Falcons rule out LB Troy Andersen (knee) vs. Panthers

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen will miss his second consecutive game because of a knee injury, coach Raheem Morris said Friday. Andersen, 25, did not practice this week for the Falcons (3-2), who face the host Carolina Panthers (1-4) on Sunday. He also missed Atlanta's 36-30 overtime victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 3. Andersen was the NFC Defensive Player of the Week following his last game, a 26-24 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 29. He made his first career interception and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, and also had a career-high 16 tackles. He was later injured during a special teams play in the fourth quarter. Falcons inside linebacker Nate Landman (calf/quad), who started his 21-day window on Wednesday to return to the 53-man active roster, is listed as questionable for Sunday's game. He was a limited participant this week. Landman had a career-best 110 tackles last season in his first campaign as a starter. In four games (three starts) this season, Andersen has 44 tackles. For his career, he has 132 tackles, five tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and the interception in 23 games (10 starts). He missed all but two games in 2023 because of a pectoral/shoulder injury. The Falcons selected Andersen in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Montana State. A possible roster spot was opened Friday when Atlanta released veteran cornerback Kevin King. King, 29, had three tackles in five games this season. He saw most of his action on special teams while receiving just five defensive snaps. King entered the NFL with the Green Bay Packers in 2017 and played five seasons before deciding he needed a mental break and taking the 2022 season off. In the next offseason, he sustained a torn Achilles that caused him to miss the entire 2023 season. King was Green Bay's second-round pick (33rd overall) in the 2017 draft. He had seven interceptions in 51 games (42 starts) with the Packers, including a career-best five in 2019. King signed with the Falcons in April and was released in late August before being signed to the practice squad the following day. --Field Level Media