Devonta Freeman may need offseason surgery, but it’s an open question at the moment

We now know that Devonta Freeman played with an injury Saturday against the Eagles, which probably helps to explain his anemic performance almost as much as the matchup does. We also knew he was hoping to avoid surgery courtesy of Vaughn McClure at ESPN, but that’s an open question at this point.

This is not a new report, per se, but it’s something we didn’t really address in the heat and light that followed that game. Freeman just wrapped up a season that could be considered disappointing by his lofty standards, and that was primarily driven by injuries. Free suffered two concussions and then MCL and PCL sprains, and it’s only because he’s a genuine warrior on the field that he was even out there to end the season. When he was healthy, he ran hard and he ran effectively, and he caught the ball well. Injuries and a handful of mishaps like missed blocks and receptions were the only major sour notes until Saturday, when Free got nothing going running while Tevin Coleman rolled up nearly 80 yards on outside runs.

Freeman just received a lucrative contract extension that made him the highest-paid back in the NFL, and his production and youth completely justified that. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t concerned about Free now that he’s suffered multiple concussions, and I’m hopeful if he needs surgery he gets it quickly so he can be ready to go for the start of the 2018 season. With Tevin Coleman hitting free agency after this upcoming season, it’s going to be a pivotal year for both backs, and the Falcons’ offense is only going to be great again if both backs are healthy and effective in the first place.

Keep an eye on Freeman’s status this spring, and we’ll cross our fingers that these injuries prove to be a blip on the radar.