The Falcons made a set of roster moves on Wednesday, highlighted by the promotion of tight end Nick Muse to the active roster and the placement of defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand on injured reserve after a major quad injury.
Atlanta filled Hand’s spot by elevating Muse, while also adding defensive end Drake Jackson and running back Khalil Herbert to the practice squad.
Hand, 30, arrived in Atlanta on a one-year deal worth $3 million this offseason. His path to the Falcons has been a long one, starting when Detroit selected him in the fourth round out of Alabama in 2018. He was in the final year of a four-year, $3,141,964 contract that included a $681,964 signing bonus when the Lions released him from injured reserve.
From there, Hand moved through a string of stops. Indianapolis signed him to its practice squad, but he was released after a week.
Tennessee then brought him in, and he played in one game before a season-ending injury shut him down. Miami added him in 2023, though he did not make the roster out of preseason.
He later worked his way from the practice squad to the active roster and re-signed on a one-year deal for 2024. The Chargers then signed him to a one-year contract worth up to $3.35 million last year.
In 2025, Hand appeared in 13 games for the Chargers and made 13 starts, finishing with 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception and four pass defenses.
Muse, 27, has also taken the scenic route to Atlanta. Minnesota drafted him in the seventh round in 2022 out of South Carolina, then waived him after camp. He spent three seasons moving on and off the Vikings’ practice squad.
Muse later finished the 2025 season with the Eagles and returned on a futures deal before being cut in August. After that, he had practice-squad stints with the Cardinals, Rams and Jets, and New York released him in January 2026. He then signed back with the Lions for a stint before landing with the Falcons this year.
In Other News...
Falcons Already Face A Quarterback Problem That Could Define 2026
After one week, the early NFC picture already has the Falcons dealing with a familiar and potentially defining issue at quarterback. The seasons opening results and the broader projection conversation put Atlanta in an awkward spot, because the team is trying to establish itself in a conference where a shaky start at the games most important position can quickly shape the entire year.
For a Falcons team hoping to stay in the mix, the quarterback questions are not just a Week 1 storyline but the kind of problem that can linger well beyond September. The Cardinals may have walked away from their opener with a win while still carrying their own concerns about schedule and defense, but Atlantas outlook is more unsettled, and the way this position gets sorted out could end up saying a lot about where the Falcons land in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons QB Trouble Puts New Pressure On Michael Penix Jr. Return
Michael Penix Jr. is still waiting to make his 2026 return after last Novembers ACL injury, and the Falcons have already chosen to keep him out past their season opener. The early expectation, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, was that Penix could be back around Week 2 or 3, but the team has now signaled it may simply be too soon for him to get on the field.
Atlanta has at least left the door open by not placing Penix on short-term injured reserve, a move that suggests the organization still believes his return is coming soon. For now, though, there is no official timeline, and every additional week he sits puts more attention on a quarterback situation the Falcons would clearly prefer to stabilize as quickly as possible. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Backfield Depth Just Took A Hit At The Worst Time
The Falcons backfield depth lost a little more of its cushion this week when the Cowboys signed Tyler Goodson off Atlantas practice squad. Goodson had been the Falcons third running back and had already gotten work in preseason games, which made him one of the more familiar developmental pieces sitting just below the active roster.
Atlanta now has 15 players left on the practice squad and will need to shuffle things a bit after losing him. For a team trying to keep options open at running back, especially this early in the roster-building cycle, it is the kind of move that forces a quick response and a closer look at who can step into that spot next. [Read more 🡒]