Falcons Interested In Signing Veteran Linebacker: 3 Free Agent Options For Atlanta

The Falcons could add some experience to their linebacker room.

Jeremy Brener | May 11, 2022

While the Atlanta Falcons added a linebacker in the NFL Draft, the team could still use some more reinforcements.

Troy Andersen

Troy Andersen

Troy Andersen

The team has hosted veterans after the draft and whether it's a move to add to the depth or replace Deion Jones, who could save a lot of money if traded after June 1.

Here's a look at three players Atlanta could sign to fill the need:

Dont'a Hightower

Hightower spent a decade with the New England Patriots, but finds himself a free agent leading into the summer.

There probably isn't a veteran out there that can play effective football without as much experience as Hightower.

Last season, Hightower recorded 64 tackles in 15 games with the New England Patriots. If he can post similar numbers while also providing veteran leadership, Hightower can be a big boost for the team.

Deion Jones

Nick Kwiatkoski

Kwiatkoski is visiting with a few teams, including the Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders, and won't be a free agent for too much longer.

In fact, Kwiatkoski has two visits scheduled with unknown teams, according to Pro Football Network's Aaron Wilson.

Veteran free agent linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, who has previously visited Falcons, visited his old team, the Raiders, on Monday, and has, possibly, two more visits ahead, per a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 10, 2022

Kwiatkoski's 2021 season ended in a season-ending injury after eight games, so he comes with a little more risk, but if he can get anywhere close to his 2020 production (81 tackles in 12 games), he could be a plus for Atlanta.

Joe Schobert

In 2017, Joe Schobert was a Pro Bowl linebacker after just his second season with an extremely bright future.

But now, the 28-year-old is searching for his fourth team in as many seasons. He's recorded triple-digit tackles for five consecutive seasons and hasn't had a lot of luck going for him. He was cut this March by the Pittsburgh Steelers after they were able to clean nearly $8 million in cap space.

There appears to be a lot of good football left for Schobert, so signing him in Atlanta could be the best move for him going forward.

Published May 11, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.