Falcons GAMEDAY: 5 Veterans, 1 Rookie OUT vs. Lions

Who's staying in street clothes for the preseason opener?

Jeremy Brener | Aug 12, 2022

Many Atlanta Falcons are set to make their 2022 debuts Friday night in the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, but there are a few people that will have to wait another week.

The team announced that wide receiver Bryan Edwards, defensive lineman Marlon Davidson, rookie linebacker Troy Andersen, veteran linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, and defensive backs Jaylinn Hawkins and Isaiah Oliver will miss Friday night's game.

Majority of these players are coming off of injury, so the Falcons are playing it safe by not trotting them out immediately.

Edwards was acquired in an offseason trade with the Las Vegas Raiders and is expected to be in the starting lineup this year opposite rookie Drake London.

Davidson is entering his third season in the league. The 2020 second-round pick played in 11 games for the Falcons last season.

Andersen was one of the team's second-round picks out of Montana State. The team is really excited about what Andersen can bring to the linebacking corps, but the coaches are choosing to hold him out for tonight's game.

Kwiatkoski was one of several former Chicago Bears the team signed during the offseason. He is entering his seventh NFL season after playing his first four in Chicago and last two with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Hawkins is a third-year pro who is competing alongside Richie Grant and Dean Marlowe for a starting safety position. Unfortunately, he won't be able to earn his way that goal this evening.

Oliver is also in competition for a starting role in the secondary, but will have to wait one more week before making his return to the field.

Published Aug 12, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.