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Arnold Ebiketie

Falcons Sign Round 2 OLB Arnold Ebiketie

July 13th, 2022 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

A handful of second-round picks have not signed their rookie contracts, with Texans decisions on guarantees believed to be holding up early-second-round draftees’ contract agreements. One of those players, Falcons linebacker Arnold Ebiketie, finalized his deal Wednesday.

The Falcons now have Ebiketie, this year’s No. 38 overall pick, signed through 2025. Desmond Ridder is now the only unsigned Falcons rookie. Fewer than 25 draft choices have yet to sign their rookie deals.

Ebiketie is slated to be an edge rusher for the Falcons, who have retooled on the edge this offseason. Ebiketie and third-rounder DeAngelo Malone join Georgia native Lorenzo Carter — a former Giants third-round pick — as new additions to the group this offseason.

Ebiketie is not a lock to start for the Falcons in Week 1, but his draft slot and the team’s lack of impact players on the edge would make such a reality unsurprising. As the new Falcons regime’s top edge investment thus far, Ebiketie should be a full-time player at some point during his rookie season.

A Temple recruit who later transferred to Penn State, Ebiketie broke out as a senior in 2021. He registered 9.5 sacks (third in the Big Ten) and 18 tackles for loss, helping the Nittany Lions rank seventh in Division I-FBS scoring defense. Ebiketie recorded two sacks against College Football Playoff-bound Michigan and notched at least one TFL in all but one game last season.

Latest On Falcons’ Edge Rush Competition

July 2nd, 2022 at 3:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Improving the pass rush was an obvious priority for the Falcons this offseason, given their performance in that department in 2021. A number of changes have taken place as a result, but one of the starting roles might not already be spoken for to the extent many may have thought. 

In a breakdown of the position group, team reporter Scott Bair names Arnold Ebiketie as the most logical candidate to see first-team reps. The No. 38 overall pick in this year’s draft, he showcased his ability to be a disruptive edge rusher in college, especially during his time at Penn State. In 2021, the 23-year-old ranked third in the Big Ten with 9.5 sacks, more than half of the Falcons’ total (18) during the NFL campaign.

That has led many to believe Ebiketie can be an immediate impact player as a rookie. The free agent departures of Dante Fowler and Steven Means certainly opens up the possibility of a three-down role for the former Nittany Lion early in his career. However, Bair cautions that Ebiketie will face competition for a starting role alongside, in all likelihood, former Giant Lorenzo Carter.

Atlanta has Adetokunbo Ogundeji in contention for a larger workload in 2022. The former fifth-rounder played nearly half of the team’s defensive snaps as a rookie, registering 11 starts. He totalled just one sack along the way, but, as Bair notes, impressed the coaching staff with his potential. Another young option for snaps is DeAngelo Malone, whom the Falcons drafted one round after selecting Ebiketie. The Western Kentucky alum totalled 32.5 sacks during his college career, which could set him up for at least third down work as a rookie.

With several new faces in the edge group, the Falcons face a number of questions relating to their pass-rushing ability heading into 2022. The way in which the depth chart is ordered through training camp competition will be worth watching in the build-up to the campaign.

NFC Rumors: Jenkins, Eagles, Seahawks, Rams

May 22nd, 2022 at 9:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Offensive lineman Teven Jenkins was taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft last year by the Chicago Bears, but only got a small portion of his rookie season to earn a spot on the line. Well, according to Adam Jahns of The Athletic, the new Bears’ staff is giving him the best chance, alongside fellow 2021 Draft pick Larry Borom, to start at right or left tackle.

Jenkins underwent back surgery in the preseason last year and was placed on injured reserve. He returned and made his debut in early December, playing on special teams. An injury to left tackle Jason Peters opened the door for Jenkins and he subbed in for the next two weeks, returning to a reserve role after that.

New offensive line coach Chris Morgan has been pleasantly surprised by the two second-year players, so far, but remarks that “everything changes once the pads come on.” It appears, though, that, for now, the starting tackle jobs are Jenkins and Borom’s to lose.

Here are some other rumors from around the NFC, starting with a rumor out of the City of Brotherly Love:

  • The Eagles were the franchise that mercifully and excitedly put an end to the slide of presumed first-round pick Nakobe Dean. Dean ended up falling to the third round due to projections about his long-term health. The Eagles could’ve gone another route, though, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Berman says that Philadelphia reportedly had multiple trade offers to move back from the pick they used to select Dean. Due to their significant lack of of Day 3 picks, it would have made all of the sense in the world for them to take one of those teams up on their offers, but, lo and behold, the Eagles stood pat and drafted Dean, a testament to the confidence they have in his addition.
  • The Eagles weren’t the only team looking at the possibility of moving. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, “the Seahawks tried to trade up into the late first round” of the 2022 NFL Draft for Penn State outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie. Like Philadelphia, Seattle stood pat, hoping he may slide to them in the second round. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, Atlanta moved up to select Ebiketie two spots in front of them. Seattle ended up selecting Minnesota outside linebacker Boye Mafe instead. Mafe is no consolation prize but a strong pick in his own regard, having generated first-round buzz before slipping to the front of the second round. Seattle swung and missed on Ebiketie, but they most certainly did not strike out when they landed Mafe.
  • The Rams won Super Bowl LVI despite the losses before the game of tight end Tyler Higbee and safety Jordan Fuller. Fuller suffered an ankle injury in the team’s Week 18 loss to the 49ers and Higbee suffered a knee injury in the NFC Championship game. Both players underwent offseason surgery and, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, are “working their way back up to full football activity.”

Falcons Trade Up To No. 38, Select DE Arnold Ebiketie

April 29th, 2022 at 6:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons have made a move up the board, but not to take one of the remaining quarterbacks. Atlanta is sending picks 43 and 114 to the Giants for No. 38, and are selecting defensive end Arnold Ebiketie.

One of the top remaining edge rushers, Ebiketie’s production took off over the past two seasons, a stretch which included his final year at Temple and his first – and only – at Penn State. After putting up 15.5 sacks with the Owls, he moved up in competition level but remained an effective speed rushing force. He posted 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss in 2021.

Ebiketie will add a much-needed boost to Atlanta’s pass rush. The team ranked dead last in the league in sacks last season, so he should have plenty of playing time right away. If his production translates to the NFL level, he could help the team’s defensive turnaround as they look to rebuild in the post-Matt Ryan era. Meanwhile, a QB still isn’t out of the question for them.