Falcons GM wants deal done with Freeman by Thursday

Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff wants a deal done with running back Devonta Freeman by the time the team takes the field for its first training camp practice Thursday, according to ESPN's Vaughn McClure.

Freeman began campaigning for an extension - and a big raise - before the Falcons played in Super Bowl LI and has repeated his desire to be paid like an elite running back all offseason.

Freeman is set to earn $1.838 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal, but it sounds like it may only be a matter of time before he has a new, much larger, contract in hand.