FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Jalon Walker has a torn ACL, a source told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, likely ending his 2026 season.
Tests on Walker’s knee showed the torn ligament, the source told Rapoport, confirming the Falcons’ fears after the second-year linebacker suffered the injury during Tuesday’s practice.
The Falcons’ practice session ended Tuesday after Walker’s injury, which drew an emotional reaction from players as he was carted off the field.
Editor’s Picks
Sources: Falcons RB Robinson gets record deal
Marc Raimondi
Falcons extend Bijan Robinson, offensive core, put spotlight on QB
Marc Raimondi
1 Related
Walker went down during an 11-on-11 play late in practice and was immediately attended to by trainers. Falcons players all took a knee on the field, seemingly indicating the potential severity of the injury. A cart came out and took Walker off the field. An aircast was not applied, but Walker had his head in his palm as he departed on the cart.
The Falcons drafted Walker with the No. 15 pick in 2025 out of the nearby University of Georgia. He had 5.5 sacks last season as a rookie, and the Falcons were relying on him to take a leap in production this season.
Edge rusher is a bit of a vulnerable position for the Falcons heading into this season.
James Pearce Jr., also a first-round pick in 2025, was arrested on domestic violence charges back in February. Those charges will be dropped if he stays out of trouble for one year, but the NFL could suspend him for an undetermined period of time if the league considers what he did a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.
The Falcons signed Samson Ebukam, Cameron Thomas and Azeez Ojulari for pass-rush depth. They also have former third-round pick Bralen Trice returning after two seasons lost to back-to-back torn ACLs.
