The Falcons are preparing for their second preseason game against the Ravens, and there are still plenty of position battles to work themselves out, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.
Atlanta saw Bralen Trice and DeMarrco Hellams go down with serious injuries during last week’s exhibition contest against the Dolphins, Trice’s injury being of the season-ending variety.
It’s opened up a roster spot for someone in the edge room to make it on the final 53-man roster, but the reporters closest to the team don’t see it being DeAngelo Malone.
The 2022 third-round pick was projected to be on the roster bubble for much of the offseason, especially before the Trice injury. Josh Kendall of The Athletic had DeAngelo Malone being cut before Trice’s season-ending injury. Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated and Marc Raimondi of ESPN did as well. They haven’t updated their roster projections.
I’m not sure what they think will happen, but I have a hard time believing that Malone will still be cut at this point because of the sheer numbers at the position. Tori McElhaney of the Falcons media team isn’t of the same opinion.
She’s put out a roster projection post-Trice injury, and she still has the Falcons cutting Malone. Demone Harris and Bradlee Anae will be competing with the third-round pick for what could be the final roster spot.
Special teams will certainly factor into this decision, a facet in which Malone has thrived. However, if he is to be cut just two seasons into his Falcons career, that would be a terrible look for Terry Fontenot.
Atlanta’s GM hasn’t had a very successful track record in the NFL Draft, and this could be another wart on an already ugly resume.
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Photographer: John Adams/Icon Sportswire
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