Falcons Sign USFL Defensive Player of the Year Frank Ginda; Roster Sleeper?

Just one day after a strong defensive performance in Friday night's 19-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the preseason opener, the Atlanta Falcons have continued adding.

According to NFL Network, the Falcons signed linebacker Frank Ginda, the reigning USFL Defensive Player of the Year and single-season all-time leading tackler in the Mountain West Conference.

Ginda, 26, led the USFL in tackles with 104 and added three interceptions and a sack en route to winning defensive player of the week on four occasions while starring in the middle of the Michigan Panthers' defense.

The 6-1, 225-pound had a star-studded college career at San Jose State, capping it off with first-team All-Mountain West honors in 2017 after recording 173 tackles and leading the nation in tackles per game at 13.3.

A native of San Jose, Ca., Ginda arrives in Atlanta with two preseasons of NFL experience, having played with the Dolphins (2018) and New Orleans Saints (2019) before being released. He also went through the entirety of OTAs in 2018 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.

Prior to this past season, Ginda dropped nearly 20 pounds, going from 240 to the low 220s before settling in at 225, the lowest he'd played since high school, and added more speed to his game ... while evidently bolstering his productivity.

The Falcons' defense is coming off a productive outing of its own, racking up five sacks and three interceptions against Miami while not playing starters.

As things stand, Atlanta's linebackers core is set at the top with Kaden Elliss and Troy Andersen, and Mykal Walker has felt like a safe roster bet thus far, but there's plenty of competition still present, with Walker, Nate Landman and Tae Davis seemingly the favorites for the final three spots.

So, for Ginda, the goal becomes translating his success in the USFL to a stellar preseason and, ultimately, a place on Atlanta's 53-man roster ... and if his track record tells anything, he's likely going to be a highly productive presence in the final two exhibition contests, which could give the Falcons a tough decision come deadline day.

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