FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — There's a good chance Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman returns to action Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Key word: good. Not guaranteed.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said as much Wednesday before Week 13 preparations began.
"I do feel good about Dalman starting this week," Morris said. "Obviously I hate to tell you that and lie to you before you go to Thursday's practice when you get the chance to really see that. But just guessing: Yes. Now, don't hold me to that and yell at me next week."
Dalman injured his ankle during the Falcons' Sept. 22 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 24. The Falcons designated Dalman to return on Oct. 30 and officially activated him on Nov. 16. Despite the positive moves, Dalman has not taken a snap since the second quarter of that Week 3 game.
Ryan Neuzil has filled in as Atlanta's starting center for Dalman since his injury.
The Falcons brought Dalman in with a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He appeared in every game as a rookie, more so on special teams than offense. He earned the starting center role in his second season and has maintained it through the present.
Until this year, Dalman had never missed more than three games in a single season. Never more than two in a row. It has provided a new learning experience.
"When you're not the one having to perform every Sunday, you get a chance to pay attention to a few other things that maybe don't make the cut when you're preparing," Dalman said. "That's been nice to kind of see the bigger picture a little bit, kind of appreciate how much more is out there and all that. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for that."
The Falcons-Chargers game is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. CBS will carry live game coverage.
Although there's optimism surrounding Dalman's status, recent injury reports and game lineups haven't exactly translated for him. So, only time will tell when he'll actually make his comeback to the playing field.
"As far as the timeline goes, I probably won't talk about that just because it's like a team information thing," Dalman said. "But yeah, I'm excited and feeling good."
