Michael Bennett leaves minicamp with a hand injury

The injury bug has struck the Falcons in mid-June, as defensive lineman Michael Bennett left the field today with an apparent hand injury.

There isn’t any further information to report at this time. Hopefully the injury isn’t deemed serious, and is nothing more than a precaution in the dog days of the offseason.

Bennett signed with the Falcons in the middle of last season to fill in for the injured Grady Jarrett for a couple of games. In two appearances, against the Steelers and Buccaneers, Bennett tallied four tackles and one tackle for loss. He’s still a strong candidate for the final ninth or tenth defensive line position, but any kind of long-term injury would damage his chances of making the team.

Bennett was cut after Jarrett’s return to the lineup, and was signed by the Falcons to a reserve/futures contract following the conclusion of the regular season. He currently does not count against the cap or the roster number until the 90-man roster is announced, sometime around training camp.

Hopefully Bennett gets healthy quickly, so that he can continue to compete for a roster spot along Atlanta’s suddenly crowded defensive line.