Devonta Freeman is back to full speed, but he’s not ready to take the field yet.
The Falcons running back remains in the concussion protocol, and coach Dan Quinn said he would not be available this weekend when the Falcons open their new stadium against the Cardinals.
“He has a visit with the independent part of the protocol coming up here soon,” Quinn said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He won’t play in this ball game. He won’t practice today. He’s back up to full speed running. But it’s soon that he’ll be back to full speed in practice. But you won’t see him suited up this weekend.”
Freeman’s been out since Aug. 13, when he left practice with what was initially termed a heat-related issue. That was a week after he signed a contract extension that made him the highest-paid back in the league (at least until Le’Veon Bell shows up in Pittsburgh and signs his franchise tender).
Freeman will have to be cleared by an independent neurologist before he can return to action.