Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback AJ McCarron left the game in the second quarter of Saturday night’s 37-17 loss to the Dolphins with a right knee injury at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium .
Although Falcons coach Arthur Smith did not want to speculate on the exact nature of McCarron’s injury until after the veteran had an MRI, he didn’t seem excited by the possible prognosis.
“I’m really sorry for AJ McCarron,” Smith said. “Every time something like this happens and he has no contact, it’s hard to know what these guys put in there. I’m sorry for AJ. Obviously we’ll get the MRI to confirm, but he has a broken heart.
“He had bounced and was there fighting, fighting for his team and trying to get the extra yards.”
The injury came with 10 minutes left in the first half. McCarron delivered the ball to runner Qadree Ollison and, as he came out of his typical move after the transfer, grabbed his right knee.
McCarron tried to walk to the sidelines, but was initially unable to get there. Falcons medical staff came to examine him and he walked out to the sidelines. Minutes later, McCarron walked slowly to the Atlanta locker room. He completed 3-of-6 passes for 43 yards and made a seven-yard run against the Dolphins. The run came to a play before injuring his knee.
Smith said he wasn’t sure if that play had anything to do with McCarron’s injury. McCarron was replaced by rookie unrecruited Feleipe Franks, with whom he had been fighting for the No. 2 position throughout the training camp. Franks, who was initially expected to play the second half, entered the game with 10 minutes left in the first half.
Franks completed 4-for-9 passes for 46 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, while he also rushed three times for 32 yards. He was fired four times.
“The only thing Feleipe has shown is that he can extend the plays,” Smith said. “I thought he threw the ball a little better tonight sometimes. I still have to push him where he’s had a lot of growth and will continue to grow.”
Smith said to develop quarterbacks, you have to play them and that was the philosophy with Franks during the first two preseason games. Smith said that unfortunately the situation the Franks faced on Saturday (forced to play earlier than expected due to injury) is what their role would be as a secondary quarterback at times.
McCarron’s injury leaves Atlanta with more questions behind starter Matt Ryan, who hasn’t played this preseason. The Falcons could look for the free agent market, where former first-round picks Blake Bortles and Robert Griffin III are among the best options available.
“You’ll always try to improve the team,” Smith said. “So we have to assess what the injury is. Until they do an MRI on us, you’ve seen things happen before and it’s fast. But at any time, we always look to improve the list.
“If it’s long-term, for sure, we’ll keep looking.”
The Falcons signed McCarron with a one-year deal for more than $ 1.21 million on April 30, hours before the second day of the NFL draft, to be No. 2 in the depth chart . McCarron, selected for the fifth round in Alabama in 2014 by Cincinnati, has played in 17 games, starting four and completing 62.6% of his passes for 1,173 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.