The Falcons may have lost safety Dwight Lowery for an extended period of time because of a concussion, which may have contributed to their decision to add another safety to the roster on Sunday.
The team announced that they have signed safety Tyrell Johnson, who hasn’t played in a regular season game since the 2012 season. Johnson played four games for the Lions that season, his only year in Detroit after failing to make the team out of camp last year.
Johnson spent the first four seasons of his career with the Vikings after Minnesota made him a second-round pick in 2008. Johnson started 27 games over four years with the Vikings and had two interceptions.
Lowery suffered a concussion in a Friday night scrimmage, which was the third of his professional career. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports that the initial word in Atlanta is that his “season is in doubt.” If he can’t return, the Falcons will need a starter next to William Moore and Kemal Ishmael has filled that role over the weekend. The Falcons were short on experienced depth at safety before signing Johnson and Zeke Motta is expected to miss the entire season with a neck injury.
The Falcons waived fullback Roosevelt Nix-Jones to make room for Johnson.