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The Atlanta Falcons selected three linebackers on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft, and thus far, their second professional season hasn't gone to plan.
Each member of the trio - inside linebacker Troy Andersen (No. 58 overall) and outside linebackers Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone (Nos. 38 and 82, respectively) - has faced different obstacles and largely struggled to overcome them.
Andersen ascended to a starting role on the middle of Atlanta's defense but missed Week 2 with a concussion and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday due to a pectoral injury suffered late in Week 3; he's expected to miss most, if not all, of the season.
Ebiketie was expected to take a step forward as a pass rusher but has provided mixed results, logging a pair of quarterback hits but making only four tackles and failing to register a sack. In last Sunday's 20-6 loss to the Detroit Lions, Ebiketie played just 11 defensive snaps.
And then, there's Malone, who's yet to play a snap on defense and hasn't recorded any statistics across 53 special teams snaps, which is 66 percent of the Falcons' total.
Malone, an Atlanta native, was considered to be an intriguing player this offseason with new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen bringing over schematic principles that presented opportunities for the former Western Kentucky standout to play both in space and as a pass rusher.
But so far, those chance haven't materialized, and Malone's role is firmly in question - but Nielsen remains optimistic about what's to come.
“He’s coming along," Nielsen said. "He’s got a role on special teams. He’s continuing to build - he’s a young player as well. We’ll get him going.”
As a rookie, Malone made 29 tackles with four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a sack across 15 games; he also proved he could drop into zone coverage and play in space.
And so, Malone entered the year firmly equipped to put together a breakout campaign - but he simply hasn't found his way onto the field.
The Falcons have started veteran outside linebacker Bud Dupree in each of the first three games, while Ebiketie and Lorenzo Carter have also seen time off the edge.
In Weeks 1 and 3, Ebiketie played 23 and 16 percent of Atlanta's defensive snaps. In Week 2, he played 62 percent.
Why such a stark difference?
Per Nielsen, it comes down to the game plan, and in those instances, the plan simply didn't unfold in Ebiketie's favor - and the same relative idea is true for Malone.
“Every week is unique until it’s that week," Nielsen said. "So sometimes they’ll get more, sometimes they’ll get less. You’ll see we move guys around all the time. The more important question is, ‘What’s best to help the team win?’ That’s the most important thing, and that’s what our focus is.”
The Falcons (2-1) are off to a good start in that regard, though their pass rush remains suspect. Atlanta ranks No. 30 league-wide with just three sacks but is on pace for 119 quarterback hits after posting only 69 last season.
Can Ebiketie and Malone evolve into consistent contributors and elevate the Falcons' pass rush as many hoped they would upon arrival?
Only time will tell - starting with Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, with kickoff at Wembley Stadium set for 9:30 a.m. EST.
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