Jerry is the last of the Falcons’ eight draft picks to sign.

The Falcons’ first-round draft pick, DT Peria Jerry, left practice on Saturday due to a knee injury, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

OT Michael Oher was the highlight of Mississippi’s pro day, which drew 65 player personnel people from 32 teams, including John Dorsey, Green Bay’s director of player personnel and Rick Repish, the Saints’ director of college scouting.