If you had a $20.56 million rookie weapon, you’d guard him like gold. That’s exactly what Raheem Morris is doing with his prized linebacker. The Falcons used the No. 15 pick to steal Georgia’s own Butkus Award winner, who flashes edge-rushing menace and sideline-to-sideline speed. But training camp doesn’t need to be a battlefield, especially when a lingering injury risks long-term firepower. So Morris shut it down early. Still, even sidelined, Jalon Walker hasn’t forgotten the Lions, whom the Falcons are about to take head-on. He walks the sideline like a shadow with purpose, a spirit alive in every snap.
Walker had missed several sessions earlier due to a minor hamstring injury. But things turned around quickly when he was back on the field for the Falcons during their seventh open practice. Despite initial concerns, Walker’s return signals a positive development. After sitting out much of the first week of training camp, the Falcons’ first-round pick resumed practicing. Walker expressed his enthusiasm about being back. “I feel good,” Walker said. “I’m feeling so happy to be back out here. Happy for the week. It’s a big week with the first preseason game, and excited to get things going.” He made it clear that he intends to compete for a significant role.
It is indeed a big week for the rookie. He hopes to play in the upcoming preseason opener against the Detroit Lions. For now, the team wants him to focus on the edge rusher position. However, his flexibility is expected to be an asset. Coach Morris noted that linebacker opportunities would come soon. “Pretty quickly, you know, as soon as he gets more comfortable out there moving around,” Morris said. As videos from training camp surface, it is clear that the hamstring injury will be a tale of the past as soon as the season hits.
Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker (11) celebrates his sacking of TCU quarterback Max Duggan during the second half of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game, Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
According to Morris, Walker is showing promise in adapting to multiple roles. “Already starting to pick some of those things up, cross-training on some of those things already. He’s a very smart, very sharp, very detailed guy. So, nothing you worry about from that standpoint. But I just want to give him a chance to be comfortable doing something first, see that happen, come to life.” At six-foot-two and 245 pounds, Walker brings the resume that excites head coaches around the league. He is part of Morris’s youth first initiative at the D-Line.
The Falcons’ defensive front will feature second- and third-year players in central roles as last season’s veterans left the fans wanting more. Remember when Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata were the expected anchors at tackle during the 2024 season. However, the veterans did not meet expectations. Jarrett, returning from an ACL injury in his tenth year with the team, became the franchise leader in quarterback hits at 126 but only managed 2.5 sacks. That was his second-lowest full-season total.
Compounding the challenge of making a comeback from last season, several defenders were placed on the injury list in late July. Defensive back Kevin King, lineman LaCale London, linebacker Malik Verdon, and cornerback Cobee Bryant are all on the NFI list. Raheem Morris is crafting a defensive unit after ranking 28th in defensive DVOA and 23rd in scoring defense last season. Morris indeed seems to be an alchemist, making the training camp work against odds.
It is not just Coach Morris who is struggling. Lions HC Dan Campbell is struggling with the same script. The question is, who has it worse?
Dan Campbell’s roster takes a grave turn
Injury plagues the rival camp of Raheem Morris as well. The Detroit Lions have placed rookie safety Dan Jackson on injured reserve after he suffered a leg injury during Sunday’s practice. It does look rather grim as the team has not provided a timetable for his return. However, head coach Dan Campbell offered a concerning update. “It doesn’t look good,” Campbell said. “It looks like he’s going to be down for a while.” Jackson, a seventh-round pick out of Georgia, had been showing early promise. He was considered the leading candidate in a four-way competition for the team’s fourth safety spot. And suddenly those dreams threaten to remain just that- a dream.
Jackson had worked mainly with the second-team defense during the first two weeks of training camp. He also played a significant role in the Hall of Fame game, where he logged 36 snaps on defense and 13 more on special teams. He recorded six tackles in that game, with four being solo stops. His college career at Georgia is full of memorable plays. No surprise that he finished third on the team in total tackles with 64 and earned a strong reputation for his consistent play. Campbell can sure use a resume like this to continue being one of the best defensive units in the league.
Unlike Raheem Morris, who saw his first-round pick return from injury, Dan Campbell faces a more difficult situation. Reports indicate that Jackson’s injury could end his season unless the Lions and the player reach an injury settlement within seven days. If an agreement is made, Jackson would be eligible to sign with another team immediately or return to Detroit after the agreed recovery period.
The terms of such a settlement are negotiated individually and depend on the projected length of recovery. For now, Campbell is mapping out the game with his 53-man roster.
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