The Atlanta Falcons are struggling to keep wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Drake London on the field this season. Sunday's impressive win over the Washington Commanders came at a clear cost, with the Falcons losing Mooney to a hamstring injury. Following the contest, USA TODAY's Crissy Froyd said that there was "no update on Darnell Mooney outside of what has already been announced," per head coach Raheem Morris.
Although there's hope that the veteran playmaker won't be sidelined for a ton of time, his growing injury history is frustrating the fan base, leaving room to wonder if Atlanta might make a change if nothing changes.
Falcons Early-Season Frustrations with Darnell Mooney Continue After Latest Injury
Now that the season is a month in, it's unlikely that the Falcons will cut Mooney. Any potential divorce will likely wait until the offseason, when Atlanta can save $7.4 million or $11.9 million by cutting him before or after June 1, 2026, according to Spotrac.
Cutting Mooney potentially opens up a huge number that would allow the Falcons to keep Kyle Pitts and Drake London for the long haul while looking at adding a less injury-prone pass-catcher to the offense. The rest of the 2025 campaign will make or break Mooney's future with the franchise, and he must understand that more injuries could quickly force the Falcons into divorce territory.
Turning the clock back to this time a year ago, and Mooney was making game-winning catches while appearing to be Atlanta's most trusted receiver for quarterback Kirk Cousins. He amassed 64 catches for 992 receiving yards and five touchdowns, leaving the fan base to hope a similar performance was on the way in 2025. Instead, he's been overshadowed by London and Pitts.
It's also worth noting that Mooney's 79 receiving yards on the year are barely more than Ray-Ray McCloud (64) and Casey Washington (52), further illustrating just how little of an impact he has. Injured or not, he has to be better.
Hopefully, Mooney gets his head straight and turns things around. The Falcons are at their best when they're firing on all cylinders, and they need him to return to form to have that success. Week 5's clash with the Buffalo Bills could be a high-scoring affair, meaning Mooney can't afford to be anything but the best version of himself if the Falcons want to pick up the upset win.