Snap counts have a way of cutting through the noise, and after Atlanta’s 34-17 loss to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Spain, they painted a pretty clear picture of where this Falcons staff is headed.
The biggest takeaway was James Pearce Jr. returning to the field, even if the workload was light. He played just 26% of the snaps, which lined up with a reported sore back during the practice week.
The bigger concern is that Pearce still doesn’t look like the kind of player you’d expect halfway through the season from a 10-plus-sack star, especially with another “payment” tied to his suspension. That makes him the top player to watch when Atlanta faces the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, because the Falcons need to see more snaps and real progress.
On the back end, the staff’s intentions are getting harder to ignore. C.J.
Henderson has clearly moved into the CB2 role, and the numbers back it up: he played 82% of the snaps, while Mike Hughes was down at 35%. Henderson has taken Hughes’s job and looks like the plan going forward.
The article also notes that Henderson has outperformed A.J. Terrell this season, and that his 2 years/$20M “prove it” deal is looking well earned.
There’s also a changing of the guard at safety. With Jessie Bates III traded to the Jaguars and that game serving as his last one with the Falcons, DeMarcco Hellams is stepping in as the starter next to Xavier Watts.
At nickel, Sydney Brown’s role keeps standing out. He played 46% of the snaps against Cincinnati, while Avieon Terrell was at 18%.
Brown’s versatility and availability have allowed the staff to bring the rookie Terrell along slowly, and Terrell has handled that pace well as a mid-2nd-round pick. The piece also says Brown deserves an extension.
The linebackers are shifting too. Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have been taking over as the top two inside linebackers from veteran Divine Deablo.
Against Cincinnati, Daniels logged 89% of the snaps, Perkins hit 60%, and Deablo was at 53%. With Deablo headed to free agency, this looks like the best-case scenario for the long term, and the expectation is that Jeff Ulbrich’s athletic thresholds could lead to a Day 3 pick for an ILB3 in the draft.
Atlanta sits at 3-6 and is one game back in the division race, so Sunday’s matchup with the Chiefs carries real weight. The Falcons are trying to climb uphill against a tough schedule, and a win would keep the playoff conversation alive. A loss, and the focus shifts right back toward the draft.
In Other News...
Falcons Left Divine Deablo Behind In One Telling Deadline Decision
The Falcons were active sellers before the trade deadline, moving several players on expiring contracts and adding draft picks in return for Jessie Bates III and Ryan Neuzil. It was the kind of move that signaled Atlanta was willing to keep reshaping the roster rather than simply letting the season play out, especially with younger options already starting to push their way into the picture.
Divine Deablo, though, stayed put, and that decision said plenty of its own. League interest never really materialized, with his injury history and recent dip in play working against him, while Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. have made the linebacker spot feel a little less essential. For the Falcons, it leaves Deablo in a tricky spot, still on the roster but no longer looking like a piece the team is counting on long term. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Need To Stop Delaying The Michael Penix Jr. Decision
Michael Penix Jr. has already become the center of the Falcons long-term quarterback conversation, and the latest chatter only adds another layer to a decision Atlanta cannot keep putting off. After his recent stretch as the starter, the focus is less on whether the Falcons need a plan and more on whether they are finally ready to commit to one, especially with the franchise still weighing what the position should look like beyond the present.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak floated the idea of Atlanta looking at Seattle quarterback Drew Lock in 2027 as a bridge option, but that kind of thinking only underscores the bigger issue. The Falcons do not need another temporary fix if Penix is the answer, and if he is not, then the organization has to be honest about turning to its 2027 first-round pick instead of stretching the uncertainty out even further. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Just Said Goodbye To One Of Their Most Respected Leaders
Jessie Bates IIIs departure marks the end of one of the more steadying presences the Falcons had in recent seasons. After 3.5 seasons in Atlanta, where he served as a team captain, Bates was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for 2027 and 2028 draft picks, a move that underscores how much the organization is leaning into a youth movement.
The Falcons have already shown that shift in other ways, including trading Ryan Neuzil and locking in younger players on new contracts. Bates exit leaves a notable leadership void on a defense that valued his experience and voice, and it also adds another layer to a roster reset that is clearly still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]