Falcons Make Roster Decision Impacting Defensive Line

FLOWERY BRANCH – Sam Roberts’ time with the Atlanta Falcons appears to be coming to an end after one season. According to a report from NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the Falcons will not be tendering the defensive lineman as a restricted free agent. The defender will now enter next week as an unrestricted free agent and will have the unencumbered ability to sign with any team. 

Roberts, 27, was added to the Falcons’ roster from the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad back in September. He made his debut for Atlanta on Monday Night Football for their win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. After that, Roberts saw action every week, and he became a solid part of the Falcons’ defensive line rotation. 

He would play in five games over the course of the season (one start, against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8), finishing with 1.0 sacks, 18 combined tackles, and one tackle for a loss. However, he was placed on the injured reserve after picking up a lower-body injury in the Falcons’ Week 10 loss in Germany to the Colts. The defender played just four defensive snaps in that game, picking up an assisted tackle, before leaving the game. 

He would be designated to return on December 26th, but he would never be activated for a game and ended up missing the remainder of the season. 

Roberts, a former sixth-round pick in 2022 by the New England Patriots, stands as a 6-foot-5, 295-pound defensive lineman. He spent two seasons with the Patriots before being waived last summer. He was later picked up by the Panthers, where he appeared in three games in 2024, but was cut from their roster before he was picked up in Atlanta. 

New general manager Ian Cunningham and the rest of the Falcons’ front office are piecing together their team for the 2026 season. That process has to start with decisions on who stays and who goes from their current roster. This is one of many moves that this new-look group will need to make. 

Earlier on Thursday, it was reported that wide receiver Darnell Mooney would be released. He will join wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and quarterback Kirk Cousins as Falcons on the free agency market next week.