From @CookieByNature on X/Twitter
Who’s eligible to return and do you think they will?
Sure, let’s go through the list. I will start with the players I think are more likely to return, and then make my way down to those who I don’t feel as confident about. Also, I will add head coach Raheem Morris was asked about majority of this list of players Monday, but didn’t have too much information to share regarding their status. He said he’ll know more after the bye week.
CB A.J. Terrell (hamstring), active 53-man roster: Terrell has missed the last two games, but he is trending in the right direction for a Week 6 return. If he gets some good days of practice in the Falcons’ prep for the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football I would imagine he’d be good to go for the prime-time showdown. And let’s be real: The Bills are one of the best offenses in the league. The Falcons could use Terrell.
Of all the individuals on this list, Terrell is the one player Morris said he feels the most confidence in returning after the bye week.
WR Darnell Mooney (hamstring), active 53-man roster: Mooney has had a tough go to start his 2025 season. He missed all of training camp with a shoulder injury. And even when he returned in Week 1 through Week 4, Morris said he was still working back to game-ready endurance. That could have contributed as to why this hamstring issue popped up last Sunday. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Mooney is not likely to miss any games with the injury.
DB Natrone Brooks (concussion), active 53-man roster: As scary as the hit Brooks took last Sunday was, the Falcons could see him return sooner rather than later. Brooks just needs time to recover. And he’ll be able to get time off the grass this week without having to miss a game. According to how he progresses through concussion protocol once practices pick back up next week, there’s a chance we could see him back in action against the Bills.
DL Ta’Quon Graham (undisclosed), IR with designation to return: Since I don’t know the full extent of Graham’s injury, I don’t have a very trustworthy timetable for his return. Technically speaking, he could return to practice during Week 6, but, again, I don’t have any information beyond that.
OL Storm Norton (ankle), IR with designation to return: When Norton’s ankle injury was first reported it was stated he would miss six to eight weeks. Week 6’s game would land right in the middle of that time period. So, it is very possible Norton returns to practice and his window to be elevated to the active roster begins. If that is the case, the Falcons have some decisions to make about their right tackle position moving forward: Will they stick with Elijah Wilkinson, who is coming off what could arguably his best game as a Falcon? Or, will Norton make a case to return to the starting group? We shall see.
ILB Troy Andersen (knee), PUP with designation to return: Like Graham, Andersen’s window to return could open next week. However, I am not too sure if that is even the timeline the Falcons are shooting for. I feel better about Andersen potentially returning this year, but he did have to have a procedure on his knee. When someone is returning from surgery, I tend to be more cautious with them.
EDGE Bralen Trice (knee), IR with designation to return: The last we heard of Trice, he was being placed on IR after re-aggravating the same knee that cost him his entire rookie season. That, to me, doesn’t bode well for a swift return. Morris said back in August the earliest Trice could be back is after the bye week. However, there was also a potential that this injury was season ending. Because of that possibility, I don’t feel very confident in seeing Trice soon. In fact, he may be the one I am least confident about.