Falcons Bolster OL Depth, Sign Former Lions Offensive Lineman

The Atlanta Falcons are making another change to their offensive line depth, signing former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal to the practice squad while releasing rookie center James Brockermeyer.

The move gives Atlanta a player with three seasons of NFL experience while opening a spot that had belonged to Brockermeyer, an undrafted rookie who entered the organization with significant college experience.

Sorsdal was selected by the Lions in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of William & Mary. He spent five seasons with the Tribe and started all 46 games he played during his college career. As a senior in 2022, Sorsdal was named a first team All CAA selection and first team FCS All American. He helped William & Mary finish 11 and 2 while ranking third nationally with 265.8 rushing yards per game.

His versatility was also evident before entering the NFL. Sorsdal played tackle, guard and center during pre draft practices, giving him experience across the offensive line. Detroit ultimately selected him with the 152nd overall pick.

Sorsdal appeared in 16 games as a rookie in 2023 and made three starts, including a start at right guard against the Las Vegas Raiders. He has appeared in 17 regular season games during his NFL career.

That experience is now coming to Atlanta as the Falcons look to strengthen their depth behind their starting offensive line.

Brockermeyer arrived in Atlanta with an impressive college résumé of his own.

The Falcons signed him as an undrafted free agent in May after he spent time at three major programs. Brockermeyer began his career at Alabama, transferred to TCU for the 2024 season and then played his final college season at Miami. He appeared in 44 games across those four seasons.

His most extensive starting experience came at TCU, where he started 12 games and earned All Big 12 honorable mention recognition. According to Miami, he allowed just one sack and eight quarterback pressures that season.

Brockermeyer also entered college as one of the nation’s most highly regarded centers. He was a unanimous four star recruit and was ranked as the nation’s top center by ESPN, PrepStar and the 247Sports Composite coming out of high school.

The Falcons appeared to view Brockermeyer as a developmental option at center behind Ryan Neuzil. During the offseason, Atlanta specifically highlighted his experience playing in multiple offensive systems at Alabama, TCU and Miami. He also received an opportunity to work with the starting offense during OTAs when veteran centers were unavailable.

Ultimately, Brockermeyer is the player who loses his practice squad spot as Atlanta brings in Sorsdal.

The move gives the Falcons another experienced offensive lineman who has already played NFL games and has the ability to line up at multiple positions. Sorsdal’s history at tackle and guard could provide Atlanta with additional flexibility as the season progresses.

For Brockermeyer, the release could be a setback after joining Atlanta as an undrafted free agent, but his college résumé and experience at three Power Four programs could give him another opportunity elsewhere.

Atlanta has opted to add an offensive lineman with proven NFL experience to the practice squad.

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