Ahead of the Falcons three-game stretch against division opponents, the club has placed their starting center, Drew Dalman, on the injured list, meaning he’ll miss the next four games at a minimum, per Mike Garafolo.
The #Falcons are placing C Drew Dalman on IR with an ankle injury suffered against the #Chiefs. He’ll miss the next four games at minimum.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 24, 2024
Dalmam has developed into a well above average center, even elite in some facets of his game. It’s a brutal blow for an offense that finally has begun to gel with so many new pieces integrating this offseason.
The loss of Dalman cannot be understated. When he, along with Kaleb McGary, left the game on Sunday against the Chiefs, the Falcons offense spun its wheels. They couldn’t get anything going on the ground and struggled to keep Kirk Cousins clean in the pocket.
With the Saints looming, this couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Falcons. Over the next four weeks, the club draws three divisional opponents and one conference opponent that could prove important in a potential Wild Card race.
Ryan Neuzil will likely get the nod while Dalman remains sidelined after replacing him against Kansas City. He’s been in Atlanta for several seasons, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried.
The Falcons could also be down Kaleb McGary as the tackle nurses a knee injury. Down two linemen would be very hard to overcome, so let’s hope McGary can gut it out.
Meanwhile, the Saints will also be without their center, Erik McCoy, who underwent surgery today and will be out for a couple of months. Both clubs’ starter centers will be out, so this one could look a bit sloppy.
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Photographer: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire
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