The Atlanta Falcons made a splash a few weeks ago when they added two Pro Bowlers in a 24-hour span. General manager Terry Fontneot swung a trade with the Patriots for outside linebacker Matthew Judon before signing free-agent safety Justin Simmons.
The Falcons unsurprisingly listed Judon and Simmons as starters on their depth chart for Sunday’s season opener against the Steelers. Simmons will replace Richie Grant in the secondary, forming a dynamic duo with Jessie Bates III.
Grant was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft out of UCF, starting 32 games for Atlanta over the last two seasons. Head coach Raheem Morris said the 26-year-old will still have a role on defense, but it won’t be as the starter next to Bates.
Simmons replacing Grant in the lineup was expected, but most assumed Judon would take Lorenzo Carter’s job at outside linebacker. However, it was former second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie that Judon replaced on the Falcons’ depth chart for Week 1.
Ebiketie finished third on the team with six sacks last season, but it’s important to note that he did so in a limited role. Despite the Falcons consistently listing him as the starter in 2023, Ebiketie played just 34 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, a drop off from the 49 percent he played as a rookie.
Since Carter is a more versatile linebacker, perhaps the team feels he would be a better fit in Jimmy Lake’s base defense. Ebiketie is more of a pure pass-rusher and has a similar skill set to Judon. Regardless of where he’s listed on the depth chart in Week 1, Ebiketie is sure to play a major role on defense throughout the season.
Sunday’s game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Falcons are currently 3.5-point favorites over the Steelers.
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