The Falcons are reuniting with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Weatherspoon will help fill in at linebacker now that rookie Duke Riley is set to undergo knee surgery.
Weatherspoon, 29, was a first-round pick of the Falcons in 2010. Unfortunately, his career has been marred by injuries in recent years. In the last four years, he has made only 25 appearances – he missed the bulk of last season, rouhgly half of 2013, and the entire 2014 campaign.
In 2011, his only full season, he showed what he is capable of as he racked up 125 tackles and four sacks. If his knee and foot problems are behind him, he could perhaps be a quality contributor once again. The Falcons probably aren’t expecting that kind of stat line, but he could perhaps help the Falcons pivot out of their current three-game rut.
Assuming he dresses, Weatherspoon’s first game of 2017 will be a road contest against the scrappy Jets.