Christian Harris came to Atlanta looking for a reset. Six games into the season, he’s barely been on the field.
The Falcons signed Harris this offseason hoping he could rediscover the form that once made him look like a real difference-maker in Houston, where he flashed stardom and posted a 100-tackle season in 2023. But an injury interrupted that run, and when he returned last year, he had already been pushed out of a starting job by Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o.
Atlanta looked like the ideal landing spot. The Falcons had lost Kaden Elliss, and Harris seemed like a natural fit to help replace him as an athletic linebacker in Jeff Ulbrich’s system. During OTAs, he worked with the first team and impressed enough to look like the favorite for the LB2 role next to Divine Deablo.
That picture has changed fast.
Instead of locking down a regular role, Harris has tumbled down the depth chart as the two linebackers Atlanta drafted in the 2026 Draft have made their presence felt. Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have pushed him into the background, and Harris has played only four defensive snaps through six games.
The slide started in plain sight. Harris was a healthy scratch in the season opener against the Steelers, then surfaced on special teams in Weeks 2 through 4.
That run didn’t last long. He was again inactive in Weeks 5 and 6 against the Ravens and Bears.
Josh Woods, stepping in for the injured JD Bertrand, has moved ahead of him both in the linebacker rotation and on special teams. For a player who signed for less than $3 million, that’s the reality of the contract he got - and the Falcons have treated it like a low-cost gamble that hasn’t paid off.
The draft picks have done more than just outlast him; they’ve taken his spot. One came from outside the top 200, and both were given chances once camp opened. Harris got an open competition and couldn’t win it.
Even with Deablo hurt and Daniels stretchered off against the Bears, Harris still hasn’t found his opening. Woods and Perkins started late against Chicago, and with Deablo ruled out for Week 7, it would be a surprise if Harris suddenly sees major work. The fourth-round rookie is expected to be ready on Sunday, and Brian Asamoah was elevated from the practice squad.
There’s also the matter of how things have gone with Ulbrich. Harris threw a punch during joint practices with the Colts and was held to reserve reps in preseason as punishment, and since then he has remained stuck in the doghouse.
What was supposed to be a clean second chance has turned into another stalled chapter. Daniels and Perkins have surged, and Harris has been left waiting for an opening that hasn’t come.
In Other News...
Raheem Morris Returns With A Test Michael Penix Must Answer
Raheem Morris is set to come back to Atlanta in a new role, this time guiding the undefeated 49ers defense instead of running the Falcons. For a team still trying to settle in under Michael Penix Jr., the matchup adds a familiar face to an already meaningful stretch, especially with the quarterback facing another early test in his development.
Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft, is expected to see Morris across the sideline when San Francisco visits. The reunion gives the Falcons a look at a coach who once led their sideline, and it puts Penix in front of a defense built to make life difficult as Atlanta tries to keep moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Exit Put Falcons Offense In A Tense Spot
For a stretch in the third quarter against the 49ers, the Falcons had to make do without Drake London after he went off the field for a concussion evaluation following a helmet-to-helmet hit. Atlanta was already leaning on its top wideout, and before the injury scare, London had a team-high five catches for 43 yards, a reminder of how central he has become to the offense.
The good news for the Falcons was that London was eventually cleared and returned to the game, easing what could have been a much bigger concern in a tight spot. Even so, any time a receiver with that kind of role leaves the field after a hit like that, it puts the offense on edge and leaves Atlanta watching closely for the next update. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Had A Brief McCaffrey Scare That Could Shift Everything
Christian McCaffrey gave the Falcons a brief scare Sunday when he left the game with a thigh injury, a reminder of how quickly San Franciscos offense can tilt when its centerpiece is shaken up. He was initially listed as questionable after heading to the locker room, and for a stretch it looked like Atlanta might get a break from the 49ers most dangerous weapon.
Instead, McCaffrey reappeared on the first drive of the third quarter and went right back to work, adding to a first half in which he was already involved as a runner and receiver. For the Falcons, who have seen enough of McCaffreys injury history to know how significant any exit can be, the uncertainty alone was enough to change the feel of the game for a few tense minutes. [Read more 🡒]