The Falcons promoted wide receiver Kevin Cone and linebacker Robert James to their active roster to replace the spots vacated by cornerback Kelvin Hayden and linebacker Mike Peterson, who were placed on injured reserve yesterday. The Falcons also added linebacker/safety Matt Hansen to the practice squad.

Peterson suffered a torn triceps injury against the Saints on Monday night, and will miss the rest of the season. Hayden has missed the past five games with a dislocated toe, and his season will also now come to an end after a slow recovery. Due to a lingering toe injury from starter Stephen Nicholas, the team is expected to start Spencer Adkins at strongside linebacker for the regular season finale this weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

James and Cone have been on the practice squad since the beginning of the season. James was originally a fifth round pick by the Falcons in 2008. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve, but spent the bulk of the 2009 and 2010 seasons on the practice squad. Cone was an undrafted free agent signed by the team this past summer out of Georgia Tech. He will add some depth at wide receiver due to a groin injury to Kerry Meier.

Hansen also was an undrafted rookie free agent for the Falcons this past summer. Hansen played linebacker at Rhode Island, but spent the bulk of his summer playing safety for the Falcons.

It was reported after the Falcons win on Sunday afternoon over the Carolina Panthers, that Falcons head coach Mike Smith experienced chest pains before the team was set to get on their charter flight back to Atlanta. Smith was hospitalized, but the team released a statement that he was not experiencing an emergency matter and that he was not experiencing a heart attack. Smith stayed overnight for tests and was released from the hospital earlier Monday morning and returned to Atlanta, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is expected to be at the team’s facilities today in Flowery Branch and will address the media tonight.

Falcons head coach Mike Smith indicated that cornerback Brent Grimes will miss ‘a couple of weeks’ due to minor surgery on his injured right knee that is scheduled to occur tomorrow. Grimes is expected to miss at least two weeks according to Charles Odum of the Associated Press. He left last Sunday’s game early in the first quarter due to the injury, that he suffered reportedly aginst the Lions in late October and has been sore since.

The Falcons are already thin at cornerback with Kelvin Hayden missing today’s practice due to a toe injury and likely to miss this Sunday’s upcoming game against the Houston Texans. Hayden missed last week’s game. In his absence, Chris Owens filled in at the nickel. But due to Grimes injury, Owens is expected to replace him at left cornerback, and Dominique Franks will likely slide into the nickel role.

Also held out of Wednesday’s practice were linebacker Stephen Nicholas (quad), wide receiver Julio Jones (hamstring), running back Michael Turner (groin), and defensive tackle Vance Walker (groin). The team also sat defensive end John Abraham, center Todd McClure, and tight end Tony Gonzalez, but not for injury-related reasons. McClure had what was deemed a minor procedure on his knee in late August, and missed a total of three games and was limited in two others due to the injury.

Offensive tackle Sam Baker (back) was limited in Wednesday’s practice. Baker returned for last week’s game, after missing four games. Cornerback Dunta Robinson (neck) was able to fully participate in practice, after suffering a stinger early against the Vikings.

The Falcons released their injury report this week, and Sam Baker was listed as questionable after limited participation in all three days of practice. Baker missed the past three games with a back injury. Two weeks ago he was reportedly expected to miss 3-4 weeks. He has been replaced by Will Svitek in the team’s past three outings.

Wide receiver Julio Jones was also listed as questionable, despite not practicing all week due to re-aggravating a hamstring injury in last week’s loss to the Saints. Jones suffered the original injury in a Week 5 loss against the Packers, missed two games, but then returned two weeks ago to have a big game against the Colts. If Jones is unable to go on Sunday, he will be replaced by Harry Douglas who is coming off a career high performance against New Orleans.

Expected to miss a second consecutive game is William Moore (quadricep), as he also did not practice this week. James Sanders will start in place of him at strong safety.

Several other players were listed as probable for this weekend’s game against the Tennessee Titans. Harry Douglas (thigh), Ray Edwards (knee), and Antone Smith (knee) all were able to participate fully in the past two days of practice and were probable. Brent Grimes (knee) and Jason Snelling (hamstring) were both limited on Wednesday and Thursday, but participated fully in Friday’s practice. Curtis Lofton (ankle) was added to the injury report after Thursday, but also went full bore on Friday. John Abraham and Todd McClure were also included on the injury report, but only because both were held out of Wednesday’s practice for non-injury related rest. They had full participation in both Thursday and Friday’s practices.

