The Atlanta Falcons can't escape the injury bug once again. Just moments after James Pearce Jr. returned to the game after suffering an injury, his defensive running mate is now hurt. In the second quarter of Atlanta' Week 14 matchup with the Seahawks, Jalon Walker is battling an injury of his own.
The young EDGE rusher was injured midway through the second quarter, and is questionable to return due to a quad injury. And after A.J. Terrell and Pearce returned after brief exits, its worrisome that the injuries are continuing to stack up for Jeff Ulbrich's defense that has excelled on Sunday.
Entering the day, the 21-year-old was tied for the league lead in sacks among all rookies, but Pearce took the lead earlier this afternoon. He's emerged as a true Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, so any sort of absence from one of Atlanta's most important defenders is incredibly alarming.
Jalon Walker is questionable to return vs. Seahawks due to a quad injury
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the Dirty Birds' impressive rookie has been injured this year. The Georgia product missed both Week 7 and Week 8 due to re-aggravating a groin injury that sidelined him for a good chunk of training camp, while a summer hamstring injury further complicated matters.
Despite the Falcons sitting at just 4-8, the reigning Butkus Award winner has shined throughout the year. His 5.0 sacks are third on the team behind Pearce and second-year defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus and his versatility helped to ignite a pass-rush that was previously among the worst in football.
At halftime, the game is a 6-6 tie, but Walker failed to record a tackle prior to his exit. Unfortunately, there have been no other updates about his status, but we will update this article as more information becomes available about his Week 14 status and any potential return to the lineup for Walker.