Atlanta Falcons Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

NFL Workout Updates: 9/25/18

September 25th, 2018 at 9:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest from the workout circuit, all links going to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted.

Arizona Cardinals

LB Ufomba Kamalu, DE Ryan Russell, CB Linden Stephens, CB Ronald Zamort (link)

Atlanta Falcons

LB B.J. Bello, LB Richie Brown, S Sharrod Neasman, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DE Jeremiah Valoaga (link)

Baltimore Ravens

CB De’Vante Bausby, G Jermaine Eluemunor (visit), WR Janorian Grant (visit), CB Prince Charles Iworah, CB Kalan Reed (link)

Chicago Bears

WR Reggie Davis, WR Cyril Grayson, WR Carlos Henderson (Twitter link via Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan)

Cleveland Browns

CB D.J. Killings, CB Peyton Thompson (Twitter link via Caplan)

Detroit Lions

LB Zaire Anderson, TE Marcus Baugh, TE Jerome Cunningham, LS Ryan DiSalvo, K Kai Forbath, TE Temarrick Hemingway, P Jeff Locke, P Brad Nortman, LS Jeff Overbaugh, LS Taybor Pepper, K Cairo Santos, LB Brandon Spikes (link)

Houston Texans

LB Kevin Minter, DT Chris Okoye, LB Hayes Pullard, LB John Timu (Twitter link via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson)

Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Chad Hansen, RB Jeremy Langford, QB Paxton Lynch (via Caplan, on Twitter)

Los Angeles Chargers

TE Jerell Adams, TE Vince Mayle, TE Wes Saxton (link)

New England Patriots

DT Michael Bennett, DE Ryan Delaire, DE John Simon, LB Azeem Victor (Twitter links via Balzer and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport)

San Francisco 49ers

WR Deontex Alexander, S Kelcie McCray, S Eddie Pleasant (link)

Seattle Seahawks

C Dillon Day, T Gerhard de Beer, T Christian DiLauro, DT David Parry (link)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

T Christian DiLauro (link)

Tennessee Titans

TE Donnie Ernsberger, WR Shay Fields, TE Temarrick Hemingway, WR Roger Lewis, WR Kalif Raymond (link)

Falcons Sign Bruce Carter, Sharrod Neasman

September 25th, 2018 at 2:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have signed linebacker Bruce Carter and safety Sharrod Neasman, according to a team announcement. In related moves, the Falcons formally placed Ricardo Allen on injured reserve and waived linebacker Richard Jarvis.

The Falcons said they would not make a splashy signing at safety to replace Allen, and the signing of Neasman shows that they are sticking to that plan. Neasman has previous experience with the Falcons, but does not represent a starting option. Without the services of Allen or Keanu Neal, the Falcons seem content with a group that includes Damontae Kazee, Jordan Richards, Keith Tandy, linebacker/safety Kemal Ishmael, and Neasman. The Seahawks may be open to trading Earl Thomas and Eric Reid continues to look for work, but the Falcons believe they have enough to get by.

Carter, who has past experience with the Cowboys, Bucs, and Jets, spent much of the last two years playing special teams in New York.

Falcons Not Interested In Earl Thomas, Eric Reid

September 24th, 2018 at 2:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Falcons coach Dan Quinn says the team is not interested in acquiring a high profile safety such as Earl Thomas or Eric Reid, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Although the team has lost starter Ricardo Allen for the season, Quinn says he’s confident in the ability of Damontae Kazee to hold down free safety with Jordan Richards and Kemal Ishmael at strong safety.

Quinn added that Reid’s participation in national anthem protests were not a factor in the team’s decision. Rather, he says that he likes the team’s internal options.

As for Thomas, one has to imagine that the Falcons are simply unwilling to pay the necessary price to acquire him from the Seahawks in a trade. Thomas has been vocal about his desire for a new deal and trade speculation is percolating once again after the three-time All-Pro skipped two practices inside of one week.

While the Chiefs and Cowboys could be among the clubs to pursue Thomas, it sounds like the Falcons can be scratched off of the list.

Falcons’ Ricardo Allen Done For Season

September 24th, 2018 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Falcons safety Ricardo Allen tore his Achilles and is out for the season, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a tough blow for an Atlanta defense that has already lost multiple defensive starters to injury this year.

Allen inked a three-year, $19.5MM extension with the Falcons before the start of the season, tying him to the club through the 2021 campaign. In his previous four seasons with the team, Allen played in 46 games, including 45 starts. During that time, he racked up six interceptions, ten deflected passes, one fumble recovery, and 158 tackles. This year, he added an interception in the team’s Week 2 victory over the Panthers plus 14 total tackles through three contests.

After a crushing overtime loss to the Saints, the 1-2 Falcons will look to rebound against the Bengals on Sunday. They’ll do so without one of their better players in the secondary.

The injury may force the Falcons to promote Jordan Richards or Keith Tandy to the starting lineup, but those are uninspiring options for a team that is already without starting safety Keanu Neal. Instead, one has to wonder if the Falcons might inquire on free agent Eric Reid, or pursue Seahawks safety Earl Thomas via trade.

Falcons Cut LB Corey Nelson

September 22nd, 2018 at 11:49am CST by Ben Levine

Corey Nelson‘s tenure with the Falcons has come to an end. The team announced that they’ve released the linebacker with an injury settlement. The team will promote linebacker Richard “Dewey” Jarvis from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.

Nelson, 26, signed with the Eagles this offseason, but he was cut by the organization prior to the regular season. He quickly caught on with the Falcons, and he appeared in a single game with the organization. The 2014 seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma spent the first four seasons of his career with the Broncos, including a 2016 campaign where he compiled 67 tackles and five passes defended in 16 games (five starts).

At the time of his signing, several of the team’s linebackers were struggling with injuries, but the grouping now appears to be relatively healthy. Of course, the Falcons could still be seeking some reinforcement at the position, even after the promotion of Jarvis. Including the rookie, the team is still rostering only five linebackers, a grouping that includes Duke Riley, De’Vondre Campbell, Kemal Ishmael, and Foye Oluokun.

Jarvis joined the organization as an undrafted free agent out of Brown. He initially earned a spot on the team’s active roster before being waived earlier this month (he subsequently caught on with the team’s practice squad). He had a solid preseason for the Falcons, compiling seven tackles and two sacks.

Falcons Injury Updates

September 21st, 2018 at 9:41pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Falcons just can’t seem to catch a break. It was already known they’d be without Devonta Freeman and several other starters, but it was announced today that they’d also be without talented pass-rusher Takkarist McKinley. McKinley is currently dealing with a groin injury.