The Atlanta Falcons have officially ruled out linebacker Troy Andersen for Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccanneers. Andersen took home the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award after his breakout performance against the Saints but suffered a knee injury during the fourth quarter.
Head coach Raheem Morris said rookie linebacker JD Bertrand will get the start in Week 5. Bertrand was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft out of Notre Dame and is the only Falcons rookie to see any reps this season.
While Andersen is a big loss, Morris expressed confidence in Bertrand’s ability to step in. “I have very few or limited (concerns) when it comes to JD,” the Falcons head coach told reporters during his Wednesday afternoon press conference.
"I have very few or limited (concerns) when it comes to JD." The expectation is for JD Bertrand to start in place of Troy Andersen, who has been ruled out of Thursday's game. As a reminder, Nate Landman is still on injure reserve.
— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) October 2, 2024
The Falcons are favored by 1.5 points over the banged-up Buccaneers. On Wednesday, Tampa Bay ruled out five players, including safety Antoine Winfield and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke. Check back at 4 p.m. ET for Atlanta’s final Week 5 injury report.
Thursday night’s game starts at 8:15 p.m. ET and will be broadcast exclusively on Amazon Prime.
