The Atlanta Falcons’ 2025 season has been full of misfires, and one of the most glaring issues has been on special teams. It’s a phase of the game that often flies under the radar-until it starts costing you field position, possessions, and ultimately games.
That’s exactly where the Falcons find themselves heading into Week 16. And after weeks of frustration, they’ve made a move that felt inevitable: Jamal Agnew is out.
Agnew, a former Pro Bowl return man signed this offseason to bolster Atlanta’s return game, never managed to find his footing. After missing all of 2024 with an injury, the 30-year-old struggled to regain the burst and ball security that once made him one of the league’s most dangerous returners. In just 45 combined kick and punt returns this season, Agnew fumbled three times-including a crucial muffed punt against the Jets that seemed to epitomize the Falcons’ special teams struggles.
The numbers back it up. Heading into Week 16, Atlanta ranks dead last in both kickoff return yards gained and kickoff return yards allowed. That’s a brutal combo, and it’s put even more pressure on a team already trying to stay afloat in a turbulent season.
The Falcons made Agnew a healthy scratch in Week 15 against the Buccaneers, and now they’ve officially moved on. In his place, Deven Thompkins-plucked from the practice squad-has emerged as the new lead returner.
And so far, the change has injected some much-needed life into the return game. Thompkins brings speed, vision, and a fearlessness that’s already paying dividends.
But Agnew’s release wasn’t the only roster shakeup this week. Atlanta also signed cornerback C.J.
Henderson to the active roster from the practice squad. The former first-round pick out of Florida has been waiting in the wings all season, and with injuries piling up in the secondary-Billy Bowman Jr. is out for the year and Mike Hughes is inactive-Henderson is going to have to step up.
He hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2023, so expect the Cardinals to test him early and often in Sunday’s matchup.
Undrafted rookie Cobee Bryant is also expected to take on a bigger role in the defensive backfield. It’s a tall order for a young player, but this is the kind of opportunity that can fast-track development-or expose weaknesses. Either way, the Falcons are about to find out what they’ve got in their depth chart.
Special teams took another hit this week with the loss of KhaDarrel Hodge, who was placed on season-ending IR. Hodge has been a core special teamer and a stabilizing force in that unit.
In response, safety Jammie Robinson was promoted from the practice squad, and wide receiver Chris Blair also got the call-up. Both are expected to contribute on special teams immediately.
Defensive end Khalid Kareem was also elevated from the practice squad. That move could be a sign that James Pearce Jr. might not be available against the Cardinals, though it could just be a precautionary depth move by head coach Raheem Morris.
At this point, every roster tweak feels like a potential turning point-or a last-ditch effort. Special teams coordinator Marquice Williams is under heavy scrutiny, and with good reason.
The Falcons’ special teams haven’t just been underperforming-they’ve been actively hurting the team’s chances to win. That’s not sustainable in a league where field position and momentum matter as much as talent.
So here we are: Agnew is gone, Thompkins is in, and a handful of practice squad players are being asked to play meaningful roles in a game that could shape the Falcons’ final stretch. It’s a lot of change in a short amount of time, but when you’re ranked dead last in special teams production, standing pat isn’t an option.
Now it’s up to the new faces-and the coaching staff-to prove that these moves weren’t just cosmetic. The Falcons need results, and they need them fast.