Atlanta's Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant could have season-ending surgery this week, the team announced on Sunday morning. Trufant is scheduled to meet with doctors this week after injuring his shoulder/pectoral muscle in the Falcons' Week 9 game at Tampa.
Following Sunday's win over the Cardinals, the Falcons' locker room reacted to the news regarding Trufant.
"He means everything to us," rookie safety Keanu Neal said about what Trufant means to the locker room. "It's not going to take one man to replace him, it's going to take all of us. We have to really put some extra effort into make sure that we represent him well knowing that he wants to be out there with us."
CB Jalen Collins has started in place of Trufant and showed significant promise. Atlanta's second-round pick in 2015 was credited with four solo tackles, one tackle for loss and three passes defensed in the Falcons' win today vs. Arizona.
"You saw him today, he made some great plays on the ball," Neal said of his confidence level of Collins. "He's a great athlete, a great player and a great teammate. [For] him filling the spot, I have complete confidence in him."
