FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons coach Mike Smith just announced that defensive end Kroy Biermann and fullback Bradie Ewing are out for the season.

“Kroy Biermann will be going on reserve injured," Smith said. "He has a torn Achilles tendon. As well, we will also be putting Bradie Ewing on injured reserve. He had a separated shoulder. So, those two guys today will be going on reserved injured. That transaction will take place at the end of the business day.”

With Biermann out against the Rams, defensive ends Jonathan Massaquoi and Malliciah Goodman played more snaps.

Massaquoi played 45 of 77 (58 percent) defensive snaps and Goodman played 25 snaps (32 percent).

“Jonathan snaps were up significantly,” Smith said. “Those guys are going to get an opportunity to step in and help us win some football games. I believe that they will. As I say many times, one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity. We’ve got some guys that we expect are going to step up and make some plays for us.”

Both players are gone for the season.

"The transaction that will go in today, they’ll be on reserved injured," Smith said. "They will not be on the (injury reserve list) where you can come back."

Big thanks for all the love and prayers! I know The Lord has a great plan ahead and I am trusting in that as I battle back to 100%! #RiseUp

— Bradie Ewing (@bewing34) September 17, 2013

Biermann will be difficult to replace. He was playing a hybrid defensive end and linebacker role that made it difficult for the opposition to tell if the Falcons were in a 3-4 or a 4-3 alignment.

“Well, we have a backup at every position,” Smith said. “When we put our packages in, the backup is going to have to step up and make the plays that we anticipate they are capable of making.”

A couple of players will be needed to replace Biermann.

“There is a role for a defensive end for when Kroy was playing defensive end,” Smith said. “There is a role for one of the linebackers for when he was playing linebacker. We put that in place from the very beginning. As you know your roster never stays the same from year to year and it usually doesn’t stay the same from week to week.”

“We will make the adjustments and move forward.”

Smith met with early Monday morning with Ewing, who’s had a tough time with injuries since being drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. He suffered a season-ending knee injury last season and missed most of training camp with an undisclosed injury.

“I just told him, hey we just have got to get you healthy,” Smith said. “March and April will roll around and we’ll reconnect and get going moving forward.”

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