Da’Shawn Hand’s season-ending quad injury has left the Atlanta Falcons scrambling for answers on the defensive line, but it may also have opened the door back up for Zach Harrison.
Hand was hurt after playing just seven snaps in the season opener, and the free-agent addition will now need surgery. He won’t be the new David Onyemata in Atlanta, and his exit creates a real vacancy in the Falcons’ defensive tackle group.
That’s where Harrison comes in.
The former third-round pick, who is in a contract year, was surprisingly waived after roster cuts before landing back on the practice squad. Now, with Jeff Ulbrich’s defense suddenly thinner inside, the Falcons have a straightforward option: elevate Harrison to the active roster or bring him up on gameday.
Once Hand is officially moved to IR, Atlanta will open up a second spot on the active roster, and calling up Harrison would make plenty of sense. He’s coming off a breakout 2025 in which he posted 4.5 sacks in seven games before a season-ending injury of his own.
The depth chart at defensive tackle is now down to Gervon Dexter Sr., LaCale London, Maason Smith, and Brandon Dorlus if you count him there. That’s not much room for comfort, especially with Hand out. Harrison, meanwhile, was never likely to stay on the practice squad for long, and the Falcons were fortunate he wasn’t taken by another team before they needed him.
The bigger issue with Harrison has never been talent. It’s been staying on the field.
Ian Cunningham called waiving him a “gut punch,” and Nate Ollie said Harrison does all the right things but has to remain healthy. Even after being cut, he clearly remained in the team’s good graces.
There’s also a fit element here. Hand’s best work comes against the run, and Harrison has already shown he can help in that area. The fourth-year defensive tackle was one of Atlanta’s better run defenders last season and has proven he can be a useful rotational piece.
The practice squad situation points the same way. Undrafted rookie Carlos Allen Jr. was released from the practice squad, leaving Harrison and Zacch Pickens as the only defensive tackles there.
Harrison has been with the team longer and knows the system better, which makes him the most logical call-up. The expectation is that his time on the practice squad was as much about getting healthier as it was about anything else.
With Da’Shawn Hand out, the Falcons need another dependable body inside, and Zach Harrison is sitting right there.
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 Roster Shakeup Opens Door For An Unexpected Tight End Chance
The Falcons made a series of roster moves that quietly reshaped the bottom of the depth chart, promoting tight end Nick Muse to the active roster while placing defensive lineman DaShawn Hand on injured reserve with a major quad injury. Atlanta also added defensive end Drake Jackson and running back Khalil Herbert to the practice squad, a sign the team is still searching for useful depth as the season moves on and injuries continue to test the roster.
Muses move is the most interesting one for the offense, because it gives him a real chance to stick after a string of recent career moves and contract changes. Hands setback, meanwhile, opens a hole on the defensive line at a time when the Falcons can ill afford to lose rotational help, so the next few days will show whether these shuffle pieces are just temporary fixes or the start of something a little more permanent. [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 🡒]