Latest Falcons injury bodes well for free agent signing

The main goal for the Falcons this offseason should be to enter their Week 1 contest against the Buccaneers as healthy as possible, but they could be without one of their former second-round picks, Troy Andersen.

Today is the first day of training camp, and the Falcons have already announced that Andersen was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP). Fortunately, Raheem Morris remains optimistic about his return.

“He is on track,” Morris said. “He’s doing really well. He’s in great spirits and he looks amazing.”

This is not the same as beginning the year on the PUP list, where Andersen wouldn’t be eligible to return until Week 5. Andersen just needs to be activated off PUP by the end of training camp.

This development has several implications. Andersen has struggled to stay healthy since the Falcons drafted him in the second round in 2022. He began the 2024 campaign as the starter next to Kaden Elliss and finally experienced the highly anticipated breakout during the Falcons’ Week 4 win over the Saints, recording a pick-six and 17 total tackles.

Unfortunately, late in that game, he injured his knee, causing him to miss the next four games. Eventually, the Falcons placed him on the injured reserve as the knee injury lingered. That followed a 2023 campaign in which he was expected to take over as the full-time starter but missed nearly all of his season after tearing his pectoral muscle in the first month of the season.

This has been a common theme with Troy Andersen. He flashes when he’s on the field, but that just hasn’t happened consistently, and it’s become increasingly concerning that’s all he’ll be in Atlanta. Now, that isn’t the only notable aspect of this story.

In his place, Divine Deablo will garner plenty of opportunities. The Falcons signed Deablo this offseason, and at least the coaching staff is confident he can be a key piece of this defense.

“I’ve been really pleased with what he’s done, Divine. I’ve been really pleased with the character, really pleased in how he’s fit into our football team,” Morris said earlier this offseason. “I’ve been really pleased how our locker room has accepted him and brought him in and really embraced him.”

I had my reservations about the signing, but with Andersen’s injury history, it made some sense. Now, Deablo will have the chance to prove myself and some other Falcons fans wrong for criticizing the acquisition.