Rashaan

Evans

The Falcons continue to be one of the healthier teams in the league, a trend that carries into their Week 15 showdown with the Raiders. Now chasing the Buccaneers in the NFC South, the Falcons desperately need to handle business against the banged-up Raiders on Monday night.

Evans was a former first-round pick of the Titans back in 2018. Evans played in nine games for the Cowboys last season, totaling nine tackles in limited action, and was with the Falcons in 2022. He’s never lived up to the expectations that made him a first-rounder, but he’ll have a chance to restore his career under Raheem Morris once he gets up to speed. We’ll see if the team opts to elevate him in the coming days.

Evans has been on the Cowboys’ practice squad, getting elevated for gamedays the past few weeks. With LB Leighton Vander Esch out for the season, Evans’ presence will be helpful for the Cowboys defense. The 28-year-old played four seasons with the Titans and one with the Falcons prior to this year, starting in nearly every career game and totaling five sacks and 21 tackles for loss.

Evans is expected to sign with a team after being granted his release. The 27-year-old made 17 starts for Atlanta last year and has 67 career starts in five seasons. Evans had offers from Atlanta and Tennessee before signing with the Eagles.

According to Rapoport, Dean isn’t expected to need surgery on his foot, but he’s out for the foreseeable future and “injured reserve is a possibility.” Dean totaled seven tackles in Week 1’s win and was expected to serve as the team’s starting linebacker this season. The former third-round pick is expected to be back at some time this season, but no timetable has been announced by the team. In a corresponding move, the Eagles signed former first round pick, LB Rashaan Evans, to their practice squad.

Evans, 26, was the 22nd overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Alabama by the Titans but never lived up to his draft pedigree and didn’t receive a second contract in Tennessee. He knows head coach Arthur Smith and DC Dean Pees from their time together with the Titans. Evans is more of an early-down tackling machine.

The Falcons appear to be doing their shopping in the third wave of free agency. Evans, 26, was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Titans but never became a difference-maker at the position and could even be considered a liability. He’s a solid tackler who would likely be limited to early downs wherever he ends up.

Evans started 11 games for the Titans in 2021, but fell out of the linebacker rotation and was a healthy scratch for the Titans playoff loss to the Bengals. Evans was the Titans’ first-round pick in 2018 and is entering just his age-26 season. Despite a disappointing 2021, Pro Football Focus graded Evans as the NFL’s best tackling linebacker in 2020, and 31st overall at the position. Provided the Jaguars don’t break the bank--never a given--Evans looks like a solid risk/reward signing.

Evans, who started 11 games this year, is a healthy scratch. Tennessee will go with LB Jayon Brown in his place while DT Teair Tart (ankle) has been ruled out. Dez Fitzpatrick, OLB Derick Roberson, OL Dillon Radunz, and DL Larrell Murchison are the rest of Tennessee’s inactives.

There are no earth-shattering names in this group. Tennessee’s biggest injury development was Julio Jones landing on injured reserve on Saturday. A.J. Brown is a high-upside WR1 this week.