Julio Jones injury: Falcons WR could miss rest of season with foot issue

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is reportedly seeking a second opinion on a foot injury that has the team worried about his status for the rest of the season.

by James Brady

Oct 8, 2013, 5:18 PM UTC

Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Update: Mike Smith confirmed Tuesday initial tests were “not encouraging” and that Jones will receive a second opinion Wednesday.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones could be out for the remainder of the year with a foot injury, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports:

Breaking: Falcons fear Julio Jones likely OUT for the rest of the year w a foot injury. He's getting a second opinion tomorrow to determine
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) October 8, 2013

There wasn’t much talk about Jones sustaining an injury during the Monday Night Football broadcast, but Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network was first to get in on the news, saying that he saw Jones limping out of the X-ray room Monday night following the team’s loss to the New York Jets. “Whatever it is, it’s lower right leg/foot,” Darlington tweeted.

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Dave Choate of The Falcoholic described the impact that losing Jones would have on the Falcons:

If Jones misses the season, the Falcons lose their best receiver, a guy who had put up a 41/580/14.2/2 line while basically serving as one of the team’s two reliable targets through the first five weeks. He’s been a stud, playing through a leg injury, and his loss cripples the offense.

At this time, Jones is second in the league in receiving yardage behind New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham. As Choate noted, he's carried the load during Roddy White's injury-plagued season. The task of carrying the passing game now likely falls on Tony Gonzalez, at least until White is completely healthy.

White did look better against the Jets, however, catching four passes for 45 yards until he left the game with a hamstring injury. But the Falcons are 1-4 right now, and in third place in the NFC South. Climbing back to .500 and then competing with the Saints for the division is a tall task with a healthy roster. Doing it without Jones seems impossible.