ATLANTA -- The Falcons have a flurry of roster adjustments to account for prior to their Week 9 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. As has been thoroughly reported, Taylor Heinicke will make his first start as an Atlanta Falcon Sunday. Desmond Ridder will act as his backup. But that's not the only news of the week: The Falcons will be without Drake London (groin), DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring) and Keith Smith (concussion) when hosting the Vikings.
To account for those missing in action Sunday, the Falcons inactives list actually looks pretty straightforward with London, Hellams and Smith all included in the list.
Someone not on the inactives list for Atlanta is rookie defensive back Clark Phillips III. Phillips has been inactive for majority of the season to this point. The Falcons without two core special teams players (Hellams and Smith), making Phillips' presence on the active game day roster likely necessary.
In other inactives news, newly acquired defensive lineman Kentavious Street is active for Sunday's game. The Falcons sent a 2024 sixth-round draft pick to the Eagles for Street and an Eagles' seventh-round 2025 draft pick. The Falcons also signed fellow defensive lineman Travis Bell off the Bears practice squad to the Atlanta 53-man roster Wednesday. Unlike Street, Bell will not make his Falcons debut yet.
Logan Woodside is the Falcons emergency third quarterback. As a reminder: Woodside will dress but cannot enter the game unless both Heinicke and Ridder are ineligible to take the field. If either quarterback is cleared to return to the field of play, Woodside would have to immediately come out of the game.
Here's the full list of the Falcons' Week 9 inactives:
WR Drake London
QB Logan Woodside (emergency third QB)
S DeMarcco Hellams
FB Keith Smith
OL Jovaughn Gwyn
DL Travis Bell
DL Joe Gaziano
