Falcons Linebacker JD Bertrand Facing Uncertain Future Ahead of Deadline

Forced into action as a rookie, Former Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand finds himself in a battle for a roster spot in his second year with the Atlanta Falcons.

Forced into action as a rookie, Atlanta Falcons linebacker JD Bertrand is on the roster bubble in his second year. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons are staring down the roster deadline, and they have several difficult decisions looming. Terry Fontenot and this front office have already made one veteran cut that stood out when they announced Morgan Fox was waived on Saturday, but could another one of those be on the way?

Sports Radio 92.9 The Game’s Morning Shift was discussing the potential fit of second-year linebacker JD Bertrand on Monday morning and why he could be on the outside looking in come 4:00 on Tuesday. 

I "think it was a physical overmatch.” – Mike Johnson

“He was drafted to play in a different system… he’s not at all what this DC wants.” – Beau Morgan@squidbilly929, @MPJohnson79 & @AliMacRadio on JD Bertrand's fit in Jeff Ulbrich's Falcons defense.https://t.co/nZrDTT6yyb pic.twitter.com/F9JRLyWrl6

— 92.9 The Game (@929TheGame) August 25, 2025

“The first one that popped off was unfortunately JD Bertrand,” Mike Johnson said. “I just thought he, multiple times throughout the game, looked outmatched.” 

The former fifth-round pick has struggled with a few injuries throughout the summer, but still had an opportunity to earn his spot on the roster on Friday against Dallas. In that game, Johnson said that Bertrand was overmatched physically. He specifically highlighted one opportunity that Bertrand had to make a play, but was stood up before getting into the backfield. 

“They get in a goal line situation and they’re not just going to stand up like they did last year [under Jimmy Lake] and (try to) hold onto these double teams,” he explained. “They’re going to slant and stunt. They stunted away from the linebacker position so that he could go in the backfield and make a play. [Bertrand] got trucked, and the running back ended up in the end zone.” 

Compare that to the play of Josh Woods at the other interior linebacker spot, and there is a real chance that the latter could get the nod in this new defensive scheme. Kaden Elliss and Divine Deablo are the only sure things at inside linebacker for the 53-man roster that gets released Thursday at 4:00 p.m. 

“I thought, at times, he’s looked hesitant,” replied co-host Beau Morgan. “You [Mike Johnson] said overmatched, but there were a couple of times where if he were more aggressive, it might have helped him out.” 

That aggressive mentality is a critical component of playing in the Jeff Ulbrich scheme, but not the one that Bertrand was initially drafted to be a part of. 

“Literally, that’s what JD Bertrand is,” Morgan said. “A casualty of firing a defensive coordinator [after just one year], because he was drafted last season with the mindset of what the other defensive coordinator wanted to do in Jimmy Lake. Because you fire Jimmy Lake, a player [drafted in the fifth round] has a chance to be cut.”  

As of this writing, the Falcons have eight linebackers on the roster. The Falcons kept four linebackers last season. Deablo and Elliss will take up two spots. How they handle the oft-injured Troy Andersen will factor into the future of Bertrand, Woods, and special teams ace DeAngelo Malone. 

With the roster deadline looming, Bertrand could be one of the toughest calls Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris, and Jeff Ulbrich have to make.