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The Atlanta Falcons are moving on from defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, the team announced on Tuesday, October 25.
ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, who followed Atlanta all through training camp noted that it was no surprise as Davidson was a candidate on the roster bubble and “nowhere near a 53-man lock.”
The Falcons also released linebacker Jordan Brailford and signed cornerback Thakarius Keyes to the practice squad.
Marlon’s NFL Career Has Been Riddled With Injuries
While still under Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff, Atlanta drafted Davidson in the second round (47th overall) during the 2020 NFL Draft.
He had the chance to go pro a year prior during his junior year in 2019, instead, he stayed true to the Alburn Tigers and stuck around for one last ride. He also had to fulfill his promise to his mother and get his college degree.
In his last season at Auburn, Davidson recorded 12.5 tackles for loss and was the team’s sack leader with 7.5 along with 48 tackles and two fumbles.
The four-year starter was nothing but reliable and consistent.
At the time he was drafted, Davidson was deemed the “most savage” player to come out of the 2020 class. And his comments post-draft had fans believing they were getting a monster on the d-line.
“What I love most about the game? Most about the game…this is true now, this is true,” Davidson said in 2020.” I love most about the game is that I can literally go out there and hit a man consistently and pound him, and the police not come. That is the most enjoyable moment about the ball—to go out there and just really abuse somebody. And they won’t say nothing about it in the press, anything. I ain’t on no headlines or handcuffs, no bullet shots, no nothing. I’m out there just physically abusing a man.”
Unfortunately, his “savageness” didn’t carry over at the next level as injuries and COVID-19 limited Davidson’s rookie year to only eight games and 132 snaps.
Fast forward to 2021 under a new coaching staff, the hope then was that a healthy Marlon would be able to join forces with top defender Grady Jarrett in Dean Pees’ 3-4 scheme. But that ended up not being the case as more injuries and COVID-19, once again, derailed Davidson’s second season in the league. He played just 270 snaps through 11 games last fall.
And before his third year even kicked off, Marlon landed on injured reserve before the season even started.
Davidson has logged just a single sack and one interception this far into his career.
Falcons Sign Cornerback Help
In other news, the Falcons added some much-needed depth to their secondary by signing Thakarius, “BoPete” Keyes to their practice squad.
Keyes, 24, initially entered the league with the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2020 draft (No. 237 overall). He was waived by KC following his rookie year and then picked up by the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent most of the 2021 season before making a short stint with the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears.
Most recently, Keyes was with the Houston Texans.
Through 12 appearances and one NFL start, the former Tulane defensive back has tallied nine tackles.
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