Left tackle Jake Matthews is excited about playing in the new zone blocking scheme the Falcons are installing under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan this offseason, but another member of the offensive line has more pressing medical concerns to deal with at the moment.
Falcons coach Dan Quinn announced Wednesday that tackle Lamar Holmes suffered a broken foot and that he’ll be out of action for an indefinite period of time while he recovers from the injury.
Holmes dropped weight during the offseason in order to better prepare himself for the shift in blocking philosophies this season and had seen time at both left and right tackle during the team’s practices. With Matthews expected back for camp after foot surgery, Holmes would have been competing with Ryan Schraeder and Tyler Polumbus for the starting spot on the other side of the line and backup roles.
The Falcons will have to come up with other plans now. They won’t include veteran Sam Baker, who was released earlier this week.