The Atlanta Falcons drafted Arnold Ebiketie out of Penn State in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In fact, then-general manager Terry Fontenot believed in him so much that he traded up five spots for him.
His career has been littered with flashes and inconsistencies. We have seen stretches of domination where he looks to finally be turning into a quality pass rusher. But then things fizzle out and he turns into a rotational piece.
That is why the Falcons let him walk in free agency this offseason in order to pick up an extra comp pick. But that may have been a bad idea, as he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and he will inevitably become a contributing member of the 2026 Philadelphia pass-rush.
Arnold Ebiketie will finally prove he could've been a pass-rush leader for the Falcons
After back-to-back six-sack seasons, Ebiketie was looking to turn in a strong season in a contract year. Instead, he finished 2025 with two sacks and 36 tackles -- it was disappointing for a pass rush that broke a franchise record in the sack department.
The Eagles still saw the upside and signed him to a one-year, $4.3 million deal. On the surface, that is a lot of money for a player who had two sacks. But we all know how smart the Eagles are with their roster and their ability to evaluate talent. They signed him because they believe he can be a stud.
Meanwhile, the Falcons' position is riddled in mystery. James Pearce Jr. could be suspended, Jalon Walker is taking on a Kaden Elliss-esque role, and the guys behind them, Samson Ebukam and Azeez Ojulari, didn't exactly turn in stellar 2025 campaigns.
I firmly believe the former Falcon could be a 10-sack rusher for the contending Eagles. He will be surrounded by talent at his position and inside. He will also learn from elite players and coaches about how to create consistency.
Going back to 2024, the former Nittany Lion didn't have a sack in his first eight games. But then he went on a barrage with six sacks in his final nine games. He also racked up nine quarterback hits.
He didn't see nearly as much action this past year, with his snap percentage dropping from 48.8% in 2024 to 34.8%. Maybe the lack of production had to do with a lack of opportunity and rust.
If the Eagles can continue his development and give him more opportunities, the Falcons could be left regretting letting their former No. 38 pick go.
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