The Atlanta Falcons have one of the better cornerback duos in the league in Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford, though Alford has been picked on in his sophomore season with Trufant playing shutdown-caliber coverage on the other side of the Falcons defense. This team is weak in the secondary, and they have just been dealt a significant blow, as Alford went down with a serious injury in yesterday’s key win over the rival Carolina Panthers.
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Per a source close to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Alford broke his wrist, and it’s a tough blow for one of the league’s more promising corners. He hasn’t been at his best in coverage this year, but he has three interceptions and 11 passes defended as a showcase of his ball skills and athletic ability. Alford is a candidate for a breakout 2015 season, and it will be interesting to see how long he is outo.
Aside from this update from Rapoport, we don’t have any idea how long he’ll be out. He’s sporting a cast on his left hand, per ESPN NFL Nation’s Vaughn McClure, who leaves the door open for the possibility of Alford playing through the injury. If he does play through the pain with the cast on, then I doubt he records PDs at his high clip. This is definitely a significant injury for a team that can’t afford to have one, as Trufant and Alford are two of the only true bright spots and building blocks on the Falcons defense.