The Titans linebacker corps is shaken up with starters Gerald McRath (hamstring) and Barrett Ruud (groin) both listed as questionable on their injury report. Both were able to practice fully on Friday. Backup linebacker Colin McCarthy (knee) is also questionable after missing the last two days of practice. Defensive end Dave Ball will miss the game with a concussion.

This week’s injury report was released today and indicated that wide receiver Julio Jones is expected to play this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts, as he was listed as probable. Jones injured his hamstring during the Falcons Week 5 loss to the Green Bay Packers, missing the ensuing pair of games.

Along with Jones, defensive end John Abraham, tight end Tony Gonzalez, center Todd McClure, and cornerback Chris Owens were listed as probable. Abraham and McClure were held out of Wednesday’s practices for non-injured related rest, but both participated fully in Thursday and Friday’s practices. Gonzalez (back) was able to go fully on Friday, after missing all of Wednesday’s practice. Owens (concussion) practiced fully in all three days of practice.

Sam Baker was listed as out on the injury report, after the team announced earlier this week he would miss at least 3 weeks due to a back injury.

The Falcons announced on Wednesday that tackle Sam Baker will miss the next three to four weeks with a back injury. The same injury that held him out of the team’s win over the Detroit Lions in Week 7. In his absence, Will Svitek got the start at left tackle. The team signed Svitek’s former Stanford teammate Kirk Chambers last week to bolster depth at the position. Chambers started three combined games as a replacement for Jason Peters at left tackle in 2007 and 2008 with the Buffalo Bills. Svitek started a pair of games for an injured Baker in 2009. Baker has had back problems before, missing 8 games due to a back injury as a rookie in 2008.

Also missing Wednesday’s practice along with Baker was defensive end John Abraham, tight end Tony Gonzalez (back), and center Todd McClure. Both Abraham and McClure were non-injury related and were held out to rest. Both players have dealt with injuries already this year. Wide receiver Julio Jones had limited participation as he’s trying to come back from a hamstring injury suffered in Week 5. Cornerback Chris Owens (concussion) was a full participant in practice. Like Jones, Owens was injured in the team’s Week 5 matchup against the Green Bay Packers and has missed their past two games.

The Falcons announced that they signed fullback Mike Cox and offensive tackle Kirk Chambers to take the roster spots of fullback Ovie Mughelli and guard Mike Johnson, who were placed on injured reserve today.

Cox played three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, making the team first as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech in 2008. He started for two seasons as their fullback, but split reps last year with Tim Castille. He was cut by the Chiefs at the end of this past summer’s camp. In three seasons with the Chiefs, Cox started 17 of 39 games, rushed 4 times for 3 yards and a touchdown, and also caught 22 passes. He is also the elder brother of Lucas Cox, a rookie free agent with the Falcons this past summer.

Cox was chosen among several free agent fullbacks that worked out with the team today. Per D. Orlando Ledbetter, along with Mike Karney and Jason McKie, the Falcons also worked out Lousaka Polite, and ex-Falcons Verron Haynes and Dimitri Nance.

The Falcons will be Chambers’ fifth NFL team. He was with the Detroit Lions this past summer, but was cut at the end of training camp. He finished the 2010 season with the Cincinnati Bengals, however was inactive for 6 out of the 7 weeks he was on the roster. He joined the Bengals after being released by the Bills at the end of the 2010′s training camp after playing three seasons in Buffalo. There, he started a total of 14 games in that span, filling at both tackle positions, as well as spending time at guard. Prior to joining the Bills before the 2007 season, he played two years with the Cleveland Browns, where he appeared in 21 games as a reserve guard and tackle. He was originally a 6th round pick by the Browns in the 2004 draft out of Stanford. Chambers versatility makes him an ideal reserve because he’s started, played, or practiced at all line positions except center. The bulk of his career however, he has played tackle.

Johnson, a third round pick by the Falcons in 2010, lost a competition with Garrett Reynolds for the starting right guard spot this past summer after suffering a concussion early on in camp. He had only appeared in the past two games of this year on special teams.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets that the Falcons are going to place fullback Ovie Mughelli on injured reserve due to the knee injury he suffered on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The exact nature of Mughelli’s knee injury has yet to be disclosed. Earlier reports suggested that Mughelli’s season would not end. Per Zach Klein of WSBTV, Mughelli suffered a torn MCL, which is an injury that is rarely treated with surgery, and is known to be able to heal fully inside 6 weeks.

