Atlanta Falcons first-round draft pick Chris Lindstrom suffered a broken foot in Sunday's season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings and was placed on injured reserve.
Coach Dan Quinn said Lindstrom will undergo surgery and the team is hopeful he can return this season. Lindstrom would not be eligible to return to game action until eight weeks after, which would mean the Week 10 game with the rival Saints in New Orleans.
"Let's make sure of surgery and start the process going,'' Quinn said. "I couldn't have been more pleased with his start as a Falcon in terms of what he's going to bring to our team. We're bummed we're going to lose him for a period of time. We'll see if that's longer or not.''
Lindstrom, who was the team's starting right guard, will be replaced in the starting lineup by Jamon Brown, Quinn said.
Offensive lineman John Wetzel was signed Monday in a corresponding move.
Lindstrom played 48 snaps in the Falcons' 28-12 loss to the Vikings before exiting with the injury.
Wes Schweitzer, a starter last season, went in for Lindstrom and could be his replacement. Star linebacker Deion Jones suffered a broken foot last season and was placed on injured reserve but returned after a 10-game absence, which may give the team some optimism regarding Lindstrom.
The Falcons signed veteran guards James Carpenter and Brown in the offseason. Carpenter won the starting left guard role over Brown, and Brown was inactive for the season opener based on performance.
The Falcons entered 2019 intent on upgrading the offensive line to help protect Matt Ryan and open more holes in the running game. The team drafted both Lindstrom and starting right tackle Kaleb McGary in the first round while signing Carpenter and Brown. Left tackle Jake Matthews and center Alex Mack were the returning starters in the group, not counting Schweitzer, who entered the season as the backup center to Mack.
The line struggled in the opener as Ryan was sacked four times and hit seven times.