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Atlanta Falcons Find a Body to Put at Linebacker

By Carl Cockerham

Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) and defensive end Michael Johnson (90) run onto the field before the AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals outside linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) and defensive end Michael Johnson (90) run onto the field before the AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Atlanta Falcons need help at the linebacker position so bad, they called A.J. Hawk to help them out. And the two sides came to an agreement Tuesday.

For the Atlanta Falcons, these are desperate times and desperate times call for desperate measures. They simply don’t have enough bodies to make it at the linebacker position. The Falcons already lost Sean Weatherspoon for the season to a torn Achilles.

Paul Worrilow (groin) and rookies De’Vondre Campbell (ankle) and Deion Jones (calf; but played Sunday) all have injuries too. Special teams player LaRoy Reynolds, previously as third-stringer, went for Weatherspoon in Sunday’s win over the Panthers.

The Falcons just need some bodies out there right now as have the No. 30 defense in the league. They are especially bad against the run, giving up a whopping 4.5 yards per carry. But a veteran would be most helpful to their thin linebacking corps at this time.

Their offense, at No. 1 in the NFL right now, is what’s keeping them competitive as they sit at 3-1. The way QB Matt Ryan, WR Julio Jones, and RB Davonta are playing, all they need is an average defense. And at the very least, they’ll get in the playoffs as the NFC South champs.

So the Atlanta have agreed to terms with linebacker A.J. Hawk, who can give them average. Hawk is moving up on a decade past his prime so don’t expect a beast. Hawk’s prime came with the Green Bay Packers, whom he spent nine years with.

He last played in 2015 with the Cincinnati Bengals, recording 24 tackles with one sack in 11 starts. He must be in some kind of shape as he has recently worked out for teams. So while the Falcons aren’t getting that stud from 6-7 years ago, they’re getting something feasible.

That’s all you can ask for in October!

Let’s just hope he can stay healthy.

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