The Falcons brought in two free agent fullbacks: Mike Karney and Jason McKie today for workouts during their bye week.

Jason Snelling likely will be the team’s first option to replace Mughelli in the starting lineup. But if they sign one of those players, it might not be long before they are inserted in the lineup. The Falcons have also made ample use of the two-tight end set in past games where Mughelli has been limited, likely meaning more reps for backup tight ends Michael Palmer and Reggie Kelly.

Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network tweets that the Falcons are working out free agent fullback Jason McKie and Mike Karney today. The Falcons apparent interest in McKie is likely related to the knee injury Ovie Mughelli suffered in the Falcons win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

While the severity of Mughelli’s injury has yet to be disclosed, it does not appear to be season-ending and Mughelli himself tweeted Sunday evening that he would be back soon and the injury looked worse than it actually was. According to ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas, the Falcons interest in a free agent blocker likely indicates that Mughelli will miss an extended period of time.

McKie and Karney are noted for their physical blocking style, similar to Mughelli. Reserve running back Jason Snelling filled in for Mughelli after he suffered his injury on Sunday, and at various times in the past has done the same. In 2009, when Mughelli was sidelined for two games, the Falcons used Verron Haynes instead of Snelling primarily as the fullback, and likely will use either veteran pickup in a similar manner. The Falcons will have time to get McKie, Karney, or any free agent fullback up to speed in the offense since they have a bye this week.

McKie last played a game with the Chicago Bears in 2009. McKie spent six seasons with the Bears, including the final four where he served as their starter at fullback. He was cut by the Bears after the 2009 season, and then signed by the Saints the following spring. He was cut by the Saints at the end of 2010′s training camp. The Baltimore Ravens would sign him in November, where he spent six weeks on the team’s inactive list. But the team cut him at the outset of this past summer’s training camp.

McKie was originally an undrafted rookie out of Temple, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002. He spent some time that year on the Eagles practice squad before joining the Dallas Cowboys active roster at the end of the year. He would be cut by the Cowboys the following summer before being claimed by the Bears.

Karney spent the past two years with the St. Louis Rams, after five seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He was cut by the Rams this past summer. He helped clear running lanes for Deuce McAllister while with the Saints in the latter part of his career.

Falcons wideout Julio Jones was listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report for the team’s Week 7 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Jones missed last week’s game against the Carolina Panthers, after suffering a hamstring injury during the fourth quarter of the team’s loss to the Green Bay Packers the previous week. Jones did not practice at all this week and looks like he will miss a second straight game.

If Jones misses the game, he will be joined by cornerback Chris Owens, who was listed as out as he still recovers from a concussion he suffered against the Packers. Owens missed last week’s Panther game as well due to the same injury.

Four Falcon players were listed as questionable on their injury report: defensive end John Abraham (groin), offensive tackle Sam Baker (back), center Todd McClure (knee), and guard Garrett Reynolds (ankle). Abraham sat out the Packer game due to the injury, but returned last week against the Panthers. He was able to have limited participation in Thursday and Friday’s practices. If he misses the game, he’ll likely be replaced by Kroy Biermann at right defensive end. Baker missed both Wednesday and Thursday practices, but was back in limited duty on Friday. Baker suffered from durability concerns his first two years in Atlanta, but has managed to start 26 straight games without injury. If he sits out this weekend’s game, he’ll be replaced by offensive tackle Will Svitek in the starting lineup at left tackle. Svitek started twice in place of Baker during 2009. McClure has been in and out of the lineup throughout this year due to a knee injury. His backup Joe Hawley has already started three games thus far this year, pulling his last start against the Packers. Reynolds suffered his ankle injury against the Packers, but has managed to finish that game as well as start last week. Like Abraham, he sat out Wednesday’s practice, but was able to return on a limited basis each of the past two days.

Also listed on the injury repot are defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (Knee), tight end Tony Gonzalez (elbow), safety James Sanders (hamstring), and wide receiver Roddy White (knee). Babineaux, Gonzalez, and White all participated fully in the three days of practice this week, but have been limited by their respective injuries somewhat in past weeks. Sanders missed last week’s game against the Panthers but was able to go fully in Friday’s practice.

For the Lions, running back Jahvid Best has been declared out with a concussion. Wide receiver Rashied Davis (foot) and safety Vincent Fuller (elbow) both were listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report. Cornerback Aaron Berry (groin) and defensive end Willie Young (calf) were also listed as questionable.