With Deion Jones out with an ankle injury, veteran LaRoy Reynolds will start and be the defensive signal-caller for the Falcons at middle linebacker against the Broncos on Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium.
“We have a good group of guys,” Reynolds said on Friday. “Everybody knows their position and where they have to lineup and how we are going to operate. I just have to go out and make some calls and be with the guys. Same preparation. I’ll be ready.”
With Jones’ injury and the team placing linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (ruptured right Achilles) on injured reserve, the Falcons signed linebacker A.J. Hawk on Tuesday and safety Kemal Ishmael has played some dime-linebacker in the past and over the offseason.
Ishmael, who started at strong safety when Keanu Neal was out for two games, left the field with the linebacker group on Friday.
Reynolds, 25, has made four starts in the NFL. He started three games for Jacksonville in 2014 and one game for Chicago in 2015. He’s expecting the Broncos to attempt to establish the run.
“The first two games they really got it going,” Reynolds said. “They got away from it these last two games. I think they are going to get back to it. They’ll try to really stretch the ball and get the ball to the perimeter. That’s going to be big for us, stopping that.”
The Falcons plan to be ready if rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch receives his first NFL start. Quarterback Trevor Siemian has a injured left shoulder.
“I know that Paxton Lynch did some running in college and they like to run him a little bit,” Reynolds said. “We’ll see if that’s what they want to do. We know it’s part of their game plan.”
Reynolds, who’s 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, played at Virginia. He was signed by Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent after the 2013 draft.
Reynolds, who’s played 47 games in the NFL, has thrived as a speedy special teams player.
Reynolds played 11 of 71 defensive snaps (11 percent) against Carolina after Jones was injured. He finished with three tackles and one on special teams.
Jones, a second round draft pick from LSU, is tied for the team lead with 30 tackles. He had a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown to help the Falcons down the Saints on Sept. 26.
In addition to Jones, linebackers De’Vondre Campbell (ankle) and Paul Worrilow (groin surgery) were also declared out by Falcons coach Dan Quinn.
Punter Matt Bosher has a right hamstring injury, but punted on Friday and will play.
“I’m looking forward to playing out in Denver,” Bosher said. “They’ve got a good special teams unit. I’m looking forward to getting out in that thin air and letting it go.”
Defensive end Brooks Reed (shoulder), wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (shoulder), kicker Matt Bryant (right hamstring), guard Chris Chester (knee), wide receiver Justin Hardy (shoulder) and tight end Jacob Tamme (hip) were also listed on the injury report, but are slated to play.
Bosher was injured in the victory over the Panthers on Sunday.
With Bosher hurt, the Falcons signed punter/kicker Michael Palardy to the practice squad this week. Palardy has not played in a regular-season NFL game and most recently was with the Browns.
Parlardy, who kicks left-footed, handled punts, field goals and kickoffs as a senior at the University of Tennessee in 2013. Coaches voted Palardy second-team All-SEC as a kicker that season.
Also, cornerback Jalen Collins will be moved from the exempt list to the active roster after serving his four-game suspension for using performing enhancement drugs.
