Nope, it wasn't Julio Jones.He's sitting out the team's voluntary offseason program. So it was Calvin Ridley ??a first-round draft pick from the Crimson Tide ??who got a chance to
shine during a 90-minute practice Wednesday.But, for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, it was impossible to ignore the absence of No. 11.So, where's Julio?The Falcons say it's no big deal, even as they talk constantly about the importance building camaraderie and trust in each other during the voluntary
offseason workouts, a big part of coach Dan Quinn's much-ballyhooed "Brotherhood
."Jones said his absence has nothing to do with any hard feelings toward the only team he's played with in the NFL, but he's vague about his reasons for
staying away and it seems fairly obvious that he's trying to send a message
about his desire for a new contract.While Jones still has three seasons remaining on the last deal he signed ??a five-year, $71.3 million extension with $47 million in guaranteed money ??his
average salary is now less than at least a half-dozen receivers around the
league. Most tellingly, recent deals with Tampa Bay's Mike Evans and Cleveland's
Jarvis Landry seemed to set a whole new financial bar for the NFL's top pass
catchers, a list that certainly includes Jones.In addition, he surely took note when the Falcons made quarterback Matt Ryan the league's NFL's first $100 million man , agreeing to a new deal that assures
the quarterback of at least that much in guaranteed money and could average out
to as much as $30 million annually over five seasons.Rarely flustered, Ryan got a bit testy when asked about missing out on a chance to work with his favorite receiver during OTAs."We'll have our chances to work together," the QB said. "I'm not going to go into it more than that. It's not really anybody else's business."Jones has gone silent on social media and hasn't spoken in months to the Atlanta media, but he did provide some reassuring words to Falcons fans when the
gossip site TMZ caught up with him last weekend as he was leaving a swanky
restaurant in West Hollywood ."Everyone wants a story right now. There's no story to be told Cheap Kenny Young Jersey ," Jones insisted. "I'm just working on getting myself better. I'm just working on myself right now. That's all that is. There's
no bad blood between me and the team or anything like that."Jones insisted that he plans to remain with the Falcons for the rest of his career, echoing a sentiment expressed by owner Arthur Blank."Everybody on the outside (is) trying to look in and trying to destroy what we built there," Jones said. "I'm not going nowhere. I'll be there. I love the
team. I love the organization. I love everybody there. I'm good."Still, Jones' decision to skip OTAs has been a major topic of conversation around Atlanta, with fans and sports talk radio weighing in almost daily on his
future with a team that reached the Super Bowl during the 2016 season and the
second round of the playoffs last season.Everyone can rest easy, Quinn insisted.Jones has assured his coach that he'll be at the team's mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled for June 12-14."The guys who are really close to him, obviously they keep up," Quinn said outside the locker room after practice. "It's not like they don't hang out and
talk on the phone and do stuff together. They may not be spending the amount of
time here, in the building, that they normally do. But that doesn't mean they
don't spend time away from here. So, no issues on our end."I know he's working really hard. I've had contact with him, obviously. We can't wait to get him back, here, with the guys. But he's really putting good
work in. I think we'll see the results of that work, hopefully soon."The 29-year-old Jones is a huge weapon in the Falcons' offense Authentic Marc-Andre Fleury Jersey , using his rare combination of speed, size and power to shake off constant double-teams. Last season, he had 88
catches for 1,444 yards ??his fourth straight season with at least 80 receptions
and 1,400 receiving yards. In 2015, he had one of the greatest seasons ever by
an NFL receiver ??136 catches (tied for the second most in league history behind
Marvin Harrison's 143) and 1,871 yards (surpassed only by Calvin Johnson's
record of 1,954) .Ryan certainly recognizes the bond he has with his favorite receiver.They've been together since 2011. They won't be any trouble getting back in sync, Ryan said confidently.As soon as Jones shows up, that is."No concern," Ryan said. "He's always been extremely well prepared coming into seasons, going into games. Talk about being on the same page: we've played
together for a long time. When he's healthy and he feels good , like he does
right now ... it's very easy to get on the same page. He's so talented. So,
we're fine."Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at s://apnews/search/paul%20newberry
With the bases loaded and the game tied in the 10th inning, Brad Miller
plotted his approach as he came to the plate.
