Falcons To Sign Cameron Sample

Jalon Walker recently suffered an ACL tear, while DeAngelo Malone will also miss the 2026 season due to injury. Fellow edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is healthy, but Atlanta is anticipating a suspension to begin the campaign in his case. That has left Atlanta in need of new options late in the offseason.

Sample signed with the 49ers in April but he was released last week. That left the former Bengal in line to find a new opportunity, and one has quickly presented itself in Atlanta. Sample is a veteran of 67 combined regular and postseason games in the NFL, all of which have come with Cincinnati.

Pearce and Walker combined to post 16 sacks as rookies last season. Expectations were high in both cases after the year ended, but they will have much less of an impact than the Falcons would have wanted this year. Malone’s contributions have primarily come on special teams to date, although the absence of two key EDGE contributors could have allowed for an increase in defensive playing time had he been healthy.

Instead, the Falcons will approach the season with a pass rush group featuring offseason additions Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari. 2024 third-rounder Bralen Trice has yet to play a game in the regular season, but a healthy stretch on his part could yield notable playing time. In any case, Sample – who managed a pair of sacks and 14 QB pressures last season – should have a strong chance of carving out a role on his new team over the coming weeks.

Atlanta entered Monday with over $35MM in cap space. This Sample signing will no doubt be a one-year pact at or near the veteran minimum, so further roster additions (aimed at boosting the pass rush or otherwise) could still be coming.