Will Svitek Out for Season: Offensive line has no Injury Margin of Error

This afternoon we have some really bad news out of Flowery Branch. The offensive line, which had very little good depth, just lost its best backup.

Offensive tackle Will Svitek, who is the backup behind Tyson Clabo at right tackle and Sam Baker at left tackle, is out for the season after suffering an upper arm injury. I don’t know what exactly the injury is, but it is obviously serious enough for Svitek to miss the rest of the 2012 season.

That makes the Falcons depth along the offensive line razor thin, and the margin of error for players along the line, especially the tackle position, even thinner. The backups behind Clabo and Baker for the tackle positions are Mike Johnson, and rookie Lamar Holmes. Holmes missed minicamp and the beginning of training camp, and was unable to vault past Svitek on the depth chart up to this point. Mike Johnson was injured in 2011, and has played with the second team in this year’s preseason. He has certainly not impressed anyone in that role with that unit.

It is even clearer now that the Falcons must address the offensive line in a big way the next couple positions. Sure the Falcons could use a great pass-rusher, but they have solid depth along the defensive line. Sam Baker was an injury issue in 2011, and never really played well last season. He will always be a concern for potential injuries. I say, draft offensive linemen to replace Baker and to play the right guard position, and at the very minimum, draft linemen to improve the depth on this team. There is currently next to no margin of error.