Falcons To Sign LB Divine Deablo

Robert Spillane agreed to a deal which will see him depart the Raiders on Monday. Fellow linebacker Divine Deablo is also set to head elsewhere in free agency.

The latter has agreed to a two-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The pact is worth $14MM and will pay out $8MM in the first year, Rapoport adds. After serving as a starter for much of the time spent playing out his rookie contract, Deablo will be expected to do the same in Atlanta.

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Although Pete Carroll retained Patrick Graham and expressed interest in retaining several of the Raiders’ UFAs, Deablo and Spillane join Tre’von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs in leaving. The Raiders have been able to re-sign Adam Butler and Malcolm Koonce, however. The Falcons will now see if Deablo can assimilate into a new system.

A converted safety, Deablo has started 42 career games. He played a regular role for a 2023 Raiders team that snapped a long-running Raiders streak. After 20 straight seasons ranking in the bottom half in scoring defense, the Raiders finished ninth in Graham’s second season in charge. Deablo posted a career-high 106 tackles (for four loss) that season. He has logged a snap rate of at least 75% in each of the past three years, though the former third-round pick saw injury trouble limit him to only eight games in 2022.

Going into his age-27 season, Deablo will join a Falcons team that did not tender Nathan Landman (23 starts since 2023) as an RFA. The Falcons still roster former second-rounder Troy Andersen and versatile LB Kaden Elliss, who came over to join Ryan Nielsen from the Saints in 2023. Atlanta has changed DCs twice since that point, now employing Jeff Ulbrich in that role. Some turnover appears afoot at linebacker, as Deablo’s $7MM AAV would be a bit high to work as a backup or nominal starter who comes off the field in sub-packages.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.