At this point, the Atlanta Falcons are going to have an issue fielding a full team by the time October comes calling. Having already lost star defenders Keanu Neal and Deion Jones as well as starting guard Andy Levitre for the season, Atlanta is going to be without a fourth starter.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, recently-extended safety Ricardo Allen suffered a torn Achilles in Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints and will miss the remainder of the season.
The #Falcons have lost another key defensive starter: This time, safety Ricardo Allen, who signed a big extension this offseason, has torn his Achilles and is done for the year, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 24, 2018
Allen, 26, signed a thee-year, $19.5 million extension just last month. He’s started 48 of a possible 51 games over the past three-plus seasons, having recorded 54 tackles and an interception last year.
Without both of their starting safeties, the Falcons are in a desperate situation right now. They stand at 1-2 on the season and face an uphill battle to relevance in an improved NFC South. Losing Allen is not going to help matters, at all.