The Falcons made a sneaky addition to their roster Monday morning, signing Steven Means after placing Keanu Neal on injured reserve.
According to Eagles GM Howie Roseman, Means was the final player cut when the rosters shrunk to fifty-three.
Coming out of Buffalo, Means was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the draft. He only spent two seasons, playing in eleven games with the Bucs before finding a new home. In 2015, he made the practice squad in Philadelphia, where he eventually made the active roster in 2016. However, he rarely saw the field due to the incredible defensive line depth in Philadelphia.
Over two seasons, he recorded six tackles and two sacks in abbreviated action with the Eagles. Not much of a stat line, but he did have a huge pre-season this year, registering three sacks. After he was cut, both the Eagles GM and defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, had nothing but positives to say regarding his improvements and work ethic. He was a widely respected member in the Eagles locker room and very close to making a loaded defense.
But you know what they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and Means has a fantastic opportunity to carve out a nice role in Atlanta. If there is one place on the Falcons defense that needs a boost, it is getting after the quarterback. Vic Beasley Jr. and Takkarist McKinley are really the only true pass rushers on the roster, and neither should be considered elite, at least not yet. Means will be playing on Sundays for Atlanta and could be a valuable underrated pickup as the season progresses.