Julio Jones Injury: Falcons Wide Receiver Active, Won’t Be On ‘Snap Count’
UPDATE (Thursday, Oct. 15, 7:20 p.m. ET): Jones is active for Thursday night’s against the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN.
A team source leaked to several media outlets that Jones would be on a “snap count” earlier in the week, but Falcons head coach Dan Quinn told CBS’ Tracy Wolfson that was not the case and the receiver feels “better than he did last week.”
ORIGINAL STORY: Julio Jones rarely is 100 percent healthy, but more often than not, he’s in the lineup. That could change on a short week, though.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday night that the Atlanta Falcons wide receiver is legitimately questionable for Thursday night’s game versus the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons are “uncertain” as to whether Jones will be able to play, according to Schefter.
Jones is battling a hamstring injury, and he told reporters after Sunday’s win over the Washington Redskins that he’d be in the lineup, despite not being 100 percent. That’s obviously up in the air as Atlanta prepares to attempt to go to 6-0 on the season.
Jones hasn’t been 100 percent for much of the season, but there really hasn’t been a drop-off in his production. He has an NFL-leading 43 receptions for 545 yards to go along with four touchdowns. He was still targeted 10 times in the Falcons’ win Sunday.
If Jones is unable to go Thursday, that could mean a bigger workload for wideout Leonard Hankerson and tight end Jacob Tamme. Hankerson broke out in Week 4 with six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. Tamme, meanwhile, had his best game of the season Sunday, hauling in eight of 10 targets for 94 yards.
Thumbnail photo via Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports Images
