Falcons' JD Bertrand: Won't play in regular-season finale
Rotowire
Bertrand (eye) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Panthers, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
An eye injury limited Bertrand in practice all week, and the issue is severe enough for the rookie fifth-rounder to miss the final game of the regular season. He'll end his first NFL regular season with 23 tackles (16 solo), including 1.0 sacks, over 12 games. Josh Woods will be the primary backup at inside linebacker behind starters Kaden Elliss and Nate Landman due to Bertrand's injury.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' JD Bertrand: Good to go vs. Bolts
Rotowire
Bertrand (concussion) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Chargers.
Bertrand missed the Falcons' last three games due to a concussion. He was able to log consecutive full practices to end the week, and he has cleared the league's five-step concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's game. The rookie fifth-round pick has logged 10 tackles (seven solo) across eight regular-season games.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' JD Bertrand: Missing another week
Rotowire
Bertrand (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Broncos, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Bertrand downgraded to a DNP on Friday after opening the Falcons' week of practice with consecutive limited sessions. The rookie from Notre Dame must still pass through the NFL's five-step concussion protocol before taking the field again. Expect Rashaan Evans to serve as one of the Falcons' top rotational inside linebackers until Bertrand returns.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' JD Bertrand: Out for Sunday
Rotowire
Bertrand (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Saints.
Bertrand has yet to pass through the NFL's five-step concussion protocol and is now in line to miss his second consecutive game Sunday. Rashaan Evans is expected to see increased work on the Falcons' special-teams unit with Bertrand sidelined in Week 10.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' JD Bertrand: Will be sidelined Week 9
Rotowire
Bertrand (concussion) won't play against the Cowboys on Sunday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Bertrand was concussed in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay and hasn't cleared the NFL's five-step protocol. The linebacker logged 73 percent of the team's defensive snaps in Week 5 but has otherwise played primarily on special teams. Bertrand's absence Sunday could pave the way for Rashaan Evans, who was signed to the 53-player roster Friday, to see some work on defense immediately.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' JD Bertrand: Doesn't practice Wednesday
Rotowire
Bertrand (concussion) didn't practice Wednesday, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Bertrand played 37 total snaps (16 defensive and 21 on special teams) and recorded two total tackles in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay, however, it appears he picked up a concussion in the process. He'll need to clear the NFL's five-step protocol in order to suit up in Week 9, when the Falcons host the Cowboys.
... See More... See Less
Falcons' JD Bertrand: Heads home to Atlanta
Rotowire
The Falcons selected Bertrand in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 143rd overall.
A metro Atlanta native, Bertrand comes home to the Falcons after spending his college career at Notre Dame. Bertrand led the Irish in tackles each of his last three seasons, topping out at 101 in 2021. A foot injury prevented him from testing during the pre-draft process, but the film shows him to be an instinctive 'backer and sure tackler. He has some thump at 235 pounds but has been knocked for short arms (30.63-inches), which raise questions about his ability to shed blocks and find the ball carrier. Kaden Elliss and Troy Andersen block Bertrand's path to starting, so special teams may be his quickest route to the field early in his career.
