The Atlanta Falcons kept working through the injuries piling up on defense this week, and their latest addition came in the linebacker room.
After the team signed edge rusher Charles Snowden off the Commanders’ practice squad and made the more eye-catching quarterback move by bringing in Andy Dalton while releasing Cooper Rush, Atlanta also added rookie linebacker TJ Quinn to the practice squad. The signing gives the Falcons another body at a position that has been thinned out by injuries to Divine Deablo and Kendal Daniels.
Daniels’ status is still unclear heading into the week. The first injury report is due out Wednesday afternoon, and while he appears to have avoided a major injury, it would be a surprise to see him in uniform.
Quinn brings a solid college résumé and a local connection. A native of Valdosta, Ga., and a Lowndes High School product, he played four seasons at Louisville and put together a productive career there.
In 2025, he finished with 95 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions. He also totaled 82 tackles as a junior and 92 as a sophomore.
The 6-foot, 225-pound linebacker originally signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent, but he didn’t make the team’s initial 53-man roster. He also had a strong Pro Day with the Cardinals in the fall, running a 4.53 forty, though that wasn’t enough to get him drafted.
Atlanta has already seen promising signs from its rookie linebackers this season. Daniels, a fourth-round pick from Oklahoma, and Harold Perkins Jr., a sixth-round pick in April’s NFL Draft, both look like players who could handle the inside in the long run.
Deablo, meanwhile, has struggled to make the same kind of impact. He missed time in training camp with an ankle injury and has looked a step slow laterally. With the veteran on the final year of a two-year deal, the Falcons likely wouldn’t bring him back next season and would instead turn full-time to Daniels and Perkins.
That linebacker depth will be tested quickly. San Francisco comes to Mercedes-Benz this week, and Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel all present problems for the second level of the defense.
In Other News...
Falcons Have A Bigger Michael Penix Jr. Problem Than Fans Realize
Michael Penix Jr. has given the Falcons enough reason to believe they may have something at quarterback. In four starts this season, he has looked poised enough to keep the offense moving, with deep passing and play-action becoming real strengths as Atlanta has leaned into what he does best. The early returns have been encouraging enough that the conversation around him is no longer just about upside, but about how quickly the rest of the operation can catch up.
The problem is the support system around him still looks fragile, especially up front. Atlantas offensive line has struggled to hold up against pressure, and the issues at tackle have made the protection picture even murkier. For a young quarterback showing promise, that matters because the development arc is only as stable as the time he gets to throw, and right now the Falcons still have work to do before Penix can be evaluated in something closer to ideal conditions. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Suddenly Have A Jessie Bates Trade Deadline Worry
With Atlanta sitting at 2-4 heading into Week 7, the Falcons are already navigating a season that feels like it could swing quickly in either direction. The schedule ahead is not doing them many favors, and even before the trade deadline enters the picture, the teams margin for error is thin enough that every result seems to carry extra weight.
Against that backdrop, one of the more jarring names to surface in deadline conversation is Jessie Bates III. The Pro Bowl safety has been a cornerstone for Atlanta, but his status has suddenly become part of the bigger question around the teams direction if the losses keep piling up and playoff hopes fade. Because he is under contract through 2026, any move involving Bates would also force the Falcons to weigh whether they can realistically line up an extension before deciding what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Defense Could Get A Huge Lift At Just The Right Time
The Falcons defense is getting healthier at a time when the stretch run leaves little margin for error. Divine Deablo is feeling better after an arm injury, though his status for the next game remains up in the air, and the bigger encouraging sign came on the practice field with A.J. Terrell back working after his groin injury. For a unit that has had to manage its depth carefully, getting a starter back into the mix could make a noticeable difference.
There was another positive development with rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels, who also practiced after a serious injury and now appears to have a chance to play in the upcoming game. Atlanta has been waiting for reinforcements, and this week at least provided a glimpse that more help may be on the way. The only question now is how much of that help will actually be available when the Falcons take the field. [Read more 🡒]