Falcons will place OT Sam Baker on injured reserve

Aug 24, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Atlanta Falcons tackle Sam Baker (72) on the sideline during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field. Tennessee won 27-16. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a lost season for the Atlanta Falcons (to say the least), and that phrase could certainly be said about offensive tackle Sam Baker. Less than a year after signing a massive, 6-year contract, Baker has only been able to appear in 4 games during the 2013 campaign, and on Tuesday, the Falcons effectively ended his season.

Baker missed a 3-game stretch earlier in the season with a knee injury, and then sat out the Seahawks game after apparently re-aggravating the problem against the Carolina Panthers. At his best last season, Baker looked to be turning into the type of cornerstone left tackle that every franchise desires, but even prior to his injury woes this year, Baker struggled mightily in protecting Matt Ryan.

The jury is still out (for me anyway) on the type of long-term asset that Sam Baker is for the organization, but we know two things for sure. First, Sam Baker is going to be a member of this team for the foreseeable future as a result of that big-time contract, and second, he is going to be on the shelf for the remainder of the 2013 season.