Dean Pees must see Isaiah Oliver at full speed before determining role
The Atlanta Falcons appeared to make it through the first four weeks of the season without any major injuries, but then the team placed running back Cordarrelle Patterson on injured reserve Monday.
While Patterson’s loss is a big one for Atlanta, the team got some good injury news on Wednesday. Cornerback Isaiah Oliver, who was placed on injured reserve prior to the start of the season, was back at practice and has been designated to return.
Oliver has a 21-day practice window in which he can be activated by the Falcons. Defensive coordinator Dean Pees said he wants to see Oliver play at full speed before determining what the former second-round pick’s role will be this season, per ESPN’s Michael Rothstein.
Falcons DC Dean Pees said he needs to see Isaiah Oliver at full speed before he knows what type of role he'll have when if/when he's activated off IR.
Last year, he was a guy he believed could do everything. Then the injury. Now? Still TBD.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) October 6, 2022
Oliver entered the league in 2018 but had little success over his first three seasons under former head coach Dan Quinn.
When Pees took over the defense in 2021, Oliver flourished as the team’s starting nickel corner until tearing his ACL in Week 4. The Falcons were encouraged by what they saw, and brought Oliver back on a one-year deal in 2022.
It will be interesting to see if or when Oliver reclaims his job. Thus far, Atlanta has had some success with Dee Alford and Mike Ford playing in the slot.
Buccaneers WR Russell Gage will see his former team on Sunday when Atlanta travels to Tampa Bay. Gage talked about going up against Pees in Week 5, saying he expects the Falcons to mix up coverages, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
#Bucs Russell Gage on #Falcons defense to Tampa Media on Wed: “I mean, honestly, the defense looks pretty similar. I know coach (Dean Pees), he mixes a lot of coverage up. He plays a lot of different coverages. He’ll run a linebacker out there at corner and still play Cover 2."
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) October 6, 2022
The Falcons could be without a key offensive player on Sunday as tight end Kyle Pitts doesn’t appear to be at practice for a second consecutive day.
The team listed Pitts out with a hamstring injury on Wednesday, and according to multiple Falcons beat reporters, Pitts is nowhere to be seen thus far at Thursday’s practice.
No Falcons TE Kyle Pitts (hamstring) at the open to the media portion of practice for the second straight day.
— Michael Rothstein (@mikerothstein) October 6, 2022
Make sure to check our Week 5 injury report for Pitts’ official Thursday status.
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