Speaking with the media this week, Falcons coach Dan Quinn expressed optimism that the team would have a number of starters back in the lineup for an important matchup against the Green Bay Packers on "Monday Night Football."
Although he didn't mention any specific players during his press availability on Monday, Quinn did provide further clarification on a number of players while doing his weekly hit with 92.9 The Game’s “Dukes & Bell.” With starting cornerback Darqueze Dennard going on injured reserve Tuesday and rookie corner A.J. Terrell currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Falcons are stretched thin in the secondary.
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Fortunately for Atlanta, it seems there's a chance for second-year corner Kendall Sheffield to see his first action of the season after missing the first three games due to a foot injury.
"Sheff has certainly worked hard and rehabbed part of him for his foot," Quinn told the radio show. "He's looking forward to getting our first practice together, which will be Thursday this week with the Monday game. We're definitely looking forward to having him back out on the field. We'll have a better sense after he goes through the three practices to see where he's at, but we're very encouraged about him for this week."
The Falcons were without arguably their best defensive player in the closing minutes of Sunday's loss to the Bears when defensive tackle Grady Jarrett left the game with a hip injury and did not return. With no team injury report to examine, it's difficult to know the exact severity of Jarrett's injury, but Quinn doesn't seem ready to rule his Pro Bowl defender out just yet.
"He's a hard one to keep out, I'll just leave it at that," Quinn said on the air. "He just finds a way. He's relentless. He's as tough as they get. We're hopeful that Grady will be good to go. Like I said, the extra day this week. We're certainly looking forward to getting our full complement of guys in Grady and McKinley and Fowler all out there ripping together. We're hopeful that will be the case this week."
The final player that Quinn mentioned on "Dukes & Bell" was linebacker Foye Oluokun. The third-year defender made a splash early in the Week 2 game against the Dallas Cowboys, forcing three fumbles early in the first quarter. He left the game late due to a hamstring injury, an injury that kept him out for Week 3.
"We're certainly looking forward to getting Foye back, and he's off to a good start – along with Sheffield – this week to give himself a chance to do that," Quinn said.
