Falcons rookie DBs Richie Grant and Darren Hall will play vs. Jets
Going 1-3 to start the season is definitely not what the Falcons had in mind when building this 2021 roster. Things only gets worse when you start losing players to injuries, as the team did with cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Erik Harris in recent weeks.
In general, Atlanta’s secondary has struggled this year, and on Sunday, two of the team’s rookie defensive backs will get some playing time. Head coach Arthur Smith said both safety Richie Grant and cornerback Darren Hall will play this weekend against the Jets, as reported by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Falcons spent their second-round selection (40th overall) on Grant and their first fourth-round pick (108th overall) on Hall, but neither has gotten much playing time thus far.
Safety Erik Harris (calf) and CB/KR Avery Williams (hamstring) have both been ruled out of Sunday’s game in London. Additionally, Isaiah Oliver has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after a knee injury suffered early on against Washington.
While Grant will see some playing time, Jaylinn Hawkins will probably receive the majority of the lost snaps from Harris, while Hall and Grant will both compete for snaps left by Oliver and Williams. Nonetheless, fans will just be excited to finally see Grant in a game for more than six snaps.
Grant has played a role on special teams, but as far as defensive production, he has been a ghost this season. His six snaps taken against the Eagles in Week 1 earned a 29.4 rating from Pro Football Focus.
On the bright side, the Falcons’ secondary is facing Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who’s already thrown for eight interceptions in four games.
