We found out last year that Raheem Morris is not a fan of playing important players in preseason games. He didn't let Kirk Cousins play and only gave rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. a couple of drives in the opener.
He has already stated that Penix Jr. won't play in 2025's preseason opener which then brought up questions on who else might not play.
Among those was first-round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. but, to the delight of fans, both will get to showcase their abilities against the Detroit Lions on Friday.
#FALCONS TRAINING CAMP NOTES, Day 9 (Aug. 6)
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) August 6, 2025
-- The Falcons had a scrimmage today, which head coach Raheem Morris described as a way to get the starters “high-level” reps since they won’t be appearing in the team’s first preseason game Friday against the Lions
-- Rookie EDGE…
It is particularly surprising that Walker and Xavier Watts will play, considering they have been dealing with ailments in training camp.
Falcons plan to play their top rookies in preseason opener vs. Lions
It is no secret that Atlanta Falcons fans were ecstatic to see Jalon Walker stay in the state of Georgia. The No. 15 pick in April's draft was the first Georgia Bulldog drafted by the Dirty Birds in the first two rounds in their history.
And we won't have to wait long to see the historic selection make his debut as he will be on the home field on Friday starting at 7pm ET.
In addition, the rest of the draft class—James Pearce Jr., Xavier Watts, Billy Bowman Jr., and Jack Nelson—will play.
Just for a quick update, the rookies will suit up in these jersey numbers:
- Jalon Walker: No. 11
- James Pearce Jr.: No. 27
- Xavier Watts: No. 31
- Billy Bowman Jr.: No. 33
- Jack Nelson: No. 69
Who knows how many reps the top picks will get. Most likely, we won't see them much past the first quarter.
Last years preseason opener is the reason why, as the Falcons lost two key members of their defense for the year when rookie Bralen Trice tore his ACL and backup safety DeMarcco Hellams injured his ankle.
Hopefully, they will be able to showcase their talents while also avoiding injuries. The Falcons need them in 2025.