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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons Place DE Derrick Shelby On IR

November 28th, 2018 at 11:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons place defensive end Derrick Shelby on IR with groin injury, per a team announcement. To take his place, the team promoted defensive back Ryan Neal to the active roster. 

The Falcons released Shelby in March only to re-sign him to a cheaper deal three weeks later. Shelby started the bulk of last season for Atlanta, but he’s been more of a rotational player this year. In seven games (three starts) Shelby recorded ten total tackles and zero sacks.

Even without the 29-year-old, the Falcons have a number of other options at DE. Former first-round picks Takkarist McKinley and Vic Beasley will continue to start on the edge with Bruce Irvin, Brooks Reed, and Steven Means in support.

At 4-7, the Falcons’ playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread. If they fall to the Ravens on Sunday, they’ll punch their ticket for a top 20 pick.

Latest On Deion Jones

November 26th, 2018 at 9:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson
  • Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said linebacker Deion Jones looks excellent but stopped short of saying Jones will be ready for Week 13, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jones was activated off injured reserve in advance of Week 11, but he still has yet to see the field. After originally suffering a foot injury in Week 1, Jones hasn’t played since, and his — and other key defenders’ — absences have contributed to Atlanta’s disappointing 4-7 record.

Deion Jones To Miss Week 12

November 21st, 2018 at 8:33pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • The Falcons activated Deion Jones last week but did not deploy him against the Cowboys. The acclaimed Atlanta middle linebacker will also miss the Falcons’ Thanksgiving game in New Orleans, being declared out in advance of the NFC South rivalry matchup. Jones suffered a foot injury in Week 1 and spent two months on IR. He’s on Atlanta’s active roster now, and it’s possible the Falcons are giving him an extra 10 days to prepare for a Week 13 return. However, at 4-6, the Falcons can ill-afford any more losses if they want to preserve their fleeting playoff hopes.

NFL Reinstates Jalen Collins, Darius Latham

November 14th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL has reinstated former Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins and former Raiders defensive tackle Darius Latham, the league announced. Both of their suspensions wrapped up on Tuesday, clearing the free agents to sign with an NFL team.

Collins, a former second-round pick, flashed potential in his time with Atlanta. Unfortunately, multiple suspensions have derailed his career, including his most recent 10-game ban. Collins started eight games for the Falcons and played in 24. He also started all three of Atlanta’s games in the 2016 playoffs, including Super Bowl LI.

If not for his red flags, the 25-year-old likely would have been a first-round choice in 2015. He also might be a starting cornerback in Atlanta today.

Latham made a bigger impression for the 2016 Raiders, playing in 14 games and starting two, than he did last season. Thanks in part to his four-game suspension, Latham ended up playing in just three contests last year. He made 17 tackles as a rookie and has yet to record a sack. This year, the Raiders cut him just before Day 1 of the draft.

Falcons Activate Deion Jones

November 12th, 2018 at 9:43pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Falcons have had awful injury luck this year, but finally got some good news today. Linebacker Deion Jones will be activated off injured reserve, according to Adam Caplan of Sirius XM (Twitter link).

The team waived offensive lineman Rees Odhiambo in a corresponding roster move. The news couldn’t come at a better time for the Falcons, as their defense was shredded by Baker Mayfield and the Browns this past week. Jones went down with a foot injury all the way back in Week 1, and hasn’t played since.

A 2016 second round pick, Jones had blossomed into one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL. He was great at covering running backs out of the backfield, and the Falcons have been shredded by opposing backs in the passing game since he went down. In the one game he played this year, Jones had nine tackles, an interception, and two passes defended.

Jones is one of a slew of Falcons defensive players who have had extended absences. Safety Ricardo Allen is done for the year with a torn achilles, and Keanu Neal was lost for the season with a torn ACL he suffered in Week 1. Atlanta is still a ways away from full health, but this is a massive boost to the defense.

49ers Pursued DE Bruce Irvin

November 8th, 2018 at 9:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers “went hard” after free agent Bruce Irvin after he was released by the Raiders, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). Irvin ultimately signed with the Falcons, but San Francisco was one of roughly 10 clubs that inquired on the veteran defensive end, per Maiocco.

Irvin on Wednesday told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com both the Steelers and Patriots offered him more than the $1.5MM he’ll collect from Atlanta, while reports also indicated the Seahawks expressed interest in adding Irvin. But the 31-year-old preferred to return home to his native Atlanta, so any other proposals weren’t all that attractive.

On paper, the 49ers are something of a curious fit for Irvin, as they’re certainly not in contention for a playoff berth with a 2-7 record. San Francisco, which ranks eighth in adjusted sack rate but just 17th in pressure rate, also has a young crop of rushers available on the edge, including Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas, so Irvin wouldn’t have been looking at a full complement of snaps.

However, if the 49ers believe they’ll need additional edge defenders in 2019, they may have been interested in signing Irvin for something of a trial run. Irvin should already be familiar with San Francisco’s scheme (it’s similar to the defense he ran with the Seahawks earlier in his career), but the 49ers could have gotten a chance to see how he fits into the club’s front. Irvin only signed a one-year deal with the Falcons, so San Francisco could certainly target him when he hits the open market again next spring.

NFL Workout Updates: 11/8/18

November 8th, 2018 at 8:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:

Atlanta Falcons

San Francisco 49ers

Falcons Give Bruce Irvin $1.5MM

November 7th, 2018 at 5:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bruce Irvin clearing waivers and landing with the Falcons gives him a chance to earn nearly $10MM this season. His one-year (or, eight-game) Falcons deal is worth $1.5MM, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. Irvin was playing on an $8MM salary with the Raiders this season, and Florio notes he can recoup the balance of that salary ($3.76MM) by filing a termination pay claim. Vested veterans (at least four seasons’ experience) can do this one in their careers, and this may be the most money Irvin, 31, can claim through this measure. Total, the seventh-year veteran can collect $9.75MM this season. Considering he entered the year with no more guarantees remaining in his deal, that’s not a bad haul.

  • With Irvin rejoining a Dan Quinn defense, this one housing recent first-round defensive ends Takk McKinley and Vic Beasley, he won’t be the unquestioned top edge rusher like he was in Oakland. However, Quinn — who coached Irvin with the Seahawks — is planning a NASCAR package with the three ends and Grady Jarrett, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Quinn said the team will use the trio on the field together in practice this week in preparation to deploy the speed set a game at some point. The Falcons’ 17 sacks rank 27th in the league. Beasley has just one and is Pro Football Focus’ worst-graded full-time edge defender this season.

Falcons LB Deion Jones Returns To Practice

November 7th, 2018 at 5:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Depleted on defense for most of the season, the Falcons stand to soon see one of their top players return to action.

Deion Jones participated in practice on Wednesday and has been designated to return from IR, per Pro Football Talk. A broken foot forced the stalwart Atlanta linebacker to IR after Week 1, which turned out to be a brutal game for Falcons injuries.

Jones has three weeks to be activated or must spend the rest of the season on IR. He tested his injured foot during a sideline session last week and has progressed back to being able to join teammates at practice. Having missed seven games, Jones would first be eligible to return for the Falcons’ Week can return at any point for the Falcons’ Week 11 contest.

Atlanta’s won three straight games, with its defense holding Washington to 14 points. But the weakened unit still ranks 29th in points allowed. Jones, a 2017 Pro Bowler who made 138 stops in his second NFL season, would bring a vital reinforcement to the suddenly back-in-contention team.

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