Atlanta Falcons Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons right guard Brandon Fusco will miss the remainder of the year after suffering a serious ankle injury on Monday night, coach Dan Quinn announced. Fusco, who joined the Falcons as a free agent in the offseason, started in every game for Atlanta this season.

Fusco now becomes the team’s second starting guard to suffer a season-ending injury. Left guard Andy Levitre suffered a triceps injury in Atlanta’s win against the Panthers in Week 2, so the team’s interior line has taken a big hit in the last couple of months.

Ben Garland entered the game after Fusco’s early exit, and he figures to be the team’s new starter at right guard. Garland has been a dependable backup lineman for Atlanta since 2016, so he’ll likely keep the top job, even if another guard is signed for depth.

Grady Jarrett To Return For Falcons

October 20th, 2018 at 6:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons will have the services of Grady Jarrett on Monday night against the Giants, Dan Quinn said. The team’s top interior defender missed the past two games because of an ankle injury. This will be key for the Falcons, who have lost several defenders thus far this season, and Jarrett, with the 2015 fifth-round pick being in a contract year.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/18/18

October 18th, 2018 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Signed: OL Kyle Friend
Released: OL Will House

Atlanta Falcons

Signed: LB Jermaine Grace
Released: LB Richie Brown

Houston Texans

Released: DB Robert Jackson

Indianapolis Colts

Signed: G Zack Golditch
Released: G Sean Harlow

Jacksonville Jaguars

Signed: OL Brandon Thomas
Released: OL Michael Dunn

Los Angeles Rams

Signed: LB Travin Howard
Released: DB Linden Stephens

Miami Dolphins

Signed: DL DeShawn Williams

New York Giants

Released: WR Kalif Raymond

New York Jets

Signed: RB De’Angelo Henderson
Placed on injured list: LB Harvey Langi

Philadelphia Eagles

Released: LB Kyle Wilson

Devonta Freeman To Have Surgery Thursday

October 17th, 2018 at 7:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Falcons running back Devonta Freeman will undergo surgery on Thursday to repair his groin injury, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Freeman’s recovery timeline isn’t yet clear, but reports yesterday did indicate that Freeman — who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday — could return later this season. Because he’s now on IR, Freeman must miss at least eight games before coming back. Various health issues have limited Freeman to just two games this season, during which he averaged 4.9 yards per carry on 14 touches. With Freeman unavailable, Atlanta will turn to a tandem of Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith in its backfield.

Falcons To Place Devonta Freeman On IR

October 16th, 2018 at 12:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons will place Devonta Freeman on injured reserve, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter). It’s a crushing blow for the Falcons, who were hoping to get him back on the field sooner rather than later.

The Falcons’ starting running back has dealt with knee and foot trouble this year, but a groin injury has become his most pressing issue. Atlanta has been using Tevin Coleman and newcomer Ito Smith in the backfield, and they’ll continue to lean on that duo during Freeman’s extended absence.

Freeman will be a candidate to return from IR later this year after undergoing groin surgery, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Per league rules, he’ll have to miss a minimum of eight weeks, meaning that he cannot play until Week 14 against the Packers, at the earliest.

Freeman rarely battled injury issues through the early part of his career, as he played in 47-of-48 games between 2014 and 2016. He missed a pair of games last season with a concussion, and he’s only played in a pair of games this season. In those two games, the 26-year-old has compiled only 68 rushing yards. He’s under contract through 2022 after inking a five-year, $41.25MM extension last August.

The Falcons improved to 2-4 on the year after topping the rival Buccaneers on Sunday. Strangely enough, they’re 0-2 with Freeman in the lineup and 2-2 without him. Of course, they might have fared better against the Eagles and Steelers if they had Freeman at full strength. Between those two games in Week 1 and Week 5, Freeman drew just 14 totes and seven targets.

Falcons To Sign Giorgio Tavecchio

October 16th, 2018 at 12:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have agreed to sign kicker Giorgio Tavecchio to a two-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Tavecchio, who was with the club in camp, will hold down the fort while starter Matt Bryant recovers from a hamstring injury.

Tavecchio, 28, was released by the Raiders earlier this year, despite a decent 2017 season in which he made 16 of 21 field goal attempts, including three from 50-plus yards. He also made 33 of his 34 extra point attempts last year. He was signed in August to compete for the top job, but that was a longshot given Bryant’s track record. While Tavecchio missed the final cut, the Falcons kept his number handy.

Through six games, the ageless Bryant has nailed all nine of his field goal attempts, including three tries from 50 yards or more. For at least a game or two, Tavecchio will try to uphold the high standard Bryant has set.

Matt Bryant Out For Week 7

October 15th, 2018 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons will be looking for a new kicker for temporary purposes. Matt Bryant will miss Atlanta’s Week 7 Monday night game, Dan Quinn said. The longtime Falcons kicker is dealing with a strained hamstring, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who adds Giorgio Tavecchio is among the names the Falcons are considering as a replacement. Tavecchio was briefly affiliated with the Falcons earlier this year, but Bryant’s kicked in all six Falcon games in his 10th season with the franchise. He hasn’t missed a game since he was limited to 11 appearances in 2015. Tavecchio will be among “a number of kickers” considered during the lead-up to the Falcons’ home Monday-nighter against the Giants.

Another week of recovery will likely be required for Devonta Freeman, per McClure. The Falcons’ starting running back is has dealt with knee and foot trouble and now has a groin issue to overcome. Atlanta’s gotten by with Tevin Coleman and newcomer Ito Smith in the backfield.

Roger Goodell Tried To Hire Rich McKay To Oversee NFL Football Operations

October 14th, 2018 at 11:10am CST by Rory Parks

La Canfora reports that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell tried to hire Falcons team president Rich McKay in recent years to oversee the league’s football operations, a department that has come under fire for its handling of Bountygate, Deflategate, and other scandals. However, the compensation committee, which has been trying to cut spending, would not authorize the creation of an expensive executive position like that, and there is nothing to indicate that anything will change in that regard, even if McKay were open to such a post (which he apparently was).

Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors