Former Cal LB Kuony Deng Waived by Falcons

Presumably he will try to latch on to a practice squad of some NFL team

Former Cal linebacker Kuony Deng was one of four players waived by the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.

NFL teams needed to reduce their rosters to 80 players by 1 p.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, and Deng was one of the casualties.  

Deng was signed by the Falcons as a free agent after going undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft. He played in both of Atlanta's preseason games, including Monday night's game against New York Jets.  He was on the field for 13 defensive plays and four special-teams plays in Monday's game, but he did not record any tackles.

Deng was trying to make the NFL team as an outside linebacker, but he has had limited experience at the position. He was a starting inside linebacker for Cal for two seasons, but was switched to outside linebacker in his final season of 2021.

His size -- 6-foot-6, 240 pounds -- gave him the look of an outside linebacker, but he played only one full game in 2021 before an ankle injury early in the second game of the season ended his college career. 

The ankle injury required what is known as tight-rope surgery. Deng recorded only one tackle in 2021, and that came after a 2020 season in which Cal played just four games.

Deng could try to latch on with another team, but he is more likely to try to sign onto a team's practice squad.  If the Falcons saw a chance for Deng to develop into an NFL player, they might sign him to their practice squad.

.

Cover photo by Kelley L. Cox, USA TODAY Sports

.

Follow Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport