The Falcons are shuffling the deck before Sunday Night Football.
Atlanta announced a series of roster moves ahead of its matchup with the Ravens at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with linebacker Yasir Abdullah landing on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury and defensive end Za’Darius Smith being ruled out after being downgraded with a concussion/neck injury.
To help fill those spots, the Falcons signed safety Jammie Robinson to the 53-man roster and elevated defensive ends Bralen Trice and Drake Jackson from the practice squad.
Abdullah had already been ruled out for Sunday before the injured reserve move became official. He played in all four of Atlanta’s games this season and finished with two tackles and one pass defended. Now the Falcons are down one more defensive body as they get ready for a Baltimore team that will demand physical play.
Robinson’s addition gives Atlanta more help in the secondary and on special teams. The Falcons had already brought him up from the practice squad for Week 4’s Monday night game against the New Orleans Saints, then signed him to the active roster ahead of Sunday night’s contest.
Robinson played in six games for Atlanta last season after joining the practice squad in November. Before that, he spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he has appeared in 27 career games. He also left his mark on special teams last year, blocking a punt against New Orleans in Week 18.
Trice and Jackson were elevated to give Atlanta more options along the defensive front. Trice has played in two games this season, logging one tackle and one pass defended. Sunday is his third and final standard practice squad elevation of the year, which means the Falcons would have to sign him to the 53-man roster if they want to keep using him through future elevations.
Jackson will be on the game-day roster as another defensive line option. He played in two preseason games for Atlanta this year and recorded one assisted tackle, but he has not posted a regular-season defensive statistic for the Falcons.
The moves come on the heels of Atlanta’s Week 4 win over New Orleans. Now the Falcons head into primetime with their defense and special teams depth being tested, and Baltimore up next on Sunday night.
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