BREAKING: Falcons LB Troy Andersen Placed on IR; What's Next?

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen won't be seeing the field anytime soon.

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to be without one of their top players for the foreseeable future.

After a frustrating 20-6 defeat to the Detroit Lions, ESPN's Michael Rothstein is reporting that linebacker Troy Andersen has been placed on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the team signed offensive tackle Storm Norton.

During his Monday press conference, Falcons coach Arthur Smith revealed that medical examinations on Andersen "didn't look good," and the second-year pro's outlook to play again this season isn't promising.

Andersen hurt his shoulder/pectoral late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game while making a tackle on Lions running back Craig Reynolds, a play that didn't even end up counting due to a defensive holding penalty on David Onyemata.

A second-round pick in 2022, Andersen entered this year - his first as a full-time starter - with lofty expectations ... but instead was overcome by injuries.

Andersen, 24, missed Atlanta's Week 2 win over the Green Bay Packers due to a concussion, and now appears poised to miss most, if not all, of the rest of the season.

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young / Photo Credits: USA Today

It's a big loss for the Falcons defense, as Andersen, even with one fewer appearance, ranks third on the team in tackles with 18 while adding half a sack and one tackle for loss.

But Andersen's value goes beyond the numbers. His 6-4, 235-pound frame with 4.42 40-yard dash speed isn't easily replaceable in terms of the options it provides Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

"Troy’s a unique player," Smith said two weeks ago. "A guy that size with instincts and speed, that can legitimately cover tight ends and (running) backs allows you to do different things schematically in the backend. And then he’s a good rusher because he’s physical at the point of attack. You get into some of the big games as a rusher, he can collapse the pocket."

Nonetheless, Atlanta feels it has a more-than-capable solution in Nate Landman, who starred in place of Andersen against the Packers, making four tackles and one tackle for loss.

Nielsen shared last week the Falcons were so impressed with Landman's starting debut that they were searching for ways to incorporate more three-linebacker packages into the defense, which assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray echoed.

“I thought (Landman) did a fantastic job," Gray said. "When you look at the runs, our (defensive backs) watched the run plays and he was just hitting guys, and I was like, ‘Woah, that’s amazing.’ That’s what you want. You want linebackers coming downhill hitting guys. So you look at that. He had to step in for Troy and he made the best for him.”

Now, Landman seems likely to step in for Andersen again ... and potentially for the next 14 games. It's an unfortunate twist for one ascending young player but opens up opportunities for another who's proven quite deserving.

The final verdict on just how long Andersen will miss remains to be seen, but as of now, the early returns certainly don't inspire much confidence that it'll be anytime soon, creating a considerable hole in the middle of Atlanta's defense that Landman will aim to fill.