FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Offensive lineman Matt Hennessy and inside linebacker Josh Woods have been elevated from the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad for Week 5, the team announced Thursday.
The Falcons (2-2) host theTampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) for a prime-time matchup on "Thursday Night Football" at 8:15 p.m. ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This marks Hennessy's second elevation, and Woods' first. Both provide help in key areas, given the Falcons' current injury situation.
For the offensive line, center Drew Dalman remains on injured reserve. Left tackle Kaleb McGary appears set to play after not receiving a game designation but has been dealing with a knee injury, which caused him to miss the team's Week 4 game. So, Hennessy provides depth if needed.
The Falcons selected Hennessy in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He appeared in 41 games and started 22 of them in the three seasons that followed. Hennessy became a free agent in 2024 and spent the preseason with the Philadelphia Eagles before returning to the Falcons.
As for the inside linebackers, Nate Landman also remains on injured reserve. Troy Andersen was ruled out for Thursday due to a knee injury of his own. Rookie fifth-round pick JD Bertrand is expected to make his first start in place of Andersen. So, again, Woods aids in depth there.
Woods has been in the NFL since 2019, joining the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. He has appeared in 65 games with eight starts in his career. His active highlights include a personal-high 61 tackles in 2023 for the Arizona Cardinals, along with half a sack, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. He also has a fumble recovery on his resume from 2020 with the Bears.
Previous 2024 practice squad elevations include:
- Week 1: cornerback Kevin King and wide receiver Chris Blair
- Week 2: safety Dane Cruikshank
- Week 3: none
- Week 4: offensive lineman Matt Hennessy
As a reminder, teams can elevate up to two practice squad players per game. Each player can only be elevated a max of three times. If a fourth time comes up, the player must be signed to the active roster.
