The Falcons’ roster shuffle took a sharp turn on Tuesday, and the biggest surprise came on the defensive line.
Atlanta claimed Yasir Abdullah, Jared Ivey and Cameron Williams off waivers, then had to clear space by waiving three players: Natrone Brooks, Jammie Robinson and Zach Harrison. Brooks and Robinson were easy to see coming, but Harrison’s name landing in the cutdown was the jolt. The fourth-year defensive tackle had been part of the Falcons’ front, and few expected him to be the odd man out.
The move comes after Atlanta already acquired Gervon Dexter from Chicago and trimmed its roster from 90 players to 53. Once the waiver claims came in, the Falcons had to make corresponding moves, and Harrison was the one that sent the message loudest.
Harrison, a 2023 third-round pick, put together his best stretch in 2025, recording 4.5 sacks in seven games before a knee injury ended his season and sent him to season-ending IR. The talent has always been part of the equation, but availability kept getting in the way, and that proved to be the story again here.
With a modest cap hit in the final year of his rookie deal, Harrison figures to draw attention if he does hit the waiver wire. A team in need of defensive tackle help should be interested, especially with Atlanta’s crowded interior line making him expendable. The Falcons likely explored trade options first, though the lack of movement would explain why they ended up here.
There’s still a path for Harrison to return to Atlanta, whether on a new deal or through the practice squad once things settle. But the addition of Dexter clearly shifted the pecking order, leaving Harrison behind Brandon Dorlus, Maason Smith, La’Cale London and Da’Shawn Hand.
For a player who had started to carve out a real role, the timing is the stunner. Atlanta’s defensive tackle room can absorb the loss, but this is still the kind of move that can come back around if Harrison lands somewhere else and keeps building on that 2025 breakout.
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Falcons Just Made A Telling Move Up Front Before Cuts
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Dexter arrives in the final year of his contract and is expected to step in as the Falcons starting nose tackle, giving them another option in the middle as cutdown day approaches. For a roster still being sorted out, the trade is less about long-term patience and more about shoring up defensive tackle depth right now, which is usually the kind of move teams make when they think the problem is immediate. [Read more 🡒]