Atlanta Falcons sign former Denver Broncos defensive lineman
By Ikaika Hall
Atlanta Falcons have signed defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported the Atlanta Falcons have signed former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin.
The #Falcons have signed DL Ahtyba Rubin, formerly of the #Seahawks and the #Broncos.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2017
Rubin, originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns before having spent a couple seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and Broncos, has a career total 15 sacks.
The Broncos recently released Rubin, which in turn generated rumors and chatter of his possible signing with the Falcons.
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This is a solid pick-up for Atlanta and provides needed depth to the defensive line, after the Falcons placed lineman Jack Crawford on injured reserve.
Rubin was drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft, the same draft that produced Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
Reliability has been Rubin’s strong suit, as he has been able to stay relatively healthy throughout his career. During his stint with the Seahawks, Rubin played in all 32 regular season games over the span of two seasons, and produced 45 combined tackles and 3 sacks.
If we are comparing Rubin to Crawford, Crawford only recorded one more combined tackled than Rubin did during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
While Atlanta’s defensive line certainly does not lack in talent, last year’s Super Bowl appearance showcased the Falcons need for depth, as defensive linemen eventually hit a wall in the second half of last season’s championship game and could no longer provide impact.
The Falcons made it a point to bring in defensive line depth and the addition of Rubin does just that. And the pick-up could not come at a better time, as the Falcons defensive front will be facing (this Sunday, at 8:30 PM ET) the very team (New England Patriots) that drained them of energy in their last meeting.
It remains to be seen if Rubin will in fact play this Sunday or not, but expect that he will.
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Overall, this is a great pick-up for the Falcons and Rubin should be able to provide immediate impact on the field.