Just a little while ago National Insider for NFL Network and NFL Media Ian Rapoport reported that the Atlanta Falcons are signing Las Vegas Raiders free agent linebacker Divine Deablo to a two-year $14 million dollar deal, and The Morning Shift gave their initial reactions to the signing as the news broke live during their show.
“He just kind of sounds like a middle linebacker basically. He’s kind of that middle linebacker type, and he’s gonna be brought in to kind of add speed where a Nate Landman was.” Beau Morgan said
Mike Johnson jumps in by saying that Deablo “looks like an absolute stud physically”.
Deablo, a safety converted to linebacker, last season had 63 total tackles, 35 solo, 28 assisted, one sack, and two pass deflections. The Raiders’ 2021 third round pick has 288 total tackles, two career sacks, and six total pass deflections in his career, but the more important note is that Divine ran a 4.45 40-yard dash back in the 2021 NFL Combine, and his speed at the linebacker position is something that Beau says the Falcons needed to add this offseason.
“One of the things you had to do this offseason was add speed to your defense in that second level, and Troy Andersen is a guy that has not stayed healthy but he has it. I wouldn’t necessarily describe Kaden Elliss as a speedster, so to me again off the top of my head just seeing what I know about him you’re adding a guy that kind of adds a speed element, that’s part of it, you have to." Beau said
Beau continued by talking about how he doesn't think this signing will impact the Falcons' decision to draft a linebacker in April's draft.
"I don’t think that means that they won’t do it in the draft still. I just think that you’ve added depth and the speed there, it’s not the big move that people kind of have expected or wanted, but this is the move that they’ve made for now, and I’m sure it’s not everything there’s still plenty more to be made.” Beau Morgan said
There were signs that some changes at linebacker were coming after the Falcons decided not to tender linebacker Nate Landman, and the signing of Deablo seems like the corresponding move to that. Beau again mentions Divine bringing the element of speed to the Falcons linebacker room, and explains why Landman not having that speed last hurt the Falcons defensively.
“You needed to add speed to this defense and Nate Landman at times tried to run around blocks and because of that they created huge holes, go stick your nose in there, take that block, try to shed it, and don’t allow that hole to be there for guys to burst through.” Beau said
Atlanta Falcons beat writer for The Athletic also joined the show just moments after reports about the Deablo signing came out, and said he believes the signing is “an indication that the Falcons believe they need to increase their depth at inside linebacker”.
Kendall also makes the point that while the Falcons like Troy Andersen he’s had trouble staying healthy, he also mentions that JD Bertrand has shown promise but is still young and developing, and that Kaden Elliss is really the only real shoe in starter for the Falcons at linebacker right now, and now with the signing of the former Raider Josh believes Divine “will have a chance to compete for a starting job”, but Kendall also points out that this signing is “not exactly a splash move to start the free agency period for the Falcons”.
This signing seems like it’s only the beginning for the Falcons, and with Atlanta still having ways to free up more cap space, and still having more holes to fill, hopefully the Falcons bringing in the former Raiders’ linebacker is just the primer to a busy free agency period for the Falcons.
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