Devonta Freeman Clears Concussion Protocol
Devonta Freeman has cleared the league’s concussion protocol and will return to Falcons practice on Wednesday, head coach Dan Quinn told 92.9 The Game, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Freeman was injured on the second play of Atlanta’s game against the Cowboys in Week 10, and the veteran running back has since missed two additional games as he deals with this second concussion of the season. Fellow running back Tevin Coleman has dominated backfield touches with Freeman sidelined, but Freeman figures to take on the majority of carries from here on out.
Falcons Rule Out Freeman For Week 12
The Falcons will be without star running back Devonta Freeman when the team hosts Tampa Bay on Sunday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (Twitter link). Freeman could not recover in time from a concussion he sustained in Week 10 vs. Dallas. 
Freeman, who had only missed one game in his first three seasons, will be sidelined for the second consecutive week. Out for most of the week going through the concussion protocol, Freeman was limited at practice on Thursday and Friday before being ruled out.
The team will look to Tevin Coleman to shoulder the load vs. Tampa Bay. In each of his last two games as the team’s workhorse, Coleman has received at least 20 carries and scored a touchdown in victories over the Cowboys and Seahawks.
Falcons Waive CB Jalen Collins
The Falcons have waived cornerback Jalen Collins, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Collins will be subject to waivers, meaning that the league’s other 31 teams will have an opportunity to add him to the roster on Wednesday afternoon. 
Collins was set to return from a 10-game suspension this week. The former second-round pick is undeniably talented, but the Falcons are fed up after the 24-year-old’s second ban for performance enhancing drugs as a pro.
Collins’ off-the-field issues date back to his days at LSU. In 2015, he was on course to be a first-round selection, but teams moved him down the board because of his red flags. After the draft, he admitted to failing at least three drug tests at LSU.
Thanks to the aforementioned suspensions and injury, Collins has appeared in just 24 games since entering the league in 2015. Last year, Collins started in six of his eight games and hauled in two interceptions and 31 total tackles.
His latest slip-up was unfortunate, but the Falcons were already planning to start a healthy Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford at cornerback. Over the summer, Collins found himself working with Atlanta’s third string CBs.
Adrian Clayborn Was Ready To Retire After 2016 Season
Falcons defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn was prepared to hang up the cleats last offseason, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. Clayborn suffered a torn biceps in Atlanta’s playoff win over the Seahawks in January, which marked the third time that he had endured a season-ending injury, and he was ready to retire rather than risk more pain and frustration. However, his fiancee (now wife) convinced him to give it another shot, and Atlanta is reaping the benefits. In addition to his otherworldly (and perhaps cathartic) six-sack performance against Dallas last week, Clayborn has rated as the 10th-best edge defender in the league (out of 110 qualifiers) per Pro Football Focus. He will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and he could be on the verge of a very nice payday.
Devonta Freeman Out For Week 11
- Devonta Freeman has been ruled out for Monday night’s Falcons-Seahawks game. This wasn’t a surprise given the star running back’s concussion history. He suffered a second concussion of the season against the Cowboys. Tevin Coleman will start.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/17
Falcons Tried To Sign Jonathan Williams
- Before he decided to sign with the Saints, running back Jonathan Williams was also offered a contract by the Falcons, New Orleans head coach Sean Payton told reporters, including Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link). Williams had been earning $30K weekly (nearly an active roster rate) while on the Broncos’ practice squad, but he jumped at the chance to be placed on the Saints’ 53-man squad. Atlanta needed another running back while Devonta Freeman deals with a concussion, and it ultimately signed Terrence Magee of the Browns’ taxi squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/14/17
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Browns‘ practice squad: RB Terrence Magee
- Waived: LB Jermaine Grace
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Deandre Coleman
- Waived: DT Jerel Worthy
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed off Falcons‘ practice squad: RB Brian Hill
- Waived: LB Hardy Nickerson
Denver Broncos
- Waived: LB Kasim Edebali
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Jace Billingsley, DE George Johnson
- Waived: WR Jared Abbrederis, DE Jacquies Smith
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LS Brett Goode
- Waived: LS Derek Hart
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LS Colin Holba
- Placed on injured reserve: LS Matt Overton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: T Taylor Hart
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DL Caraun Reid, LB Zach Vigil
- Waived: DL Brandon Banks
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/14/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: QB Garrett Grayson
- Waived: K Mike Meyer
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Sojourn Shelton
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: FB Ricky Ortiz
- Waived: G Jason King
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Dres Anderson
- Waived: WR KeVonn Mabon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Rickey Hatley
- Waived: T Nick Becton, WR Amba Etta-Tawo
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: S Jack Tocho
- Waived: G Willie Beavers
New York Giants
- Signed: T Nick Becton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Harold Jones-Quartey
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Cameron Hunt
- Placed on injured list: OL J.P. Flynn
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Alex Carter, LB P.J. Dawson, CB Trovon Reed
- Placed on injured list: CB Akeem King
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Freddie Martino
- Waived: DE Patrick Gamble, CB David Rivers
Washington Redskins
- Waived: DE Tavaris Barnes
Falcons Notes: Clayborn, Blank
Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn had six sacks on Sunday, and that allowed him to cash in on a $750K incentive, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Clayborn’s contract called for a $750K incentive if he reached eight sacks on the year and he entered the game with two. If he gets another two this season, he’ll earn $1.25MM. Clayborn’s real payday could come in the spring after his two-year contract with Atlanta expires. The former first-round pick is still only 29 and will not turn 30 until next July.
- Falcons owner Arthur Blank did his best to quiet speculation about Roger Goodell‘s pending extension in a statement. “The Committee is continuing its work towards finalizing a contract extension with the Commissioner, consistent with the mandate provided in the unanimous May 2017 Resolution,” Blank said (via Schefter on Facebook). “Regardless of what may have been reported, the Committee is working within the financial parameters outlined to the ownership at the May meeting. The negotiations are progressing and we will keep ownership apprised of the negotiations as they move forward. We do not intend to publicly comment on our discussions.”