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The Atlanta Falcons went to their annual Friday Night Lights game, a pseudo scrimmage that occurs every year before preseason games. However, new starting free safety Dwight Lowery went down after getting high by tiny meatball Jacquizz Rodgers.
Unfortunately, the team has confirmed that Lowery's injury is a concussion, which is deeply troubling given his history of head injuries. The team will bring him back slowly and he'll still be expected to start if he can return to full health, but I'd be lying if I said that was a sure thing.
Mike Smith said safety Dwight Lowery suffered a concussion.
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) August 2, 2014
Lowery has been a talented player but struggled with injuries. The Falcons were able to sign Lowery after he had a bad concussion in September of 2013 and spent the rest of the season out of football. If he could stay healthy, particularly free from another bad concussion, Lowery would have locked up the starting free safety position. So far he has had little competition from rookie Dezmen Southward.
Southward, of course, is out for at least a week after banging up his knee in practice. Lowery is all but guaranteed to be out for at least a week, and smart money is on him missing at least half of preseason. The Falcons were forced to play with only ten defensive players on the field Kemal Ishmael at free safety, but I have heard some pretty good things from Ishmael during camp. Vaughn "The Oracle" McClure called Ishmael "impressive" in camp.
When reached for comment regarding the injury, Dave Choate said some words I am not allowed to repeat on this website. I would imagine the Falcons head over to the free agency heap by Monday. Based on the names, we will be scraping the bottom of the barrel. Michael Huff? Pseudo-retired Kerry Rhodes? The bones of Ed Reed?