The Atlanta Falcons have a preseason finale looming, and chances are we won’t see many starters, if any. Thanks to injuries, we also won’t see some roster hopefuls.
In remarks to media Monday, Raheem Morris outlined several injuries that are impacting the roster at this point, some of which seem to be no big deal and others which might be a very big deal indeed. Let’s walk through them.
Jamal Agnew
The team’s presumed punt returner and other kick returner option is dealing with what’s being called an oblique injury
setback. Morris said the team hopes to have him back in two weeks, which would put him on track for the season opener, but it sounds like that’s not a given.
If Agnew can’t go, it’s not likely to change the roster calculus all that much, especially if he’s truly only in danger of missing a week or two. Dee Alford, Clark Phillips, and Mike Hughes have all handled punt returns for the team in the past, and Carlos Washington was a fairly seasoned kick returner in college if he’s still in the lead for RB3 duties. The kick return options likely to make the team are less proven, but Natrone Brooks either as the final cornerback or a practice squad elevation would make a ton of sense, given that he’s done well on returns in preseason. Ray-Ray McCloud will handle the other kickoff returner spot regardless.
The hope is that Agnew is back, but given his recent injury history, the Falcons will play it safe with him. If it turns into a long-term ailment, we’ll see how the team addresses the vacuum that would leave.
Jalon Walker
The Falcons are slow-rolling Walker, who has suffered multiple tweaks this summer. There’s no chance he’s going to play in the preseason finale—my words, not Morris’s—but may be getting back to practicing on Wednesday.
Wisely, the Falcons are prioritizing having Walker out there Week 1, and Morris is making a show of not being particularly concerned he won’t be. Given that we’re almost three weeks away from the season opener, that’s probably fair, but we’ll be watching this one.
Storm Norton
He has yet to play in preseason and will not do so at all. That’s not really a concern for the veteran swing tackle, but the fact that he’s been hurt for weeks now is in fact a concern.
We’ll be waiting to learn more about Norton’s status until after roster cuts, in all likelihood. If he doesn’t hit injured reserve, the hope will be that the Falcon have simply been cautious and he’ll be available Week 1. If there’s any doubt about that, the Falcons will have to decide if rookie Jack Nelson or veterans Brandon Parker and Elijah Wilkinson make more sense as fourth tackles and/or practice squad elevations; hopefully the Falcons won’t need any of them regardless. A long-term ailment would mean the Falcons need to shop around for more proven swing tackles, as none of these guys have looked great in preseason.
Clark Phillips
He’s also been on the shelf for a bit now, but unlike Norton, Phillips doesn’t necessarily have a roster spot waiting for him. A pick of the last regime, Phillips has obvious talent but has been up-and-down in his opportunities, and the Falcons have been adding to the cornerback position steadily all summer. With Natrone Brooks shining, Cobee Bryant looking like a player the team wants to keep around, and CJ Henderson signing, Phillips isn’t going to even get a chance to make his case while others do. If that happens, there’s a slim but non-zero chance he’s simply pushed off the roster entirely, even if I hope that’s not the case.
Carlos Washington
Washington also isn’t guaranteed a spot and hasn’t appeared at all in preseason. He’s been around a while and works on special teams, with the ability to fill in as a returner and solid blocking chops, so I have to imagine a healthy Washington still has a good shot of taking RB3. In the interim, though, Nate Carter has looked really good as a runner and Jashaun Corbin has gotten a chance to show off his value on special teams. If Washington’s health is in doubt and/or Carter and Corbin show well again in the final preseason game, he may be pushed to the practice squad or even off the roster entirely. It’s deeply unfortunate when injury is the cause of that.
Khalid Kareem
A consistently impressive player in his limited opportunities, Kareem would seem to be the favorite for either a final EDGE spot or a practice squad role, depending on how the Falcons construct the roster. That’s the case even though we probably won’t see him this week, once again.
Morris notably did not rule Kareem out for the final preseason game, but the team has to have seen enough from him to know his value, so I expect they’ll hold him out and count on having him around in some capacity.
Darnell Mooney
Last but very much not least is Mooney. We’ve struggled to gain any clarity about how Mooney is doing, with Michael Penix saying he hopes Mooney is out there Week 1 but noting he can’t say more than that, while Morris has been vague ever since the injury. The good news is that he has suffered no setbacks in his recovery, per Morris, but the bad news is that we still don’t know if that means a Week 1 return or a bit longer timeline. Hopefully soon.
Preseason can be brutal, and I’ll be thankful if we make it to the regular season with no further injuries and a lot more clarity on these ones. It’s worth noting that Ta’Quon Graham and Malik Verdon also missed practice on Monday, with Kha’Darel Hodge and Ray-Ray McCloud as unexplained absences, so there may be more updates to come.