Atlanta Falcons Close to Getting Reinforcements on OL with Positive Injury Update

The Atlanta Falcons have been playing third-team right tackle Eli Wilkinson since the beginning of the season. Storm Norton could be back soon.

Storm Norton will have a chance to compete for the starting job at the right tackle position | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons lost their starting right tackle right before the season started when Kaleb McGary went down with a leg injury during the final practice of training camp. Backup swing tackle Storm Norton was dealing with an ankle injury that required surgery, which has kept him from playing thus far this season.

Elijah Wilkinson has filled in at right tackle as both McGary and Norton deal with injury. However, on Wednesday, head coach Raheem Morris confirmed that a healthy Norton will be competing with Wilkinson for the starting role.

“I wouldn’t rule out anything if he [Storm Norton] is as healthy as he needs to be to go play,” Morris said. “We’ve seen Storm start for us before.”

The Falcons opened up Norton’s 21-day practice window a week from today. He has two more weeks to be activated to the 53-man roster; if he is not activated, it means another stint on the injured reserve. 

Wilkinson has struggled in the Falcons' last two games, both of which have been losses. The journeyman offensive line has surrendered six pressures, three hurries, a quarterback hit and two sacks during that stretch.

With less than two minutes to go in the half against the San Fransiscco 49ers, Bryce Huff blew past Wilkinson and forced a strip fumble of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., leading to three points for the 49ers. A costly three points, as Atlanta would ultimately lose the game by 10 points.

Raheem Morris believes the struggling offensive line has been holding back the offense as a whole the past two weeks, although he did not single out any players. 

“Like I told you the other day, when we don’t play well up front, we’re not going to play really well,” Morris said. “We got to play better up front. We want to be able to run the football. We want to be able to throw the football down the field.”

The potential return of Storm Norton could help out Atlanta’s recently struggling offensive line. Norton has been in Atlanta for the last two seasons, starting in four games and seeing snaps in 11. During his Falcons career, Pro Football Focus (PFF) credits the offensive lineman with surrendering eight total pressures and one sack. 

While Norton isn’t a proven long-term starter, he could provide a boost over a struggling Elijah Wilkinson. With the Falcons struggling to run the ball as of late, the right tackle competition, so to speak, could be the key to jump-starting the Falcons' offense.