We may find out today if Falcons linebacker Lofa Tatupu’s going to be out long with what was termed a “serious,” pectoral injury suffered in the weight room Friday.
Tatupu was scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews today, and the Falcons might want to make a move to add some cover to the position. Tatupu was going to compete with Akeem Dent for the starting middle linebacker job this year, after not playing in 2011.
The first name on the Falcons emergency list, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, could be Mike Peterson.
He started for the Falcons in 2009 and 2010 before shifting into a reserve role last season. He’s an unrestricted free agent, and hasn’t signed with anyone this offseason.
They aren’t likely to look at veteran Keith Brooking, since they told him in 2008 they weren’t going to re-sign him because it was “a young man’s game.”
Other options include E.J. Henderson, Gary Brackett and Channing Crowder, who said he was retired but had talked about coming back to work for new Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan in the past.