Jalon Walker set to play in Falcons' preseason opener

Falcons first-round pick Jalon Walker has been dealing with a hamstring injury during training camp, but the edge rusher has improved enough to return to the field on a limited basis.

On Wednesday, head coach Raheem Morris said that the team’s seen enough progress to give Walker the green light for more work. Walker will participate in Wednesday’s scrimmage and the plan is for him to play against the Lions.

“When you come back from those hamstring [injuries] those back-to-back days can kind of get you, so we are trying to avoid those things,” Morris said, via the team’s website. “But Walker is a guy who will get significant amount of work in the scrimmage and he will get some within the game setting, too.”

The Falcons ruled quarterbacks Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins out for the Lions game earlier this week. Walker’s fellow first-rounder James Pearce and the team’s other rookies are all set to play as the Falcons kick off their preseason slate.