”You just look like you’re going to swing and don’t swing,” Miller said.Miller drew a bases-loaded walk with one out and the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers rallied past the Minnesota Twins Jessie Bates III Jersey , 6-5 on Monday night.Nate Orf, playing in his first major league game, was hit by a pitch from Zack Littell (0-2) leading off the 10th. Manny Pina followed with a single and
Keon Broxton walked.Pinch-hitter Hernan Perez, hitting against five infielders, hit a grounder to the left side that shortstop Jorge Polanco fielded and fired to the plate to
force Orf before Miller got his chance against Littell.”It’s tough right now,” Littell said, trying to explain his lack of command in the 10th.Corey Knebel (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th with a pair of strikeouts for the Brewers, who trailed 5-1 after Robbie Grossman blasted his first career grand
slam with two outs in the fifth off Milwaukee starter Brent Suter.Milwaukee has allowed grand slams in three consecutive games.Four Brewers relievers combined on five shutout innings.”Corey had a dynamite inning,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. ”It was an outing for the bullpen. They kept us alive in that game.”The Brewers rallied against Twins closer Fernando Rodney in the ninth to tie it. After retiring pinch-hitter Eric Sogard, Rodney gave up three consecutive
singles to load the bases for Travis Shaw, who tied it with a sacrifice fly.
Rodney blew his fifth save opportunity this season.The Twins tied it at 1 in the third on a one-out RBI groundout by Brian Dozier, one pitch after Dozier appeared to have struck out swinging. Plate
umpire Doug Eddings ruled that Dozier had fouled off the pitch, a call argued by
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell.Suter gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings.Pina led off the Brewers’ fifth with a homer off Kyle Gibson to cut the Twins’ lead to three. Milwaukee added another run on Miller’s bloop single and
pulled to 5-4 when Twins third baseman Willians Astudillo failed to cleanly
field Ryan Braun’s grounder near the bag.Gibson gave up eight hits and three earned runs over five innings.ORF’S LONG JOURNEYThe undrafted Orf, 28, started at second base. He has been one of the top-producing players in the Brewers’ farm system for many years and fans have
long been clamoring for him to be called up, even launching a (hash)FreeNateOrf
campaign on Twitter.”He is one of the more respected and revered players in our organization because of the way he treats people and because of the way he goes about his
business Authentic Derrius Guice Jersey ,” Brewers general manager David Stearns said.Orf, whose parents traveled from St. Louis for the game, narrowly missed hitting a grand slam in the fifth but Max Kepler hauled in the deep drive at the
center-field wall.”After I hit it, I was like this is it. This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” Orf said. ”Then he caught it.”HITTING HURLERSGibson, who had singles in his first two at-bats, entered the game with just a pair of career hits in 16 at-bats. His single leading off the third was his
first hit since June 2015.”I’d rather go 0 for 5 and go eight innings,” Gibson said.Suter singled in his only at-bat and Milwaukee reliever Taylor Williams got his first career hit with a sixth-inning single.TRAINER’S ROOM:Twins: Reinstated SS Jorge Polanco following an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. To make room for Polanco, OF
Ryan LaMarre was designated for release or assignment. … Recalled RHP Zack
Littell from Triple-A Rochester and sent LHP Adalberto Mejia to Rochester.Brewers: OF Christian Yelich sat out for the fourth consecutive time since leaving Thursday’s game with lower back tightness. ..RHP Aaron Wilkerson was
optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs when Orf was recalled. …Transferred INF/OF
Nick Franklin, who has been out since May with a quadriceps injury, to the
60-day disabled list.UP NEXTTwins: Jake Odorizzi (3-5, 4.62 ERA) allowed one run and five hits with 10 strikeouts in a May 20 start against the Brewers but didn’t factor into the
decision.Brewers: Junior Guerra (4-5, 3.05) surrendered one run and four hits in 4 1/3 innings and received no decision in a 3-1 loss to the Twins in Minneapolis on
May 20.—.
