Kendal Daniels spent the summer turning heads in Atlanta, and the Falcons are ready to give the rookie linebacker a real test right away.
Daniels was listed as the starting inside linebacker next to veteran Divine Deablo on the team’s Week 1 depth chart, setting him up for his first NFL start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The fourth-round pick has climbed quickly after an impressive training camp and preseason, becoming one of the more interesting young defenders on the roster.
The rookie said the moment means a lot after a difficult pre-draft stretch that included an injury and the NFL Combine.
“It’s very exciting, it’s good to see hard work paying off,” Daniels said.
That work showed up all summer. Daniels made consistent plays in camp with his length, size and athleticism, using his 6'5 frame and 245-pound build to stand out enough to get reps with the first-team defense. That steady rise put him in line to open the season beside Deablo.
“We’ve got to use our length and our size to our advantage,” Daniels said.
Deablo’s presence should help ease Daniels into his first regular-season game. He’ll also handle the green-dot duties for Atlanta, relaying defensive calls to the rest of the unit, which means Daniels can lean on the veteran while he settles in.
Daniels said Deablo has been a steady help through the process, and watching how he communicates as the green dot has been valuable for him.
The challenge on Sunday is a big one. Atlanta opens against a Steelers offense led by Aaron Rodgers, and Daniels didn’t hide his awe when talking about the quarterback.
“I couldn’t imagine playing at his age,” Daniels said. “It’s crazy.”
Daniels may not be the only rookie linebacker in the mix, either. Sixth-round pick Harold Perkins Jr. also made a strong impression during camp and preseason and has put himself in position to contribute. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has already said both rookies could play major roles, while head coach Kevin Stefanski has been careful not to spell out exactly how the snaps will be divided.
What Atlanta likes about Daniels and Perkins is the contrast in their skill sets. The two rookies can be moved around depending on the matchup, giving the defense some flexibility.
“We are interchangeable parts; we bring different things to the game,” Daniels said. “We’re a 1-2 punch.”
That kind of versatility could matter against a Pittsburgh offense that figures to test Atlanta’s defense from the start. For Daniels, though, the main storyline is simpler: a rookie who earned trust over the summer is now being handed a starting job in Week 1.
Now comes the part that counts.
In Other News...
Mike Tomlin Just Reopened One Painful Steelers Debate
Mike Tomlin has put a fresh spotlight on one of the franchises long-running debates, saying in a recent interview that the best team he ever coached in Pittsburgh was the 2015 Steelers rather than the Super Bowl-winning group from 2008. It is the kind of comparison that tends to stir up old arguments fast, because the 2008 squad has the ring and the legacy, while the 2015 team was built with a different kind of firepower and expectation.
The 2015 Steelers went 10-6, survived a wild card playoff game and then ran into Denver in the divisional round. Tomlin pointed to the talent on that roster and the injury issues that left them short-handed in the postseason loss, which only adds another layer to the what-if conversation around a team that was good enough to make people wonder how far it really could have gone. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have A Week 1 Cornerback Problem To Watch
The Steelers had to make a little extra room in the secondary heading into Week 1, elevating cornerback Doneiko Slaughter from the practice squad before Sundays game against the Falcons. Its a depth move with obvious meaning: Joey Porter Jr. is questionable because of a back injury, and Pittsburgh is giving itself another option in case the spot opposite the rest of the cornerback group needs to be filled on short notice.
Slaughter has not appeared in a regular-season game yet, but he did see significant preseason action, which at least gave the coaching staff a chance to evaluate him in something closer to game conditions. For a team already trying to sort out its opening-week lineup, the question now is less about whether Slaughter can dress and more about how much the Steelers might need him right away. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Just Created Another Steelers Headache Off The Field
Aaron Rodgers has already given the Steelers plenty to sort through on the field, but his latest public comments have turned into an awkward off-field distraction too. On Cam Heywards podcast, Rodgers revisited his past engagement to Shailene Woodley and offered his version of how the relationship unraveled, adding another layer to a breakup that had largely stayed private since it ended.
The reaction has only widened the gap between the two sides, with Woodleys friends pushing back on his account and describing the remarks as out of line with the person they knew. For Pittsburgh, it is the kind of headline that has little to do with game plans and everything to do with the attention that follows Rodgers wherever he goes, even when the conversation is supposed to be about football. [Read more 🡒]