Chris Lindstrom has not played since fracturing his foot in Week 1 of the season. The first game he was eligible to return for was November 17th against the Panthers. Rightfully, the Falcons have chosen to take it slowly with their rookie first-round pick. However, the team designated him to return to practice today, and he was out on the field with the first-team offensive line.
This officially starts his 21-day window. If Lindstrom is not activated by then, he will no longer be able to play this season. Given that he’s out there in any fashion suggests he’s close to returning, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was starting this week against the Panthers.
The Falcons have been plagued by injuries to major contributors over the past two seasons, so they aren’t going to risk anything with a player they feel will be integral to their success in 2020. But from a fan’s perspective, it will be fun to see him out on the field, giving us a glimpse of what is to come next season.
In his place, both Jamon Brown and James Carpenter – two players who signed multi-year deals with Atlanta this past offseason – have been underwhelming. Both could be cap casualties once the season ends.
We’ll keep you updated on Lindstrom’s status on Twitter.