Falcons Rookie DL Nearing Injury Return

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to get a boost to their defense soon as rookie defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro nears his injury return.

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle) is expected to return to practice this week. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons are close to getting back a key member of their rookie class.

Second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, who’s been on injured reserve since suffering an ankle injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, is expected to be designated to return to practice this week, according to Falcons head coach Raheem Morris.

"I'm expecting to get Ruke back this week, going in practice and doing some really good things," Morris said in his press conference Monday. "He'll be activated this week. He had the extra week because of the bye -- that doesn't count as far as the injury reserve -- but it looks like he's going to be fine."

The 6-foot-4-inch, 295-pound Orhorhoro was inactive for the first four games this season but played in each of Atlanta's contests from Weeks 5-8. He recorded five tackles and a quarterback hit across 63 defensive snaps.

To Morris's point, Orhorhoro was required to miss four games, not four weeks. With Atlanta's Week 12 bye, Orhorhoro received an additional week to rest his ankle.

Should the Falcons designate Orhorhoro to return from injured reserve Wednesday, he'd have a 21-day window to practice before being ruled out for the remainder of the season -- but he appears likely return on the earlier side of his window.

Elsewhere among Atlanta's players on injured reserve, safety DeMarcco Hellams, who suffered an ankle injury in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, likely won't begin practicing this week, Morris said.

But Hellams does seem closer to returning than weeks past, a promising indication the second-year pro will be able to hit the field at some point this season.

The Falcons (6-6) will practice Wednesday before returning to the field at 1 p.m. Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.