Falcons Lose Third Player, This Time to Packers

The Atlanta Falcons lost their third practice squad player in a 10-day timespan, as the Green Bay Packers signed tight end John FitzPatrick on Thursday.

The Green Bay Packers signed tight end John FitzPatrick off the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad Thursday. / Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons' practice squad has been a hot target for teams around the NFL, and the Green Bay Packers are the latest to capitalize on Atlanta's organizational depth.

Tight end John FitzPatrick has been signed by the Packers off the Falcons' practice squad, according to ESPN. FitzPatrick is Atlanta's third practice squad player to be poached by another team since the calendar flipped to October.

The Falcons saw sixth-round rookie defensive tackle Zion Logue get signed by the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 1, while the Cincinnati Bengals nabbed offensive lineman Andrew Stueber on Oct. 7.

FitzPatrick, who played at the University of Georgia from 2018-2021, has been with the Falcons since 2022. He was a sixth-round draft pick who missed the entirety of his rookie season with an undisclosed injury believed to be related to the surgeries he had on both feet earlier in the year.

After making the Falcons' active roster out of camp in 2023, FitzPatrick played in nine games. He hauled in his lone target, making a 12-yard catch against the New Orleans Saints in Week 18. It proved to be the Atlanta native's final regular season appearance for his hometown team -- at least for this stint.

At 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, FitzPatrick is known for his blocking and special teams prowess. He made three tackles on punt and kick coverage last season.

The Falcons have three tight ends on their active roster -- Kyle Pitts, Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley -- and one on their practice squad in Armani Rogers, a former collegiate quarterback who was picked up Monday.

Atlanta (3-2) returns to action at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, when it takes on the Carolina Panthers (1-4) inside Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.