Falcons Linked to Rams LB Christian Rozeboom in Free Agency
When Raheem Morris assembled his staff after becoming the Atlanta Falcons' head coach, he did so with a prevalence on bringing Los Angeles Rams coaches with him.
Could Morris do similar things in free agency?
The Falcons boast $37.2 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, and have roughly 30 roster spots to fill, with a starting quarterback being the most prominent.
Morris won't find a signal caller from Los Angeles, but there are several options from the group he led as defensive coordinator last season.
Among them is linebacker Christian Rozeboom, who was untendered and will hit the open market - and according to The Athletic, Rozeboom could be in play for the Falcons.
"His situation is worth watching with former Rams coaches," The Athletic writes.
Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom (56) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta's staff includes Morris and seven former Rams assistants, plus others in the strength department. The Falcons' new defensive coordinator, Jimmy Lake, spent last season as the Rams' associate head coach.
The 27-year-old Rozeboom played in 17 games for the Rams last season, drawing five starts. He finished with 79 tackles, four passes defended, two tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback hits.
An undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State in 2020, Rozeboom spent his rookie season on the Rams' practice squad.
He was waived after training camp the following year and subsequently joined the Kansas City Chiefs, making his NFL debut in Week 7.
Los Angeles nabbed him from Kansas City's practice squad just over one week later, and he emerged into a solid special teams asset over the following two and a half years.
Morris and the Rams re-signed Rozeboom to a one-year contract last offseason and he responded with a career-best season.
Atlanta has a strong trio of linebackers, with Kaden Elliss, Troy Andersen and Nate Landman all set to return - but there's a question mark beyond them.
And while Rozeboom isn't a flashy name, his experience with Morris and ability to contribute both on special teams and in pass coverage could make him the answer as the No. 4 linebacker.
The legal tampering period opens Monday, March 11, while free agency begins at 4 p.m. March 13.
