Matt Bryant injury: Kicker lands on injured reserve; Shayne Graham to handle field goals the rest of the way

Bad news: Matt Bryant is on the shelf for the rest of the season.

The Falcons have placed kicker Matt Bryant on Injured Reserve with a quad injury.

— FalconsKelsey (@FalconsKelsey) December 11, 2015

What started as a week-to-week concern is obviously impacting Bryant enough that there's a real chance he wouldn't have been able to kick again this season, so the Falcons are freeing up a roster spot and going forward with Shayne Graham.

Bryant has been one of the NFL's most reliable kickers during his tenure in Atlanta, and this is a blow to Atlanta. That said, he had a handful of misses this season, and the team can save $2.5 million in 2016 by moving on from him. I think we're all hopeful they don't do so—Bryant's calm nature and big-time field goals have been huge for the Falcons, and he's a force for good in the community—but that possibility is out there, particularly with the injury. Shayne Graham has not missed a field goal during his short Falcons tenure thus far, and will presumably handle field goals duties unless he self-destructs from here on out.

We'll see what move, if any, the Falcons make before this game to fill Bryant's roster spot. We wish him a swift, trouble-free recovery, and hope to see him back in Atlanta next year.