ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons are trailing the Chicago Bears early, but the afternoon just got a good bit worse when linebacker Divine Deablo went down with an arm injury in the second quarter. Later, the Falcons lost rookie cornerback Avieon Terrell with a shoulder injury.
UPDATE: The Falcons announced that Deablo is OUT for the remainder of the game against the Chicago Bears. He ends his day with four tackles (two solo).
SECOND UPDATE: Avieon Terrell returned to the game.
The linebacker had been working through a hamstring injury, but was able to play through it on Sunday. Deablo also fractured his forearm last season, missing four weeks (the Falcons went 0-4 in those games).
The full extent of this injury is unknown at this time, but he was announced as questionable to return. Losing Deablo would be a major hit to the defense. The linebacker wears the Falcons' 'green dot', and he is a key piece of the team's front seven.
Deablo is the Falcons' second-leading tackler with 26, but his size and athleticism make him a valuable asset to Jeff Ulbrich's defense.
Rookie linebackers Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. would be the next men up for the Falcons. Veterans Christian Harris and Josh Woods are also depth options who could see their playing time elevated, should Deablo miss time.
As for Terrell, the Falcons are already down several members of their secondary. His older brother, A.J. Terrell Jr., was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 22 with a groin injury. Second-stringer C.J. Henderson also suffered a groin injury and was unavailable for this game.
Terrell was filling in for both players Sunday, and the Falcons are down to Mike Hughes, Mike Ford Jr., Malcolm Dewalt IV, and Robert Longerbeam in the cornerback room.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/falcons/onsi as Falcons Lose Key Defenders to Injury In Week 6 Against Bears .
