On Wednesday, Raheem Morris announced that the Falcons are opening offensive tackle Storm Norton’s 21-day window to return from Injured Reserve.
Norton underwent ankle surgery before the start of the season, news that broke seemingly moments after it was revealed that right tackle Kaleb McGary would miss the entire year. Suddenly, the Falcons found themselves in a bind. Atlanta brought in a couple of tackles off the waiver wire and even made a trade, but in the end, they stuck with one of their own to protect Michael Penix Jr.’s blindside — Elijah Wilkinson.
Through five games, Wilkinson actually performed much better than anyone could have expected. However, Sunday night’s game against the 49ers looked more like what many anticipated when he was named the starter. San Francisco’s defensive front had a field day with Wilkinson, leading to several big hits on Penix and a costly turnover before halftime.
Getting Norton back in the mix is massive news, though he shouldn’t be considered a shoo-in for the starting job. He’s coming off a major injury, and outside of the San Francisco game, Wilkinson has more than held his own. Even so, just having Norton available for depth is a big boost to Atlanta’s offensive line.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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