Rookie James out for year

The Falcons announced that they waived/injured rookie linebacker Robert James, who has missed time with a concussion. If James clears waivers, he will be placed on the Falcons injured reserve, joining cornerback Von Hutchins and offensive lineman Pat McCoy, as all will miss the season.

James was a fifth round draft choice for the Falcons competing for a reserve spot at weakside behind Keith Brooking. But he had recently been leapfrogged by veteran Coy Wire already in camp on the depth chart.

In other injury news, the AJC reports that tight end Martrez Milner is not expected to play this Saturday in the team's preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Also Todd McClure, who has been nursing a back injury is expected to return to practice this week, but it's still unknown if he'll be held out of the Jaguars game. According to an AP report, offensive tackle Todd Weiner will also be held out this week's preseason game.

Weiner cleared to play

The AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter reports that Falcons offensive tackle Todd Weiner has been medically cleared to practice. Weiner has been recovering from surgery on both knees after suffering injuries last season. The team was hopeful that Weiner would be able to join them at the start of training camp and he will be. However head coach Mike Smith told the media today that they will work Weiner back onto the field slowly.

In contrast, rookie tackle Sam Baker was not able to practice per the AJC because his rookie contract that he agreed to last night was not approved by the NFL yet.

No favorites on OL for Boudreau

Falcons new offensive line coach is virtually starting from scratch with the team's offensive line. Much of the off-season activities involving the line have been spent shuffling different players to different positions. The only player so far that has not been shuffled around is incumbent starting center Todd McClure, who's job security has been considered secure by AJC writer Steve Wyche.

"I have no pre-conceived notions. Right now guys are on a clean slate. Whether you were the coach's favorite before. Whether you weren't the coach's favorite. Whether you were on the practice squad I don't really care. My favorite guys are the guys who do everything right, do it on time and do it physically." -- Paul Boudreau

Right now, practice squad player Harvey Dahl has been working on the first time at right guard, ahead of Kynan Forney who has held that position since the middle of the 2001 season. Boudreau praises both Dahl and right tackle Tyson Clabo as being two of the team's nastiest players. Clabo is considered to be ahead at right tackle, but both his and Dahl's starting status is not fixed. Right tackle Todd Weiner is coming off a tough knee injury, but is expected to be 100% by the start of training camp. He could re-assume the starting spot at that position if that occurs. Clabo started 11 games last year in place for Weiner at right tackle.

Boudreau also praised rookie left tackle Sam Baker, who looks like he will have a good chance to hold the starting position there when the season starts.

Shockley healthy, Weiner not

Steve Wyche of the AJC reports that quarterback D.J. Shockley has been medically cleared to participate in all football-related team activities. Shockley suffered a torn ACL during last summer and missed all of the regular season, and has been limited thus far throughout most of the off-season.

Wyche also reports that offensive tackle Todd Weiner is still sidelined as he is recovering from knee surgery. Weiner missed 8 games last season due to injuries to both knees and underwent surgery on both. According to Wyche, Weiner indicated his hope that he would be doing some light jogging at this point in the off-season, but is not. Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff expects Weiner to be healthy by the start of training camp at the end of July.

Weiner makes 3 OTs on IR

The Falcons announced that offensive tackle Todd Weiner was placed on injured reserve on Thursday after undergoing season-ending surgery on his left knee. Weiner had struggled with knee injuries for the majority of the season, suffering it first to his right knee in the Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans and underwent surgery. After missing the next three weeks, he returned two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, but injured the left knee a week later versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Weiner is the third offensive tackle to wind up on the injured reserve for the Falcons, all with left knee injuries. Wayne Gandy began the season as the starting left tackle, but was also injured against the Titans tearing his left ACL. Renardo Foster replaced him for the next two weeks, but also ended his season with a torn left ACL. Weiner started the first 5 games of the season at right tackle before his first knee injury. When he returned, he was switched to the left side.

Quinn Ojinnaka has started two games thus far at left tackle as a repalcement for Weiner, including last week's contest against the Indianapolis Colts. He is expected at least for now to continue in that role. If not him, Terrance Pennington may get a long look at the position as the Falcons try to build depth for next season. Pennington got his first action of the season last week against the Indianapolis Colts. He has Ojinnaka beat in overall experience. He started 9 games last season as a rookie at right tackle for the Buffalo Bills.

Harrington to start vs. Colts

The Falcons have made a short-term decision on who will be the starting quarterback at least for tomorrow night's matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Joey Harrington will replace an injured Byron Leftwich in the starting lineup. Leftwich is listed among several Falcons as doubtful the Thanksgiving Night matchup against the Colts. Leftwich suffered an injured tailbone in last week's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Head coach Bobby Petrino was noncommittal on whether Harrington or Leftwich would get the start afterwards during this week's press conference: "Since this is such a short week, we are worrying about the Indianapolis game right now. We’ll have a little break after that and we’ll see how everything goes.”

In other injury news, the Falcons listed tight end Dwayne Blakley (concussion), wide receiver Joe Horn (hamstring/foot), and offensive tackle Todd Weiner (knee) also as doubtful. Blakley is expected to be replaced by Courtney Anderson, a free agent pickup from a week ago. Rookie Laurent Robinson has filled in for Horn the past two weeks and will likely do again for a third consecutive week. Weiner was replaced by Quinn Ojinnaka at left tackle during last week's game when he went out with injury. Ojinnaka is expected to do so again, although there might be a chance that Terrance Pennington may be given some reps on Thursday at left tackle.

Also on the injury report was tight end Alge Crumpler who was listed as probable with a foot injury.