Falcons WR dealing with concerning injury early in training camp

Per Josh Kendall of The Athletic, the injury occurred when Mooney dove to make a catch at practice. He had to be helped off the field by fellow receiver Drake London.

"Mooney dove/fell trying to catch a deep ball and stayed down for half a second before being helped up by Drake London and walking off normally so I don't think this is necessarily a reaction to that but we should have an update in the AM," Kendall posted on X.

The timing is unfortunate for Mooney, who is entering his sixth season in the NFL. The 2020 fifth-round pick by the Chicago Bears will miss the opportunity to gain chemistry with quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who is set to be the Falcons' full-time starter in the upcoming season.

Mooney had his second-best season in 2024, catching 64 passes for 992 yards. He caught a career-high five touchdowns for Atlanta last season when the team had Kirk Cousins under center.

Mooney is expected to be one of Penix's top targets in 2025. Mooney was the Falcons' second leading receiver last season, trailing only London for the most receiving yards (1,271).

With Mooney sidelined by the injury, the Falcons will have an opportunity for another receiver to step up. Atlanta is also taking a chance on DJ Chark, a one-time Pro Bowler who has one 1,000-yard season on his resume. 

Atlanta has 13 receivers on the roster: Ray-Ray McCloud III, Nick Nash, Jamal Agnew, Casey Washington, KhaDarel Hodge, Quincy Skinner Jr., Chris Blair, David Sills, Makai Polk, Jesse Matthews, Dylan Drummond, London and Mooney.