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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Falcons G Andy Levitre Done For Year

September 18th, 2018 at 3:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have placed Andy Levitre on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. Although league rules allow players to return from IR, this will be a season-ender for the starting left guard. 

“After receiving the tests results on Andy’s injury from Sunday’s game, it has been determined that he will miss the remainder of the season with a triceps injury,” said Falcons coach Dan Quinn in a statement. “Andy worked extremely hard to get back on the field after a similar injury last year, and there is no doubt his leadership will continue to be felt this year. We have a ton of respect for Andy and what he stands for, and what he means to our team.”

The injury forced Levitre out of the team’s Week 2 win over the Panthers and tests later confirmed the club’s worst fears. The 32-year-old will be out of action until at least next September and one can’t help but wonder whether he’ll consider retirement in the offseason.

To take Levitre’s place on the roster, the Falcons have signed guard Zac Kerin. Kerin, 27, has spent time with the Vikings, Lions and Giants and played in 16 games over his four-year career.

Wes Schweitzer replaced Levitre in Week 2 and figures to take over for him in the starting lineup.

Devonta Freeman To Miss Multiple Weeks With Knee Injury

September 15th, 2018 at 6:19pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Falcons running back Devonta Freeman’s knee injury was originally thought to not be serious. Then came the revelation that he would miss this week’s game against the Panthers.

Now there’s even more bad news for Freeman as he will miss between 2-4 weeks according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Schefter said a Falcons official said it would be 2-3 weeks, but followed up in another tweet saying a different source said 3-4 weeks.

It’s another big blow to a Falcons team that has had brutal injury luck so far this season. Star safety Keanu Neal will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL suffered in Week 1 while every-down linebacker Deion Jones will miss at least the next eight weeks with a foot injury.

It’s the latest in a troubling string of injuries for Freeman, who has a history of knee injuries. Schefter reports the injury is a “contusion”, and Freeman has previously suffered PCL and MCL injuries to the same knee. Freeman signed a contract extension before the 2017 season that at the time made him the second highest paid running back in the league. Tevin Coleman should see a significantly increased workload in Freeman’s absence.

NFC Injury Notes: Rodgers, Falcons, Eagles

September 14th, 2018 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aaron Rodgers will enter Sunday with a questionable designation on the Packers‘ injury report. The two-time MVP can improve his chances of playing, obviously, by practicing Saturday — when the Packers do more than the typical walkthrough — but not doing so won’t prevent him from playing. Mike McCarthy said he’d have no issues deploying Rodgers even if he doesn’t practice all week, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The 13th-year Green Bay coach said his quarterback feels better than he did at the beginning of the week. Despite Rodgers’ performance on Sunday against the Bears and his history of playing through left knee pain, he’s not a lock to face the Vikings.

Here’s the latest from the NFC’s injury situations.

  • Another key Falcons cog won’t be available Sunday. After the losses of Keanu Neal and Deion Jones, Atlanta won’t have the services of starting running back Devonta Freeman. He’s been declared out due to the knee injury he suffered against the Eagles. Tevin Coleman will start. The Falcons have rookie Ito Smith and recently signed Brian Hill in place as backups.
  • Once again, the Giants won’t have their top pass rusher available. While the Giants are hoping to have Olivier Vernon in Week 3, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter), his high ankle sprain will keep him out against the Cowboys.
  • Trai Turner‘s stay in Panthers concussion protocol will result in him missing this week’s game against the Falcons. He’s been declared out, putting Carolina down three starting offensive linemen — Turner and tackles Matt Kalil and Daryl Williams, both of whom residing on IR — going into its NFC South opener.
  • The already-banged-up Eagles didn’t come out of Week 1 unscathed. Darren Sproles will miss Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. The 34-year-old passing-down back sustained a hamstring injury against the Falcons. He’ll join Carson Wentz and Alshon Jeffery among Philadelphia’s high-profile Week 2 absences.
  • Already without IR-stationed cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, the Bucs won’t have Brent Grimes available to cover Eagle wideouts, either. Tampa Bay used two second-round picks on corners, Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart, and could see an extended glimpse of the rookies’ development to this point in their careers.
  • The Lions–49ers game will see the visitors without top guard T.J. Lang and the hosts missing deep threat Marquise Goodwin. Both players have been declared out. Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, on Twitter) Dante Pettis will start in place of Goodwin.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/18

September 12th, 2018 at 7:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s practice squad updates:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: WR Frank Stephens

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Falcons Place Deion Jones On IR

September 11th, 2018 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Deion Jones‘ foot injury is serious enough an IR trip will occur. The Falcons placed their top linebacker on IR Tuesday, meaning he will be out until at least November.

