The Falcons went into Saturday with a clear priority: get A.J. Terrell Jr. back on the field.
Atlanta activated the veteran cornerback from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s Week 7 meeting with the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Terrell has been sidelined for the last four weeks after suffering a groin injury in Week 2, but he worked through practice this week after his 21-day return window opened Wednesday. With the move to the active roster, he no longer carries an injury designation and is expected to play.
The Falcons also brought in defensive end Drake Jackson to bolster the front against a San Francisco offense that ranks No. 3 in scoring and No. 9 in total offense. Jackson gives Atlanta another body on the defensive line as the team tries to generate pressure and limit the 49ers’ passing game.
On the other side of the roster, Atlanta placed offensive tackle Michael Jerrell on injured reserve because of a bicep injury. The offensive line is already dealing with personnel issues, and the Falcons also ruled out wide receiver Beaux Collins, who is coming back from a hip injury, and offensive tackle Cameron Williams, who has an ankle injury.
The team tapped its practice squad for extra help as well, elevating running back Khalil Herbert and linebacker Brian Asamoah for standard game-day availability. Herbert’s move adds depth at running back after Brian Robinson Jr. was lost to a hamstring injury that will keep him out Sunday. Asamoah gives Atlanta another linebacker option with Divine Deablo unavailable.
There’s still one more defensive issue to monitor. Defensive back Avieon Terrell is dealing with a back injury and an illness, and his status remains questionable for Sunday.
Those changes leave Atlanta trying to patch together depth on both sides of the ball for a tough matchup. The Falcons rank 28th in the NFL in passing yards allowed, giving up 252 yards per game, which makes Terrell’s return especially important for the secondary.
The headline is Terrell’s activation, but the broader story is Atlanta working through a pile of injuries while trying to stay competitive against the 49ers on Sunday.
In Other News...
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The response was strong enough that Atlanta changed its X avatar soon after, even though the original post is still live. The reaction also split fans into two camps, with some insisting the comparison was overblown while others argued the decades-old mark was a bad look in the first place, leaving the team in the middle of an argument it did not set out to start. [Read more 🡒]
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Bosa was originally hopeful he could work his way back after the calf injury he picked up in practice before Week 3, but the return never quite got there. Shanahan said a workout left him sore, which pushed the timeline back again and kept the star pass rusher on the sideline, leaving the Falcons with a little more room to breathe as they prepare for a San Francisco team trying to piece itself together. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face Their Biggest Test Yet Against San Franciscos Most Dangerous Stars
The Falcons are getting a heavyweight test in Week 7, with the undefeated 49ers coming to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and former Atlanta coach Raheem Morris back on the sideline in a place he knows well. It is the kind of matchup that immediately draws attention to the top end of San Franciscos roster, especially Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams, two players who can tilt a game before the Falcons have a chance to settle in.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich did not shy away from the challenge, pointing to the standard those players bring and the difficulty of matching that level for four quarters. For Atlanta, this is more than just another early-season measuring stick. It is a chance to see how the defense handles one of the NFLs most complete teams while the emotions around Morris return add another layer to an already demanding afternoon. [Read more 🡒]