The Atlanta Falcons will continue to monitor the condition of star receiver Julio Jones's hamstring throughout the weekend and leading right up until the game, coach Dan Quinn said Friday.
Jones has been dealing with a hamstring injury since the start of the season, and he further aggravated his hamstring during the Falcons' loss to the Cowboys in Week 2. The Falcons held Jones out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and Quinn said he would remain off to the side during Friday's practice session as well. Despite his time away from the field this week, Jones has remained engaged with the team and has been part of the game planning for Sundays game against the Chicago Bears.
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While Jones was dealing with both his hamstring and plenty of attention from the Cowboys' secondary, third-year receiver Calvin Ridley led the way for Atlanta with seven catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns. If Jones is unable to go on Sunday, Ridley would become the team's top option with Russell Gage and tight end Hayden Hurst picking up the slack. Younger receivers Christian Blake and Olamide Zaccheaus would also likely have increased game day roles.
Atlanta's secondary will be down a couple of players against Chicago, as Quinn officially ruled out safety Ricardo Allen and cornerback Kendall Sheffield. Allen injured his elbow against the Cowboys and was held out of practice throughout the week. The Falcons will move forward with Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee at safety. Sheffield has yet to play a game for Atlanta in his second season, as he's been dealing with a foot injury that hampered him throughout training camp.
A full injury report with game designations will be released by the Falcons on Friday afternoon.
