Dallas Cowboys Host Atlanta Falcons Ex Rashaan Evans for Visit; Signing Coming?
Former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Rashaan Evans is still in pursuit of a permanent home.
After joining the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad briefly last month, the former Falcons linebacker is visiting their NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday.
Last year, Evans played 17 games with the Falcons and was a tackling machine. He had a career-best 149 tackles, a total that ranked top eight in the NFL for the 2022 season, and only missed three on the season.
Still just 27 years old, Evans has the potential to continue improving as he enters what could be the prime years of his career.
Rashaan Evans with the Atlanta Falcons
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Although it's surprising that Evans hasn't found a longterm home yet, it could have something to do with his struggles in pass coverage last year. In 2022, Evans allowed a 112.6 passer rating while in coverage. Although that number is concerning, he's shown that he can perform much better against the pass than he did last season.
Back in 2021, Evans only allowed an 82.2 passer rating when targeted. He may never be considered lockdown in coverage, but considering how he locks up players with his tackles, he can be a valuable depth piece for the Cowboys with their linebacker unit.
Cowboys starting linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, who was taken with the No. 19 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft just three selections before Evans, suffered a neck injury that is set to place him on injured reserve. Signing Evans could allow Defensive Player of the Year Micah Parsons to be more of a pass rusher than a traditional linebacker.
