Corey Peters Will Miss OTAs

At some point during the offseason, Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Corey Peters suffered a foot injury. Apparently it isn’t very serious and he will be able to participate fully during training camp, but he will sit out the rest of OTA’s. This brought up the thought in my mind: If Peters, a player that the Falcons are depending on to produce at a high level in 2012, is hurt who will step up and play D-Tackle next to Jonathan Babineaux?

The answer is slightly frightening. Peria Jerry will start at tackle if Peters were to suffer a setback and miss significant time. Jerry was the Falcon’s 1st round pick out of Mississippi in 2009, but after suffering a major knee injury early in his rookie campaign, he hasn’t even come close to reaching what the Falcons would like for him to do.

There is no doubt that the man has talent, and we have at times seen good plays. However, the majority of the time he is on the field, he is a complete non-factor. It is disappointing that the Falcons haven’t gotten much production from Jerry. I guess that is just the luck of Draft.

This could be a blessing in disguise. If Peters were healthy, there is no doubt he would get all or nearly all of the 1st team snaps. As it is now, Jerry will be getting those during OTAs, and that only serves to benefit him. The more quality practice repetitions that Jerry gets, the better. If he can be more than a serviceable backup at defensive tackle, the Falcons could boast one of the best tackle groups in the NFL. Not only would they be good in and of themselves, but they would make life a lot easier for Atlanta’s defensive ends. We all wish the best of health for Peters, and hope for an improvement in play from Jerry.