The Falcons’ latest practice squad move looks small on paper, but it carries real weight in a room that suddenly needed help.
Atlanta signed offensive lineman Josh Thompson, a former Chiefs practice squad player, after Kansas City added ex-Falcons running back Nate Carter. And while that kind of swap can look like routine roster churn, this one matters because the Falcons are dealing with real uncertainty on the interior of their offensive line.
Kyle Hinton and Kam Dewberry are both injured this summer, and that leaves Atlanta thin at backup guard. Ethan Onianwa and Corey Levin can shift inside in a pinch, but Thompson gives the team another body if Hinton or Dewberry misses time. The signing also suggests the Falcons are preparing for more than just a one-week patch job.
Hinton’s situation is the clearest clue. He was injured during the preseason, but Atlanta kept him on the initial roster instead of putting him on short-term IR or the PUP list to begin the season. Thompson’s arrival feels like a sign that Hinton may still need time, even if that doesn’t necessarily mean the first month of 2026.
Dewberry’s injury adds to that picture. He was carted off against the Colts in the preseason game after suffering a leg injury, though he recovered enough to land on the practice squad. Taken together, the two injuries make Thompson look less like a depth flyer and more like insurance.
There’s also a roster wrinkle here. Thompson is a 2026 undrafted free agent out of LSU who spent the summer in Kansas City, and his signing leaves one practice squad spot open for Atlanta. The Falcons currently have only five veterans on the practice squad, which suggests they may be holding that final opening for a veteran addition.
That matters because Thompson’s presence doesn’t block Atlanta from adding another name later. A player like Zach Harrison, Cooper Rush, Natrone Brooks, or even Azeez Ojulari could still be signed to the practice squad. Teams can carry up to six veterans there, while the other 10 spots must go to rookies or players with fewer than two seasons of NFL experience.
At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, Thompson gives the Falcons another interior line option right now, and he may end up serving two purposes: covering for the injuries in front of him while also preserving flexibility for a future veteran move.
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