Falcons release 2022 second-round pick

Andersen was the 58th overall pick, and his story is a frustrating one. The Falcons bet on his athleticism — a guy who came out of a small town in Montana and went to Montana State, but had ridiculous speed for his size. It was a project pick, one where Atlanta believed they could mold him into one of the premier linebackers in the league.

Over his four years with the team, there were flashes — most notably a 2024 game against the Saints in which he had 16 tackles and a pick-six, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. But he could never stay healthy, and that was ultimately his downfall. Over the last three seasons, he played in just nine games, with a lingering knee injury forcing him to miss the entire 2025 campaign.

Given his rookie contract was up, it was a bit surprising the new regime didn’t cut ties immediately, but they apparently wanted to see what he could provide if he showed up to training camp healthy. He couldn’t, beginning camp on the PUP list, which led to this move.

It really is a disappointing story. Andersen had the talent to carve out a long career, but his body hasn’t been able to hold up, and this very well could be the end of the line for him.