The Falcons took a swing on Anterio Thompson late in the draft, banking on the Washington defensive tackle’s athleticism when they picked him 198th overall. But that bet has been hard to evaluate, because Thompson still hasn’t been on the field.
He missed rookie minicamp, minicamp and OTAs because of an undisclosed injury, and now he’s set to miss the opening of training camp as well. Atlanta has reportedly moved him to the non-football injury list, a development that puts his roster chances in a tough spot.
Thompson will still stay on the active list and the 90-man roster, but that only goes so far when a rookie has spent basically the entire offseason away from practice. For Jeff Ulbrich and defensive line coach Nate Ollie, the problem is simple: there has been almost nothing to evaluate. Training camp was supposed to be his chance to make up ground, and now even that window is shut for the moment.
The 23-year-old has been out of sight for most of the summer, and while Kevin Stefanski said it was injury related, the reality for a Day 3 pick is harsh. If you never get on the field, it becomes much harder to force your way onto the roster. And without practice reps or preseason snaps, the coaching staff is left with little more than college film.
That matters even more because the defensive tackle room already has bodies in the mix. Carlos Allen Jr., Chris Williams and Ross Blacklock are the names competing for a spot, and even a healthy Thompson would have had an uphill climb against two veterans and a more polished UDFA.
With Thompson sidelined, that battle only gets quieter. Allen Jr., Williams and Blacklock will be out there every day, giving Ollie and Ulbrich a clearer look at who is stacking good work. Thompson, meanwhile, can’t add anything to the conversation right now beyond what he showed in college.
And there isn’t much room to maneuver. Da'Shawn Hand, Brandon Dorlus, LaCale London, Maason Smith and Zach Harrison are not in danger of being cut, which leaves Thompson on the wrong side of the numbers even before the injury is factored in. The issue is made worse by the fact that he is undersized.
At this point, the cleanest path may be for Atlanta to stash Thompson on the practice squad this season and let him focus on getting healthy. That would take the pressure off a rookie who is already falling behind in a camp competition he may not be able to win from the sideline.
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