Atlanta Falcons: Cornerback Jalen Collins suspended for first four games of 2016 season

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season.

Jalen Collins didn’t hit the heights many hoped for as a rookie, and he’ll now have to wait until the fifth game of the 2016 season to make his impact. The Atlanta Falcons will be without Collins due to suspension.

The report was confirmed on the official Atlanta Falcons website:

"“Jalen Collins of the Atlanta Falcons has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2016 regular season for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances.”"

This is bad news for the Falcons who are left a little thin at cornerback without the second-year player. Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford will likely be the starters in the base defense, and Akeem King may now see an increased role.

Is cornerback now a need in the 2016 NFL Draft? It could well be, which is awkward for the Falcons as they own just five picks at Chicago’s event.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, this was a risk they took when selecting Collins with their second-round selection in 2015. This was tweeted NFL Network reporter Albert Breer ahead of the draft last year:

Off-the-field issues always raise red flags before selecting a prospect, and in this case the issues have risen again at the pro level.

If the Falcons turn to the draft to add more depth at cornerback, they could turn to a guy like Eli Apple in the first round, or hold off for another prospect on day two or three. Artie Burns and Xavier Howard are interesting prospects in the second round. If Atlanta decide to leave it until the fourth round, they could turn to a guy like Minnesota’s Eric Murray.

Next: What to expect from Justin Hardy in 2016?

Either way, this puts Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff in a tough spot. With just five picks to work with, maybe striking a trade to acquire more selections becomes all the more likely.