FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Falcons have been grappling with a wave of injuries recently, a situation that persists as they prepare for their upcoming game against Carolina. On Wednesday, the team reported that five players missed practice, while three others were limited in their participation.
Offensive linemen Chris Lindstrom, Jake Matthews, and Kaleb McGary, along with defensive linemen Kentavius Street and Calais Campbell, were absent from practice. Lindstrom and Matthews, who suffered injuries during the Falcons’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, were among those missing. Lindstrom, dealing with an ankle issue, completed the game, whereas Matthews, who injured his knee, had to leave early and did not return. McGary, also nursing a knee injury, was ruled out prior to the game.
Street, who has a pectoral injury, sustained the problem in Atlanta’s most recent outing and has been confirmed to miss the Carolina game. Campbell’s absence was due to a scheduled rest day, a routine break for the veteran defensive lineman.
Limited in their participation were linebacker Nate Landman (knee), offensive lineman Drew Dalman (ankle), and defensive lineman David Onyemata (ankle). None of these players were active in the game against the Buccaneers.
On a positive note, cornerback Jeff Okudah (ankle) and defensive lineman LaCale London (knee) were full participants in practice. Okudah, who missed the previous game due to a questionable status, and London, who was listed as out after being designated to return from injured reserve, were both fully engaged in Wednesday’s session.
Despite the lengthy injury list, head coach Arthur Smith remains optimistic that many of the affected players have a good chance of being available for Sunday’s game.**