Atlanta Falcons: Brian Robiskie Signed After Julio Jones Injury

Andrew Weber – USA Today Sports Images

The 2013 NFL season certainly hasn’t played out the way the Atlanta Falcons, who made it to the NFC Championship game last season, had envisioned through the first five weeks. Heading into their bye in week six, the Falcons sit at just 1-4 and are in third place in the NFC South.

The Falcons have struggled for a multitude of reasons, but it’s only going to be a tougher road going forward. Earlier this week, as I’m sure you’ve heard by this point, it was announced that wide receiver Julio Jones will have surgery on a fractured foot and is out for the rest of the season.

In case you’re unaware how big of a loss Jones is to this team, he has been their most consistent offensive option. He leads the team in targets, receptions, yards, first downs and is second on the team in touchdowns. Jones has developed into an incredibly versatile receiver that isn’t only a deep threat with his speed, but can also be reliable as a possession receiver as well.

With Jones out, though, the Falcons are scrambling for options. One such option is Brian Robiskie, who the team just signed, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Robiskie has played four previous seasons in the league including last year with the Detroit Lions. He hasn’t had a great deal of success, though, notching just 43 catches on 86 targets for 485 yards and four touchdowns in 37 career games.

It’s unlikely that Robiskie will play a big part in the Falcons plans going forward without Jones, though, and will likely see limited work. Tight end Tony Gonzalez will likely be asked to pick up his workload, as will Harry Douglas. More than either of those players, though, Atlanta will be desperately anticipating Roddy White getting back to being fully healthy. Their bye this week seems merciful, but it seems like it’ll be difficult for the Falcons to turn their season around at this point.

Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google and like his Facebook page.