The Falcons made a pair of roster moves on Tuesday, placing wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge on injured reserve and promoting safety Jammie Robinson from the practice squad to the active roster.
For Atlanta, losing Hodge is a hit to both depth and special teams reliability. While his offensive numbers this season don’t jump off the page-three catches on 10 targets for 31 yards over 12 games-his value has always extended beyond the stat sheet.
Hodge carved out a niche as a core special teamer, racking up nine tackles in the third phase this year. That kind of production doesn’t always get headlines, but coaches know how crucial it is when field position and momentum are on the line.
Hodge’s NFL journey has been anything but linear. Coming out of Prairie View A&M in 2018, he went undrafted but found his way into the league with the Rams.
After a stint in Los Angeles, he bounced to Cleveland, where he stuck around long enough to earn a restricted free agent deal. From there, it was on to Detroit, and eventually to Atlanta in 2022, where he’s been a steady presence ever since.
The Falcons clearly valued his contributions, re-signing him to back-to-back one-year deals before locking him up this past March with a two-year, $6 million extension.
Now, with Hodge sidelined, the Falcons turn to rookie safety Jammie Robinson, who gets the call-up from the practice squad. Robinson, a fifth-round pick, brings a physical edge to the secondary and could see time on special teams right away-possibly even stepping into some of the roles Hodge vacated. While he’s still developing as a defensive back, his instincts and motor have earned praise from coaches throughout the season.
For Atlanta, this isn’t just a next-man-up situation-it’s a reminder of how important roster versatility is, especially late in the season. Hodge’s absence will be felt, particularly on kick coverage, but Robinson has a chance to make his mark in a different way.