Getty Falcons have designated Hayden Hurst #81 to return from the IR.
The Atlanta Falcons will welcome back tight end Hayden Hurst from the injured reserve this week, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Monday.
To make move for Hurst, the Falcons released tight end, Parker Hesse. They also waived punter Dustin Colquitt and will roll with Thomas Morstead instead, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
Hurst has been sidelined for the Falcons’ last three games after injuring his ankle against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. He will have a 21-day window to make his official return to the field.
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What Hurst’s Return Could Mean
Hurst’s return could help this crumbling Falcons’ offense in a relatively big way. For starters, it will give Matt Ryan another option to target, but more importantly–––it could open up more opportunities for rookie tight end Kyle Pitts.
Hurst would be another weapon that would draw attention from opposing defenses, thus drawing less attention on Pitts and giving him a better shot to get open.
It will also benefit those who have Pitts on their fantasy teams. As fantasy football analyst, Heath Cummings tweeted, Pitts is averaging 11.8 points per reception with Hurst in the picture and only 6.4 points without him.
I’m not saying Hayden Hurst is the key to unlocking Kyle Pitts. I’m just saying Kyle Pitts has averaged 11.8 PPR FP/G with Hurst & 6.4 without.
Of course, Hurst isn’t going to be able to get Pitts more action alone. The offensive line will have to step up as well.
The Falcons initially traded with the Ravens for Hurst last year. As the Falcons’ starting tight end in 2020, he caught 56 passes for 571 yards and six touchdowns. His role has been lessened since Atlanta drafted Pitts this year but he has still recorded 20 receptions for 158 yards and a score through nine games so far.
The Falcons Will Roll With Morstead
The Falcons are going with Morstead over Colquitt, who replaced the injured Cameron Nizialek.
Morstead, 35, is a longtime Saints punter who has been with the Falcons for just two weeks. But his first week in Atlanta against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
In the Falcons’ 21-13 victory over the Jags, Morstead put three out of his five punts inside the 20-yard line. He also averaged 44.8 yards per punt, with a long of 55 yards. His performance was consistent in Week 13 as he pinned three more punts inside the 20 and averaged 43 yards a punt with his longest being 53 yards.
It’s notable to add that it looks like Morstead is making himself a home in Atlanta after he deleted “Forever Saints punter” out of his Twitter bio that just now says, “Atlanta Falcons Punter.”
Morstead went drafted out of SMU by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth-round (164th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft––the second punter chosen in that year’s draft class behind Kevin Huber, who went to the Cincinnati Bengals.
After 13 seasons with the Saints, he was released in March of 2021 in order to create more cap space. During his time in New Orleans, he averaged 46.5 yards per punt, the sixth-best average in NFL history at the time of his release.
We’re glad he’s here to stay with the better NFC South team.
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