FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Falcons tight end Lee Smith missed his second straight practice on Thursday, dealing with a back injury. While his stats aren't off the charts, he's an integral piece of the offense. He's an excellent run blocker and pass protector who enjoys the often-unrecognized of an honorary offensive lineman.
He's also occasionally active as a receiver, with catches in key moments and a touchdown against the New York Giants. His status for Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys, however, ultimately remains uncertain.
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The same goes for edge rusher Steven Means, though his outlook is a bit sunnier after limited participation the past two days. He also spoke to the media after Thursday's practice and was thankful to have come out of a scary injury situation -- he fell hard after running back a recovered fumble -- relatively unscathed. That also bodes well for his ability to play the Cowboys.
Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard continued practicing on a limited basis, though he'll have to be formally cleared out of the league concussion protocol to play the Cowboys. Kendall Sheffield has been out all week with a hamstring injury.
Check out the full injury report, right here: https://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/injury-report/
Falcons Final Whistle | A Postgame Podcast
Break down the hottest topics surrounding the Atlanta Falcons and how they can impact the team's success with Falcons Insiders Will McFadden, Tori McElhaney and Terrin Waack. Like and subscribe to join us for the lively debate on Falcons Final Whistle.
Welcome to Falcons Final Whistle – an Atlanta Falcons football postgame podcast during the season that shifts gears in the offseason to answer a pressing question about the team's future each week through free agency, the NFL Draft and the offseason program.
