In a move that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, Falcons starting linebacker Troy Andersen will begin the season on the PUP list, ruling him out for at least the first four games of the season.
Linebacker Troy Andersen will start the season on the PUP list and could return after the first four games of the season.
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) August 26, 2025
Andersen has been dealing with a knee injury and has not participated at all in training camp or the preseason, and it’s beginning to feel like his time in Atlanta is coming to an end.
For all the potential the former second-round pick has flashed, he hasn’t been able to stay on the field. A torn pec limited him to just two games in 2023, and the same knee injury he’s dealing with currently cost him 10 games last year.
The Falcons decision to sign Divine Deablo in the offseason, which was a head-scratcher at the time, now makes a lot more sense. The former Raider has started in 29 games over the last two seasons and has garnered praise from the coaching staff throughout the offseason.
“I’ve been really pleased with what he’s done, Divine. I’ve been really pleased with the character, really pleased in how he’s fit into our football team,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. “I’ve been really pleased how our locker room has accepted him and brought him in and really embraced him.”
The job appears to be Deablo’s to lose at this point. Who knows when Andersen could work his way back into action, but an injury that has lingered this long is never a promising sign. A very disappointing development, because when Andersen was healthy, he looked like he was capable of becoming one of the better all-around linebackers in the league.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire