Falcons Bolster Linebacker Depth, Waive Undrafted Rookie Punter

The Atlanta Falcons signed former undrafted linebacker Storey Jackson and waived punter Ryan Sanborn.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falconsaddressed their linebacker depth with the addition of Storey Jackson on Wednesday. To do so, the Falcons parted ways with backup punter.

The Falcons announced the signing of Jackson, who was an undrafted free agent in 2022. He played one game for the Cleveland Browns during his rookie season and didn't dress for a game last year.

In a corresponding move, the Falcons also announced waiving their undrafted rookie punter Ryan Sanborn.

Jackson signed with the Dallas Cowboys after going undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft. He played for three different schools during his college career, the last of which was Libery during his senior season.

At Liberty in 2021,Jackson posted102 total tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. He also had 3 pass defenses and 1 interception.

The Cowboys released Jackson as part of their final roster cuts before the 2022 season. He joined the Browns practice squad in the middle of December of that year.

For the Browns, Jackson played in the season finale of the 2022 season when the team had already been eliminted from playoff contention.He appearedon special teams for 15 snaps but didn't play on defense.

Last year, the Browns waived Jackson on May 15. He had remained an NFL free agent until signing with the Falcons on Wednesday. But Jackson played the 2023 XFL season with the Arlington Renegades.

Jackson will be part of a group that includes six other inside linebackers with the Falcons. Joining the roster this late in training camp, Jackson's most realistic goal is likely to make the team's practice squad after training camp.

To solidify their linebacker depth, the Falcons moved on from their two punter setup. This summer, Sanborn sat behind Bradley Pinion on Atlanta's depth chart.

Pinion has served as the Falcons punter and kickoff specialist the past two seasons. But the 30-year-old has nine years of NFL experience and wasn't really in danger of losing his job.

Sanborn punted in college for Texas.