The Falcons have their No. 1 and No. 2 running back spots secured in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, but the team's third option, a battle between Brandon Wilds and Terron Ward, remains uncertain.
Ward injured his ankle early on in XFINITY Training Camp and missed the first three preseason games. While sidelined, Wilds capitalized on his opportunities, scoring a touchdown in his each of his first two games as a Falcon. The South Carolina product has shown his value on special teams, something the Falcons' coaching staff finds extremely important.
"We've seen him be a very strong runner, and he has ability on special teams," Quinn said of Wilds. "He's over 225 pounds so he can cover kicks as well. That's going to be a factor for him."
Wilds was unable to play in Atlanta's preseason finale due to a knee injury that occurred in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins.
There's no doubt on what Ward can provide, as he showed last night with a sore ankle. He finished the night recording two touchdowns for a total of 62 rushing yards on 22 carries. In 2015, Ward played in 13 games, logging 95 yards on 29 carries with one touchdown.
"I knew this guy is tough," head coach Dan Quinn said of Ward. "He's got a warrior's mindset, he always has. You expected him to have a big load, and he delivered. We were real proud of Terron tonight, and his team was as well."
Atlanta carried three running backs on their 53-man roster last season, and Quinn knows the decision on whether he and GM Thomas Dimitroff will keep Ward or Wilds will be a difficult one.
"There's a number of them that will be really tough," Quinn said in his post-game press conference. "Running back is one for sure that we've spent a lot of time thinking about. Fortunately, through the draft and scouting, we've got a very competitive roster at a number of spots, and there will be some really tough decisions for us to make."
