Texas Ex Safety Josh Thompson Signs With Atlanta Falcons, Joins RB Bijan Robinson

The Falcons announced on Monday that they will be extending an offer to Josh Thompson after his struggles to find a forever home in the NFL.

Apr 24, 2021; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns White defensive back Josh Thompson (9) before the Orange-White Texas Spring Game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Former Texas Longhorns defensive back and NFL veteran Josh Thompson has signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced in a press release on Monday afternoon.

The Falcons brought on Thompson and cornerback William Hooper to upgrade their special teams unit, in turn releasing wide receiver Austin Mack and running back Robert Burns.

Thompson now joins fellow Longhorn running back Bijan Robinson on the team, who was picked up by the Falcons in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Robinson posted the two on FaceTime on his Instagram, congratulating his former and new teammate Thompson.

Bijan Robinson welcoming fellow Longhorn Josh Thompson to the ATL #HookEm | #Texas

📸: Bijan’s IG page https://t.co/aGaSMFXcnz pic.twitter.com/rybAcLDuux

— Cory Mose (@Cory_Mose) August 12, 2024

Thompson emerged as an undrafted free agent after playing for five seasons at Texas, joining the NFL in 2022 after graduation. He signed his first rookie deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, only seeing participation with the practice squad before being picked up by the Tennessee Titans later in the year. Thompson saw the field six times with the Titans, playing 83 snaps and recording four tackles, all while struggling with a knee injury.

The six-foot, 184-pound safety spent the entire 2023 season without a team and became a free agent again once he was released by the Titans. He had previously signed a reserve contract with the Houston Texans in mid-January of this year, but was released in early April, going the entire summer without a practice squad until he joined the Falcons.

At Texas, Thompson appeared in a total of 45 games with 22 starts for the Longhorns. During his senior season, he had 34 tackles, one tackle for loss, one fumble recovery, one interception returned for a touchdown, one quarterback hurry and two pass breakups. He was invited to the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl and made the preseason watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded annually to the best defensive college football player.

The Falcons hope to see an immediate energy shift with the introduction of Thompson as the secondary for Atlanta has seen various injury scares ahead of its regular schedule, including its No. 3 safety Harrison Hand suffering a season-ending knee injury in the team's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. Thompson can be a critical replacement if he can prove himself worthy of a roster spot by Aug. 27 when the pool of 90 athletes will be made into an exclusive lineup of 53.