Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Marlon Davidson will miss the rest of preseason, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
For undisclosed reasons, Davidson did not play in the Falcons’ first preseason game against the Detroit Lions last Friday.
Rothstein wrote in a tweet on Thursday, August 18 that Davidson had his knee scoped, resulting in the bad news.
Falcons DL Marlon Davidson had his knee scoped on Thursday morning, a source told ESPN, and he will miss at least the rest of preseason.
Davidson, Atlanta’s 2nd round pick in 2020, has been fighting for a roster spot and has not been considered a roster lock throughout camp.
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Marlon’s NFL Career Has Been Riddled With Injuries
While still under Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff, Atlanta drafted Davidson in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Davidson had the chance to go Pro the year prior during his junior year in 2019, but instead, he stayed true to the Alburn Tigers and stuck around for one more ride. He also had to fulfill his promise to his mother and get his college degree.
In his last season at Auburn. Davidson recorded 12.5 tackles for loss and was the team’s sack leader with 7.5 along with 48 tackles and two fumbles.
The four-year starter was nothing but reliable and consistent.
At the time he was drafted, Davidson was deemed the “most savage” player to come out of the 2020 class. And his comments post-draft had fans believing they were getting a monster on the d-line.
“What I love most about the game? Most about the game…this is true now, this is true,” Davidson said in 2020.” I love most about the game is that I can literally go out there and hit a man consistently and pound him, and the police not come. That is the most enjoyable moment about the ball—to go out there and just really abuse somebody. And they won’t say nothing about it in the press, anything. I ain’t on no headlines or handcuffs, no bullet shots, no nothing. I’m out there just physically abusing a man.”
His “savageness” didn’t carry over to next level with him very well as injuries and COVID-19 limited Davidson’s rookie year to only eight games and 132 snaps.
Fast forward to 2021 under a new coaching staff, the hope then was that a healthy Marlon would be able to join forces with top defender Grady Jarrett in Dean Pees’ 3-4 scheme. But that ended up not being the case as more injuries and COVID-19, once again, derailed Davidson’s second season in the league. He played just 270 snaps through 11 games last fall.
Now entering his third year, the former second-round pick has a lot to prove and must stay healthy if he wants a future in Atlanta.
And that’s hard to do if you’re sidelined.
Davidson Determined to Show His Skills in Year 3
Prior to his new injury, Davidson had made it clear that he was ready to take advantage of a healthy Year 3.
In preparation to do so, he had spent the offseason sweating––a lot––and gaining his strength back.
“I went back to the dungeon,” Davidson said, via the Atlanta Falcons’ official website. “I went back to madhouse. Started back at my roots, you know what I mean, back in that hot gym. Long days, long mornings, heavy weight. That’s all I was doing.”
He also mentioned that he felt a lot better, physically, than he had the past two years.
Davidson didn’t share any specific personal goals other than that he just wants to keep moving forward and up.
“This year I’m just trying to get myself going, get my feet wet and just progress,” Davidson said. “Keep continuing to get better and keep stacking days like I’ve been doing every day out here. That’s all I can do.”
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Falcons Injury Update: Marlon Davidson