There are just three weeks remaining in what has been a miserable season for the Atlanta Falcons, and they will have to play things out without two of their top players.
Per Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk, the Falcons have placed wide receiver Calvin Ridley and cornerback Desmond Trufant on the injured reserve list.
Ridley suffered an abdominal injury during Atlanta's win over the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday while Trufant sustained a broken arm in the victory.
Ridley logged five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown before exiting the game. On the season overall, the wide out caught 63 passes for 866 yards and seven scores, representing one of the few bright spots for the Falcons in 2019.
The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was originally selected by Atlanta in the first round (26th pick overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He enjoyed an impressive rookie campaign, playing in every game and hauling in 64 receptions for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Trufant appeared in just nine contests this season due to injuries, finishing with 18 tackles, four interceptions and seven passes defended.
The 29-year-old entered the league as a first-round pick of the Falcons back in 2013 and, when healthy, has been one of the NFL's better cornerbacks, making one Pro Bowl in 2015.
Atlanta was expected by many to be a darkhorse contender in the NFC thanks to a high-powered offense and a healthier defense, but instead, the Falcons have gone just 4-9 and have not even resembled a playoff team at any point in 2019.
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