"Norton landed on IR with a return designation during final roster cuts after undergoing ankle surgery in the preseason. He returned to practice on October 22 and was a full practice participant right away. He then re-aggravated the injury the following week and has not practiced since. His 21-day practice window expired on Wednesday, forcing him to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines."
"The Falcons already lost starting right tackle Kaleb McGary for the year after he suffered a leg injury in training camp. That was a major loss for Atlanta's offensive line, especially considering McGary's job to protect left-handed quarterback Michael Penix's blind side. The team has relied on Elijah Wilkinson to fill McGary's spot, but he has allowed 30 pressures, the fifth-most among all offensive tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus ( subscription required)."
"Norton would not necessarily have been an upgrade. His only full year as a starter came in 2021 for the Chargers, when he allowed 59 pressures, the second-most by an offensive tackle that season and the third-most in a single season since 2019. Since then, he has only started four games, though he still could have pushed Wilkinson for his job."
"Atlanta also placed fourth-year linebacker DeAngelo Malone on IR on Wednesday. He suffered a broken ankle in Sunday's loss to the Colts and underwent surgery on Monday. Malone will miss at least four games, but his absence could be longer, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 2022 third-round pick is a core special teams contributor who has not had more than a peripheral role on defense since his rookie year."
Storm Norton reverted to season-ending injured reserve after re-aggravating an ankle injury following a brief return to practice. Norton had undergone ankle surgery in the preseason, returned to practice on October 22 as a full participant, then re-aggravated the injury and missed further practices, causing his 21-day practice window to expire. Head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged that the news 'wasn't great.' Atlanta already lost starter Kaleb McGary for the year, forcing Elijah Wilkinson into the right tackle role, where he has allowed 30 pressures. Fourth-year linebacker DeAngelo Malone also went on IR with a broken ankle and will miss at least four games.
Read at Pro Football Rumors
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