NFL: Falcons lose Jalon Walker to torn ACL for season

A non-padded rep, and a lost season

It happened in a drill without pads. Atlanta Falcons pass rusher Jalon Walker tore his ACL during a two-minute simulation at training camp on Tuesday, and tests on Wednesday confirmed he will likely miss the entire season, ESPN reported.

Walker was carted off during the 11-on-11 rep. Teammates took a knee and circled him as trainers went to work, and the session ended on a flat, quiet note.

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Atlanta’s edge problem just got worse

The timing stings. Walker went 15th overall in the 2025 draft and had started to justify the pick. As a rookie he posted 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, nine quarterback hits and 36 tackles across 15 games with nine starts.

Losing him thins an edge group that was already a question mark for the Falcons. Atlanta leaned on young talent to fix its pass rush, and now it opens the season without one of those pieces. The depth behind him gets tested from Week 1.

The road back

Walker is 22, and a torn ACL at that age carries a strong track record for recovery. The clock resets on his second year, though, and Atlanta has to rebuild its rush plan around the absence.

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