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Ra'Shede Hageman checks out OK

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith said rookie defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman did not break any bones in his right hand during a fight with teammate Joe Hawley on Sunday.

Hageman exited the field after the fight and had discussions about a possible hairline fracture in his wrist, according to a source close to the player. But such a classification apparently was talked about before X-rays were taken.

"Hageman does not have a fractured hand," Smith said Monday. "Don't know who the league source was or who said it, but you'll see. He'll be a full participant in practice today. And there was no fracture whatsoever in his hand."

The team has classified the injury as a bruise.

"The test that we did with the X-ray that he was taken, there was no fracture," Smith said.

Also, Smith said that offensive tackle Terren Jones, a practice squad player last year who is fighting for a reserve role, is going through the concussion protocol after being carted off the field Sunday and rushed to a hospital. Jones was kicked in the head accidentally during a regular pileup, Smith said.

"I thought that our medical people did a wonderful job in terms of the situation yesterday in getting him off the field into the Northeast Georgia Medical Center," Smith said. "But he returned within a couple hours and was back in here last night."

Smith offered no timetable on Jones' return. Jones is the third player to sustain a concussion since training camp began, joining free safety Dwight Lowery and linebacker Pat Angerer.

The team remains optimistic about Lowery returning to action in the near future. He sustained a concussion after being blocked by running back Jacquizz Rodgers during Friday night's scrimmage.

At the same time, Lowery's history is a cause for concern, as it was his third concussion in the NFL and fourth since college. The projected starting free safety told people close to him that he feels "normal" after the latest incident.

The Falcons signed veteran safety Tyrell Johnson as insurance despite the optimism about Lowery.