As injury riddled as any team in the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons’ luck is running dry. Already without three key defenders for the remainder of the season, the 2-4 team is reportedly placing Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman on injured reserve.
Big loss from Falcons as they are going to place Devonta Freeman on IR today @NFLonFOX
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) October 16, 2018
Freeman, 26, has played in just two games this season with a bone bruise in the foot. He ran the ball six times in the season opener, only to miss the next month of action.
Freeman then attempted to make a go of it against Pittsburgh in Week 5, but it was rather clear he wasn’t anywhere near 100 percent. He’s now lost for the season and will undergo surgery on a separate injury to his groin.
Now that Freeman is out for the remainder of the season, Atlanta will be forced to go with a combination of Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith in the backfield. The two have combined for just 362 rushing yards in six games.
At one point the highest-paid running back in the NFL, Freeman combined for 4,357 total yards 35 touchdowns in his previous three seasons.
This is a major blow for a Falcons team that’s battling for relevancy in the NFC after major struggles to open the season.