Reduced Role for Atlanta Falcons Linebacker JD Bertrand as Veteran Steps Up

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has one of the more underrated signings for the 2025 NFL Free Agency class: Linebacker Divine Deablo on a 2-year, $14 million deal with $7.7 million guaranteed.

With a cap hit of $9 million in 2026 against $3 million in dead money, Atlanta has flexibility with his contract next year and will most certainly keep him around, and possibly offer him a contract extension.

Devine and new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich have helped transform the Falcons' defense into a top 10 unit this season, but Devine was injured in a Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons went on to give up a season-high 174 yards on the ground with second-year pro JD Bertrand filling in for Deablo.

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The next week, Bertrand was on the field for more snaps (80) than any player, on either team, in Atlanta's embarrassing loss to the Miami Dolphins. He clearly wasn't ready for such an increased role, and last week, he saw his time on the field cut in half.

Bertrand finished the game against the Patriots with 30 defensive snaps, while it was veteran Ronnie Harrison who saw his role increase with 41 snaps.

Head coach Raheem Morris had praise for both players this week, but the Falcons' actions clearly point to a change in personnel.

“Ronnie's playing really well for us," Morris said. "It was the steady process that we talked about last week. I think the first week we went out there and we lost Divine [Deablo], we talked about playing Ronnie, we talked about playing - obviously a little bit of dime, had Jordan Fuller out there. And obviously 4-0 (Bertrand wears #40) went out there.

"We played some really good ball with JD. But, Ronnie has really earned more reps and more role, and it's kind of been increased since he's been here. A lot of credit to Ronnie, a man that's come here with us from training camp and really increased his role from a practice squad player to a special teams player to now being out there with that first-team defense in some situations.

"The way he's playing, it’s going to do nothing else but increase.”

Harrison came into the NFL as a safety, similar to Deablo, who was a safety at Virginia Tech. He's got better range and coverage instincts than Bertrand, and those traits will be needed against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

He spent the last two seasons with the Colts, playing both linebacker and safety... and mostly special teams. He knows some of the challenges that the Falcons' defense faces.

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in yards (895), touchdowns (12), and runs over 20 yards (6). Rookie tight end Tyler Warren is in the conversation for rookie of the year. He's third among all rookies with 518 yards receiving and has added three touchdowns, and he's added a touchdown on the ground.

Deablo isn't eligible to come off Injured Reserve until November 23rd against the New Orleans Saints, but the best the Falcons can hope for in helping to slow down the Colts' big-skill weapons is a player who mimics Deablo in many ways: Ronnie Harrison.