There is no denying the talent of Troy Andersen; he has shown it on the field, demonstrated in his incredible Player of the Week performance against the Saints last season.
But, talent doesn't matter if you are constantly injured, and that has been the case for Andersen.
The Falcons knew they had to find a backup plan for him this offseason, and they did with Divine Deablo. Turns out, they may have found more than just his backup; they may have found his replacement.
Divine Deablo's emergence this offseason is bad news for Troy Andersen
In an ESPN article featuring each team's biggest surprise, Marc Raimondi picked Divine Deablo because of what he has already shown and the praise Raheem Morris has given him.
"Head coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with Deablo's size (6-foot-3), length and speed. Even more than that, Morris believes Deablo is capable of wearing the green dot as kind of the quarterback of the defense. It sounds like the former Raider has a solid chance at a starting job at inside linebacker alongside Kaden Elliss."Marc Raimondi
That last sentence says it all...
2022's No. 58 pick (a pick acquired in the Julio Jones trade) has not been able to stay on the field. Linebacker is a position you need stability at because they are the quarterback of the defense.
If Andersen continues to be outplayed by a guy on a $1.5 million contract, it could be the end of his time in Atlanta.
Some team out there would value him as a playmaking linebacker. If the Falcons can land a draft pick for him, then they shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
It would be a tough decision to make because Andersen has shown he can be a game-changer. But at what point does that not matter if he can't stay healthy?
It is a difficult question Terry Fontenot has to answer over the coming months.