The Atlanta Falcons are without another one of their top playmakers on defense.
The Falcons announced Tuesday that linebacker Deion Jones was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury.
"Following the game last Thursday, Deion reported soreness in his foot, so we sent him for further tests," head coach Dan Quinn said in a statement. "We got the results of those tests back today, and he unfortunately will require a procedure that will result in us having to place him on injured reserve."
"We are bummed for Deion, but we do expect to get him back at some point this season. He represents all that we are looking for in a Falcon player, and while he will not be on the field for us right now, he will continue to have a presence in our building."
The bad news is Atlanta will go forward without Jones, who led the Falcons defense in tackles in 2017 en route to a Pro Bowl selection. With his nose for the football and ability to make big plays, Jones is arguably the Falcons' best defender and losing him is a blow for a defensive unit that ranked in the top 10 last season. With a view to make a run at the postseason, the Falcons will need to find a way to overcome his absence.
The good news, however, surrounds the team's outlook of getting Jones back on the roster before the season ends.
The move comes one day after the Falcons placed safety Keanu Neal on injured reserve with a torn ACL.
