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The Atlanta Falcons will have a new look this fall with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback for the first time heading into the regular season. However, Penix has been practicing without one of this top weapons for almost the entirety of training camp and the preseason.
Darnell Mooney, seen by many as the No. 2 receiver in the pecking order for Atlanta behind Drake London, suffered a serious shoulder injury on the first day of training camp and has not been able to practice since. However, he has avoided injured reserve, which is a good sign even if he isn’t able to play in Week 1.
“The good news for the Falcons is no injured reserve for WR Darnell Mooney (shoulder), who has not practiced since the first day of camp,” Marc Raimondi of ESPN reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Mooney hurt his shoulder diving to catch a pass from Penix during practice. That can be a scary injury, especially for a wide receiver who has struggled with injuries at times during his career, but it appears that he will be all good in due time.
That diagnosis is good news for Penix and the Falcons, who need the speedster out on the field in order to have the best version of their offense heading into the season. Mooney hasn’t been wildly productive during his career, but he had one of his best seasons of his career in 2024.
In 16 games last season, Mooney nearly hit the elusive 1,000-yard marker. He finished the year with 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns, and his skillset is crucial for opening up this Falcons offense.
London had a massive target share after Penix became the starter last season, but he thrives as a chain-mover and someone who can be a big target in the underneath areas of the field and in the red zone. Mooney is good at stretching the defense vertically with his speed, so he opens a lot of that space up.
The Falcons have no time to waste this season, as they open the year with a divisional clash against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 on Sept. 7. Mooney would certainly be a big boost for Atlanta if he is able to go in that one, so his status will be something to watch in the lead-up.
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