The Atlanta Falcons' decision to trade Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars has been met with some negative reception immediate, but I see Atlanta's vision. Orhorhoro has been largely disappointed, but he showed some promise late last season, but this new regime owes him nothing.
With this trade, the Falcons are betting on the upside of Maason Smith. He's younger and bigger than Orhorhoro, and just as versatile, so despite his lack of NFL production, it's not as bad as people are saying, especially when DT is still atop the list of needs to address during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Atlanta is hoping that Nate Ollie can work his magic with Smith, but that's not the real reason they felt comfortable dealing Orhorhoro. He was out-played by LaCale London down the stretch in 2025, so the Dirty Birds likely made this deal to open up some extra playing time for a guy they re-signed.
The Falcons' Ruke Orhorhoro trade is good news for LaCale London
In just 13 games (and five starts) in 2025, the 28-year-old enjoyed a mini-breakout down the stretch. After assuming a larger role in the wake of Zach Harrison's season-ending injury, London took advantage of his expanded role, recording five sacks in that time and cementing his future in Atlanta.
He likely carved out a meaningful role entering a contract year, especially now that Orhorhoro, one of two DTs under contract beyond 2026, is gone. Now Smith and Brandon Dorlus are the only defensive tackles under contract for more than a year, so another big year will continue his positive trajectory.
The Falcons have a pretty clear pecking order at the position. Smith is set to assume Orhorhoro's role as a versatile run defender, with Dorlus, Zach Harrison, and London carrying the load as pass-rushing DTs, while Smith, the nose tackle they will likely draft, and Da'Shawn Hand are the main run defenders.
Harrison is also a free agent after the season, so moving on from the Clemson product could have opened a serious role for London. If he out-plays Harrison or he is traded at some point, he'll be Dorlus' new running mate, and if he sustains his 2025 level of play, he could run away with that job.
London went from being a practice squad guy to being a guy who is on the precipce in being in Atlanta's long-term plans. Trading Orhorhoro is a clear show of faith in him to build on his breakout season, so hopefully Ian Cunningham's assessment hits the nail on the head.
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