The Atlanta Falcons drafted young linebacker Kendal Daniels with the expectations they would likely ask him to play a key role from the jump. In the first two weeks of the season, Daniels got the start as the LB2 next to Divine Deablo, where he showed some elite flashes--especially as a run defender.
Across the first two weeks, the Falcons played Daniels nearly 2/3 of their defensive snaps, while fellow rookie Harold Perkins Jr. got the other third. But in Weeks 3 and 4 while they played from a lead, those numbers flipped, as Perkins got more run since he's the better coverage linebacker of the two.
However, the Week 5 loss to the Ravens saw the pendulum again swing. According to PFF, the fourth-round rookie played 50 snaps (including 13 on the defensive line) to Perkins' 25. But that 2:1 split feels planned, because Jeff Ulbrich was aware of the challenge Derrick Henry and this Baltimore run game would present Atlanta's league-leading run defense in Week 5.
Despite the heartbreaking 30-23 overtime loss, Daniels made the most of his opportunity. He amassed a career-high eight tackles (seven solo), his first career sack, a PBU, and a QB hit. The guy was all over the field, and this comes just days after Ulbrich was raving about his versatility.
The role they're playing No. 53 in feels eerily similar to what the Falcons ask Deablo to do, and that's what we expected. They're both converted safeties with elite athleticism, and given the latter is in a contract year, the Oklahoma product's emergence could be the spark that prompts Atlanta to let him to walk in free agency.
Kendal Daniels' emergence has him looking like Divine Deablo's successor
The Falcons drafted the 23-year-old thinking he would be Deablo's long-term running mate given their similar play, but all of a sudden Daniels looks like his long-term successor--and given Perkins is also impressing, it's not like they can't afford to lose the star LB without a little Divine intevention.
The Dirty Birds signed Deablo to a two-year deal prior to the 2025 season, which means that he'll be a free agent this offseason. And while the idea of extending him has been floated, Ian Cunningham has been incredibly intentional in the way he's wanted to utilize their influx of 2027 cap space.
And let's make this simple. Why pay him if you have two promising linebackers who will still have three more years left on their rookie deals after this season? That doesn't sound like the most financially responsible decision, and that money can instead go to extending someone much harder to replace like Jessie Bates III, while keeping some cash free to make some big signings in free agency.
This isn't to say the 27-year-old isn't important to this Atlanta defense, because he absolutely is, but you can't tell me they didn't draft Kendal Daniels anticipating this could become a possibility. This was the Falcons trying to play three moves ahead by drafting his clone, and right now that decision is paying off as it's offered the avenue to give Daniels the green dot in Year 2.
Kendal Daniels can do all of the things for this defense that Divine Deablo can, and he has some extra versatility as evidenced by what we saw on Sunday, so it's only a matter of time before the baton is passed and he is the face of this defense.
Add us as a preferred source on Google