The Falcons could have reinforcements coming after the team’s Week 3 matchup against the winless Giants. In a post-practice press conference, Arthur Smith said that Kendall Sheffield and Josh Andrews are “hopefully close” to returning.
#Falcons coach Arthur Smith said he thinks CB Kendall Sheffield (undisclosed) and LG Josh Andrews (broken hand) are “hopefully close” to returning. pic.twitter.com/Uid2YJb6Z9
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) September 22, 2021
Andrews was the presumptive starter for a large part of the offseason until a hand injury landed him on the IR just before Week 1. Even though he isn’t anything to write home about, he could provide more than Jalen Mayfield has to this point.
The rookie third-round pick has widely been criticized for his atrocious Week 1 performance against the Eagles, in which he surrendered a number of sacks, pressures, and QB hits. Against the Buccaneers, Mayfield improved ever so slightly.
Don’t get me wrong; he was still terrible, but there were minor improvements. If Andrews is activated off the IR before Atlanta’s Week 4 matchup with the Washington Football Team, the offensive line could potentially play better, and perhaps the Falcons could get a win. Andrews isn’t some stud that is going to single handily resolve the offensive line issues, but he will be an improvement over where they’re at right now.
Matt Hennessy is essentially a first-year player, so he is adapting to NFL life as a starter. Having two inexperienced linemen next to each other is a recipe for disaster. Hopefully, since he’s a veteran, Andrews can help mitigate those communication problems.
Even if he’s healthy, Sheffield is probably the fifth cornerback on the roster. However, there’s talent there for the coaches to work with, and the secondary can use all the extra bodies it can get.
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