During the first joint practice between the Falcons and Dolphins, Clark Phillips III went down with an ankle injury and was carted off the field, per Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter.
Phillips’ injury comes after the Falcons had a major scare when Jeff Okudah went down with what seemed to be a potentially serious injury. The former third overall pick was also carted off the field, leaving a wake of visually upset teammates. However, Arthur Smith reported “very positive news” after an MRI. Atlanta’s head coach added that he expects Okudah back at some point early in the regular season.
For Clark Phillips, this could be devastating if it’s a long-term injury. The Falcons were potentially counting on the rookie out of Utah to contribute significantly this year in the slot; in fact, he was having a fantastic training camp before going down today.
With Okudah and now Phillips sidelined, the Falcons all of a sudden have a thin cornerback group. Dee Alford, Mike Hughes, Tre Flowers, and Darren Hall will compete for the nickel and boundary roles, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons went out and added another proven veteran to the group. Casey Hayward is available, depending on how severe Clark Phillips’ injury is.
More must-reads: