The Falcons plan to be extremely cautious with running back Devonta Freeman, who was placed in the league’s concussion protocol on Sunday.
Freeman, whom the team made the highest paid player at his position last Wednesday, left practice about an hour and 20 minutes into the session with what was thought to be a “heat” related issue. He walked off the field under his own power with a member of the training staff alongside.
Freeman received fluids after going inside.
"After taking him inside yesterday where we thought he had heat related (issues), he reported that he had some concussion symptoms," Quinn said on Monday. "So, we put him in the protocol for that.”
The protocol is a five-step return-to-play process that starts once a player has been diagnosed with a concussion or symptoms. The player is immediately removed from the team setting with steps in place to work his way back to the team. A player can leave the protocol once all steps are cleared.
The five steps are rest and recovery, light aerobic exercise, light aerobic exercise and strength training, football specific drills and finally, football activity and clearance.
The recovery timetable varies with brain injuries. Some players make it back in a week, others with more severe concussion issues, take much longer.
Freeman scored a touchdown on a 15-yard catch in the Falcons 23-20 loss to Miami on Thursday. He will not play when the Falcons face the Pittsburgh Steelers at 4 p.m. Sunday at Heinz Field.
“He'll be out this week,” Quinn said. “He may start practicing as we move along, but we are going to rule him out now for the game as more of a precautionary note."
The doctors took Freeman through the initial steps of the protocol which includes a baseline test of the brain.
“They went through that (on Sunday) and they will be going over that for the next couple of days,” Quinn said. “In those situations, it’s always better to play it safe and go through the whole protocol to make sure we do what’s best.”
Before signing the five-year, $41.25 million extension. Freeman was scheduled to make $1.8 million in his fourth season in the NFL. He’d clearly out-performed his rookie contract and was rewarded by the team with the extension.
The team was elated that Freeman, a fourth-round pick from Florida State in the 2014 draft, didn’t hold out or cause any more distractions like his agent did during the week of Super Bowl LI.
“He’s had a great camp,” Quinn said. “For you guys that have been here most days, you’ve seen that. The speed that he plays with not just in the run game, but the pass game as well. He was disappointed that he wasn’t able to be out here today, but we’ll get him back out here shortly.”
Quinn is fine with the doctors making the call on Freeman’s return.
“In those situations, with guys who have injuries, let’s make sure that we are always doing right by them,” Quinn said. “Even if it’s a guy with a hamstring, likes make sure that he’s back and ready to be the best version of himself. The worst thing we can do now is have somebody head into the (season) with an injury. So, we are always going to choose (caution) to make sure they are really feeling good.”
With Freeman out, Tevin Coleman will take all of the first-team snaps. The Falcons also have Terron Ward, Brian Hill and Kelvin Taylor to use against Pittsburgh. Ward, who led the Falcons in rushing with 48 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown against Miami, has worn a black -- non-contact – jersey during the past two practices.
“We’ve got plenty of guys here,” Quinn said.
The Falcons are not putting a timetable on Freeman’s return.
“As far as heading into the future, that’s out of my hands in terms of the doctors,” Quinn said. “Let them decide that.
“Let’s just see where that goes. I’ll just rule him out for this week for sure and then past that, he’s not going to get a ton of reps this (exhibition) season, neither is (quarterback) Matt (Ryan) or (wide receiver) Julio Jones).
Hill, a fifth-round pick from Wyoming, was stuffed for 10 yards on nine carries in his pro debut against Miami. He’s trying to unseat Ward as the backup to Freeman and Coleman, while Taylor is a longshot to make the roster.
“We’ve got real competition at running back and I am trying to find out quite a bit about a number of guys,” Quinn said.
Freeman was mostly a third-down back as a rookie when he caught 73 passes, but started to flourish in his second season under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in 2015 and was selected for the past two Pro Bowls.
Freeman’s average annual salary of $8.25 million is tops in the league for running backs.
Freeman has been the NFL’s second leading rusher over the past two seasons. Freeman’s 2,135 yards rushing trails only Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy’s 2,162 rushing yards over the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Freeman (227 carries for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns) and Coleman (118 for 520 and eight touchdowns) combined to rush for 1,619 yards and 19 touchdowns. They also caught 85 passes for 883 yards and five touchdowns. In all, they combined to amass 2,502 yards from scrimmage last season and helped to power the Falcons to Super Bowl LI.
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