FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Unlike most of his fellow rookie class, second-round draft pick Matthew Bergeron had a daunting adjustment to make in his first NFL season: learn to play a new position.
Bergeron played tackle throughout his career at Syracuse. At a Senior Bowl practice, he took a few snaps at guard, beginning what became a positional transition after the Atlanta Falcons drafted him in April.
He knew it was going to be a different expectation of pacing and learning. After Matt Hennessy got injured early in training camp, it became clear he was going to have to learn on the field with the first team instead of in the background.