The Falcons didn’t wait long to make their move on Troy Andersen.
Atlanta released the injury-prone linebacker before he could even get onto the field in training camp, a decision that became easier once he opened camp on the PUP list. On the surface, it looked like a straightforward call. Andersen hasn’t played since mid-2024, and the Falcons could only lean on that NFC Defensive Player of the Week moment for so long.
But the bigger story is what happened around him. The reason Atlanta felt comfortable moving on had less to do with Andersen and more to do with the linebackers who have surged in his place.
Rookies Harold Perkins Jr. and Kendal Daniels have been the real drivers here. Both have stood out early in camp, and both have given this coaching staff a much more tempting path forward. They’ve also been getting first-team reps, and each is pushing Christian Harris for the second starting linebacker job.
That left Andersen in a much different spot. If he had stayed, he would have been fighting Channing Tindall for second-team chances. That’s a steep fall for a former second-round pick, and the Falcons clearly decided they’d rather keep leaning into the upside of the rookies.
Daniels, in particular, has drawn attention. Daniel Flick of the AJC reported that Daniels saw "extensive snaps" next to Divine Deablo during Friday’s practice. At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Daniels brings a style that fits well with Atlanta’s new green dot, especially since both are converted safeties with the kind of range that can cover a lot of ground.
Perkins has been just as intriguing, if not more so. For a player taken outside the top 200, he’s been getting a surprising number of meaningful reps and has rotated in alongside Deablo. That kind of usage says a lot about how much trust he’s already earned from the Falcons’ defensive staff.
The staff has also started expanding Perkins’ role since Jalon Walker tore his ACL. Atlanta has used him both off the edge and at off-ball linebacker, and that versatility makes him a natural fit for the kind of role Walker and Kaden Elliss had been filling. He can rush the passer, he can tackle, and he looks built to become the new swiss-army knife on defense.
Daniels, meanwhile, looks like the long-term partner for Deablo. Put it all together, and both rookies are carving out every-down roles for Jeff Ulbrich’s defense. That development was the final blow for Andersen’s place on the roster.
The more Perkins and Daniels keep flashing in camp, the clearer Atlanta’s decision becomes: Andersen’s comeback bid was never going to survive their rise.
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His return matters because the Falcons had been leaning toward Harrison as a starting defensive tackle alongside Brandon Dorlus, and that pairing gives the front seven a little more stability at a position that can thin out quickly in August. With Jalon Walker and Jessie Bates also dealing with injuries, every healthy body counts, and Harrisons activation arrives at a moment when Atlanta could use some reinforcement just to keep camp on track. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Could Face A Costly Jessie Bates Decision Soon
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That uncertainty has only sharpened the attention on Bates, especially with outside speculation connecting him to San Francisco as a possible trade target. Atlanta has not made a decision on an extension or a move, and for now the situation hangs over a defense that has leaned on Bates since his arrival. How the Falcons handle it will say plenty about whether they view this as a roster to protect for the long haul or a chance to use a valuable piece to reshape the future. [Read more 🡒]