After the Falcons practice on Friday, running back Devonta Freeman and head coach Dan Quinn had their weekly meeting on his recovering from sports hernia surgery.
“It was our Friday check-in,” Quinn said. “We meet on Fridays and see where the progress is and how he’s progressing….I just want to get an update to see where he’s at.”
The Falcons are hopeful that Freeman will return to action this season.
“Sometimes when you’re injured you get tired of everybody asking you ‘how do you feel?,’How do you feel?,’ “ Quinn said. “Tell me about your progress. I just want to check in on his progress each week and see the improvements that he’s had. It’s a good way for me to check in on all the work that he’s doing during the week.”
Freeman appears a ways off and hasn’t been cleared for practice yet.
“Wanting to and being able to, until he’s able to do football movements at the physicality, the violence that he cuts with, that’s not going to happen until those markers are met,” Quinn said. “So, that’s why I ‘m just checking on the progress. We are not there yet. We certainly wouldn’t put him out (there) if he’s not ready to perform like he’s able to.”
Freeman had surgery at the Vincera Institute. William C. Meyers, one of the leaders in core/sports hernia injury surgery, founded the institute.
The Falcons placed Freeman on injured reserve Oct. 16, with a hope that he could return later in the season.
The earliest Freeman could return to action is for Game 15 against Carolina. Recovery from core/sports hernia surgery usually takes four to six weeks.
Freeman played in the season opener and suffered what was reported as a knee bruise against the Eagles. He missed the next three games before playing against the Steelers. He rushed eight times for 32 yards, but didn’t look explosive on a 20-yard run after he got in the open field.
After the Pittsburgh game, Freeman got an MRI which revealed the tear in the core area.
Freeman didn’t play in the next game against Tampa Bay, and it was disclosed as a groin injury Friday. It was listed as a foot injury on the previous injury reports.
Without Freeman, the Falcons are averaging 81.2 yards per game rushing, which is 32nd (last) in the league.
