Plus, Raheem Morris confirms Elijah Wilkinson's status as Falcons starting right tackle against Buccaneers this Sunday.
Tori McElhaney
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris provided a few updates about the status of key playmakers as Week 1's prep gets underway. The Falcons are set to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday to open the 2025 season. When they do, Atlanta could be welcoming a few individuals into the fold.
Here is a quick rundown of the status updates from Morris on Monday afternoon that will affect Sunday's game day roster.
Darnell Mooney
The Falcons' receiver has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since the very first open practice of training camp in July. After the injury occured, Morris said the Falcons would re-evaluate Mooney's status in the weeks leading up to the first week of the regular season. That time has come, and Morris said Mooney's status is "day-to-day."
Mooney officially returned to the practice field last week, and Morris said he participated in the team's jog-thru practice Monday. Morris added that if the Falcons do end up holding Mooney back, it would have more to do with player performance, game conditioning and the fact Mooney went a month between practices than it would a lingering problem with the shoulder.
"Felt good about where he's at," Morris said. "But we'll see towards the end of the week."
Jalon Walker
The first of the Falcons' two first-round draft picks has been battling soft tissue injuries throughout much of Atlanta's preseason. He was held back for a couple weeks with a hamstring injury before Morris confirmed that Walker would miss the Falcons third and final preseason game with a groin injury.
Asked about Walker's status as Week 1 begins, Morris said he is "on track" to play this Sunday against Tampa Bay.
"All four of those (rookies) will be up, running and going," Morris said as he knocked on the wood of the podium he was speaking behind. "I hate to tell you that on a walkthrough Monday, but they looked really good today."
The right tackle situation
Morris confirmed Monday that the Falcons will move forward into Week 1 with Elijah Wilkinson taking over the starting right tackle duties.
Though the Falcons went out last week and added a trio of offensive tackles to the 53-man roster and practice squad, Morris said then it would be difficult for the newcomers to usurp players who have already been around the Falcons' facility this preseason. That very much included Wilkinson, who Morris all but stated was the Falcons' starter in the wake of Kaleb McGary and Storm Norton's injuries.
"I feel really good about Wilkinson going out there and being part of what we do and how we do it," Morris said. "... He will go out there and give us his best efforts and do whatever he can to help us win this football game."
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