The QB competition has dominated the headlines, but the Atlanta Falcons have countless position battles on their hands. Kevin Stefanski is making it clear that once training camp begins, nothing is earned, and that if you want a roster spot or a meaningful role on this team, you will have to earn it.
One of the biggest burning questions surrounding the Falcons is about who will be their second starting inside linebacker next to Divine Deablo. And right now, it seems like free agent acquisition Christian Harris is the runaway favorite to start the season as Atlanta's second starting linebacker.
Harris worked next to Deablo with the first-team defense during OTAs, and the same thing happened during mandatory minicamp. That's not general happenstance. That's a pattern. Right now, the LB2 job is his to lose, but a lot can change as the offseason continues and training camp starts in July.
Christian Harris still needs to maintain his grip on the Falcons' LB2 job
Talent has never been the issue with Christian Harris. It's injuries. The 25-year-old appeared in 28 of 34 games across his first two seasons, making 23 starts. However, he missed most of 2024 due to a soft tissue leg injury, and though he was healthy in 2025, he struggled to return to his pre-injury form.
He lost his job to E.J. Speed and Azeez Al-Shaair in Houston, so the Texans felt comfortable letting him leave in free agency. From there, he signed a one-year deal worth a max value of $3 million. For a player who clearly still has untapped potential and had a 100-tackle season in 2023, that's a robbery.
The Dirty Birds love their reclamation projects at the linebacker position (see Deablo), and Jeff Ulbrich has a certain mold of linebacker that he loves: athletic and competitive. And the 2022 third-round and his 4,44 speed is a perfect fit for the sideline-to-sideline range Atlanta needs off the ball.
When healthy, he can obviously be a contributor for this Falcons' defense. He has more to offer than Troy Andersen, JD Bertrand, or Channing Tindall. But Atlanta has rookies Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr., and they're set to push for key roles at LB, especially with Perkins shining at minicamp.
However, Daniels has yet to suit up due to an undisclosed injury and Perkins was a sixth-round draft pick. It's fair to say Tua Tagovailoa's former Alabama teammate has a leg up on both of them, especially if he sustains his level of play into training camp.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but Christian Harris is in the driver's seat to play a key role within the Falcons' linebacker rotation alongside Divine Deablo.
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