Falcons Sign Ex 49ers & Bucs TE

The Atlanta Falcons season ended with a 30-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Falcons have plenty of business to handle before next season including trying to bring back the NFL's leading tackler Foye Oluokun.

The first bit of business for the Falcons was securing the rights to the players who were on their practice squad. The team announced on Monday they have done that by signing 15 of them to reserve/futures contracts.

UPDATE: And now an addition to the below group, as on Thursday the Falcons signed tight end Daniel Helm to a Reserve/Future contract.

Helm was originally signed by the Los Angeles Chargers following the 2019 NFL Draft out of Duke. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound tight end has appeared in 14 career games with the 49ers and Raiders and has also spent time with the Chiefs and Buccaneers. Helm appeared in nine games with one start for Las Vegas in 2021.

The Falcons also added to players who played in Canada last season, defensive back Dee Alford and tight end Brayden Lenius. Alford was a starting cornerback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Lenius played wide receiver for the BC Lions.

The Falcons used their practice squad to flex players to the active roster regularly during the season. Wide receiver Austin Trammell was one of those players who was on the game-day roster the last two weeks after putting in time on the practice squad.

Linebacker Dorian Etheridge also saw time in seven games in 2021, mostly on special teams. Etheridge was a preseason standout after signing with the Falcons has an undrafted free agent out of Louisville. 

Here is a list of the players the Falcons announced on Tuesday (ahead of the Helm move):

Defensive End, Nick Thurman
Defensive Back, Dee Alford
Defensive Back, Cornell Armstrong
Defensive Back Luther Kirk
Defensive Back Lafayette Pitts
Linebacker, Quinton Bell
Linebacker, Jordan Brailford
Linebacker, Dorian Etheridge
Linebacker, Rashad Smith
Offensive Lineman, Willie Beavers
Offensive Lineman, Ryan Neuzil
Punter, Dom Maggio
Running Back, Caleb Huntley
Tight End, Brayden Lenius
Tight End, John Raine
Wide Receiver, Chad Hansen
Wide Receiver, Austin Trammell