How will the Falcons fill the void left by Divine Deablo?

The Falcons struck gold with their free-agent signing of Divine Deablo, even if it seemed like a head-scratcher at the time.

Atlanta appeared set at linebacker entering the season, or so we thought. The position seemed low on the list of needs, and the team wasn’t exactly swimming in cap space after inking Kirk Cousins to a massive deal.

However, the organization clearly had a better understanding of Troy Andersen’s knee injury than anyone on the outside. The issue continues to linger, as Andersen began the year on Injured Reserve with no signs of an imminent return. That opened the door for Deablo, who quickly became one of the Falcons’ most impactful defensive players through the first five games.

Losing him early on Sunday night against the 49ers drastically altered the defense, especially against San Francisco’s rushing attack, which completely took over the game. To make matters worse, it’s since been determined that Deablo suffered a fractured arm and is likely headed to IR, leaving a massive hole in the middle of Atlanta’s defense.

Now would be the perfect time for Andersen to make his return, but that doesn’t appear close. Instead, the next man up is second-year linebacker JD Bertrand out of Notre Dame. Bertrand filled in for Deablo on Sunday, and while there was a noticeable drop-off, he flashed enough to earn another look moving forward.

Still, the responsibility won’t fall solely on Bertrand. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich hinted that several players could rotate depending on the situation.

“As we all know, he’s very unique in the fact that he is — from an athletic profile standpoint — very DB-ish,” Ulbrich said. “From a size standpoint, he’s very linebacker. So, we’re going to replace him with some DBs at times and some linebackers at times.”

DeMarcco Hellams makes a lot of sense as a safety who can slide down into the box, given his physical style of play. Veteran Jordan Fuller — recently designated to return from Injured Reserve — could also see action, with Josh Woods and DeAngelo Malone factoring in as well.

How this group performs, along with Andersen’s recovery timeline, will likely dictate the Falcons’ next move. If Andersen is expected to miss significant time, linebacker suddenly becomes one of Atlanta’s top needs heading into the trade deadline. The Falcons don’t need an All-Pro, but adding someone with starting experience should be a priority.

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