The Atlanta Falcons have entered Year 2 of the Raheem Morris era. After dropping six of their last eight games to end last season, they are hoping things change for the better in 2025 and are using training camp as the place to sharpen their craft before the ball starts rolling next month.
This is the time when guys start to separate themselves from the pack while others fall back. Multiple players are playing their final season in Atlanta, and linebacker Troy Andersen is one of them.
Falcons LB Troy Andersen Entering Last Season with the Team
Andersen was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Falcons. After appearing in all 17 games as a rookie, he has dealt with several injuries. In 2023, he missed 15 games after he had a torn pectoral muscle. Things didn't get much better in 2024 either, as he only played in seven games before landing on IR due to a knee injury.
That same knee issue has prompted Andersen to start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. While he can be activated anytime this summer, missing these practice reps on top of suiting up for OTAs and minicamp isn't ideal.
Andersen is going into the last year of his rookie contract, but in the last two seasons, he has failed to stay healthy. This offseason, the Falcons signed Divine Deablo to a two-year, $14 million contract, adding more speed and athleticism to the second level. Atlanta already has Kaden Elliss in the fold at LB as well.
The Falcons probably know they can't rely on Andersen to play an entire season based on how things have gone down between 2023-2024. Atlanta used the 58th overall pick on Andersen and hoped they were getting a menace in the middle of the field. Instead, they have just gotten an injury-prone player.
Although general manager Terry Fontenot drafted Andersen, Morris wasn't around when he was selected. He'll need to prove it to the coaching staff, but considering they added Deablo to the team shows how they view Anderson at the moment.
The Montana State product will need to step back on the field sooner rather than later if he wants to carve out a role for himself. Regardless, it's hard to see him getting a second deal with the Falcons, especially with him being hurt for the third straight season.