The Falcons announced the move but also expect the third-year defender to return this season. However, a corrective procedure will be required for Jones, who joins Keanu Neal as Falcons starting defenders whose Week 1 injuries will result in IR trips.

“Following the game last Thursday, Deion reported soreness in his foot, so we sent him for further tests,” Dan Quinn said. “We got the results of those tests back today, and he unfortunately will require a procedure that will result in us having to place him on injured reserve. We are bummed for Deion, but we do expect to get him back at some point this season.”

Running back Brian Hill will take Jones’ place on Atlanta’s 53-man roster, with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reporting the Falcons will promote the Wyoming product. Devonta Freeman also left the Falcons’ Week 1 game with an injury, but he’s believed to have avoided a serious setback.

Jones and Neal were both 2017 Pro Bowlers and critical players to the Falcons’ cause of pushing for a Super Bowl appearance in their home stadium. Neal is out for the year, and Jones will be shelved for at least eight weeks.

Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 coverage linebacker last season, Jones intercepted a pass against the Eagles and made nine tackles. He made 138 stops last season. McClure notes outside linebacker Duke Riley could slide into Jones’ middle spot. The Falcons are thin at linebacker, having now only five healthy second-level defenders. They did sign former Broncos backup Corey Nelson, however, likely in preparation for a Jones absence. They may be on the lookout for more help at this spot as well, now that Jones will miss at least the first half of the season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/10/18

September 10th, 2018 at 8:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Philadelphia Eagles

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/10/18

September 10th, 2018 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

NFL Workout Updates: 9/10/18

September 10th, 2018 at 6:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans 

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Falcons To Sign LB Corey Nelson

September 10th, 2018 at 1:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Deion Jones battling a foot injury, the Falcons are bringing in some experience as potential insurance.

Corey Nelson worked out for the Falcons on Monday morning, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets the team saw enough to sign the former Broncos and Eagles linebacker. The Eagles cut Nelson prior to the season after signing him in March. He’ll join the Falcons in hopes of continuing his career.

Nelson spent four seasons with the Broncos, rising from seventh-round pick to six-game starter in a two-year span. Nelson served as a special-teamer and backup linebacker in each of the Super Bowl champion Broncos’ 19 games in 2015. He made 61 tackles in 2016, when he spent time as an injury replacement for Brandon Marshall.

Jones did not practice on Monday, and the Falcons are not deep at linebacker. Only five resided on their roster prior to the Nelson addition, and one of those is converted safety Kemal Ishmael.

Falcons Place Keanu Neal On IR

September 10th, 2018 at 9:39am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons have placed safety Keanu Neal on injured reserve and signed defensive end Steven Means, the club announced today.

Neal suffered a torn ACL in Atlanta’s season opener on Thursday night and will subsequently miss the entire 2018 campaign. The former first-round pick had started 30 games over his first two NFL seasons, but he’ll now be replaced by 2017 draft pick Damontae Kazee. The Falcons could conceivably target a free agent like Eric Reid, or a trade candidate such as Earl Thomas, but there’s been no indication as of yet that Atlanta will head in that direction.

Means, who turns 28 years old this week, was a preseason star for the Eagles, as he posted three sacks in the club’s final exhibition game. His regular season track record is much more spotty, as he’s appeared in just 26 games since entering the league in 2013. Means, who has spent time with the Buccaneers and Ravens in addition to the Eagles, will boost an Atlanta edge rush that already includes Vic Beasley and Takkarist McKinley, among others.

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