The Atlanta Falcons rebuilt their inside linebacker room this offseason, and one of last year's contributors may not survive the makeover.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton named JD Bertrand the one player the Falcons should cut ahead of the 2026 season, singling out a position group that suddenly runs several bodies deep.
The additions are what put Bertrand's spot in danger.
Atlanta reshaped the middle of its defense over the spring and summer. Moton noted the Falcons added Christian Harris , Channing Tindall and rookies Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. at linebacker, while recently releasing veteran Troy Andersen .
Bertrand's production hasn't done much to protect him.
"JD Bertrand may not survive the Falcons' changes at inside linebacker," Moton wrote, noting the third-year linebacker has recorded just 58 tackles, two for loss, and two pass breakups in 27 games with two starts over two seasons.
With Divine Deablo and Harris atop the depth chart, Atlanta could easily turn its focus toward developing Daniels and Perkins in backup roles, leaving Bertrand on the outside.
There is, however, one thing working in his favor.
"Bertrand has been a core special teamer, which may spare him during final cuts," Moton wrote. "He'll need to fend off Tindall and a couple of rookies who could replace him in that role.
The overhaul traces back to free agency, when the Falcons lost Kaden Elliss and chose to spread that money across a group of veterans and rookies rather than one replacement.
Deablo, signed to a two-year deal in 2025 and will serve as the primary defensive play-caller. Harris, who comes from the Houston Texans , has been the frontrunner to start alongside him after a strong offseason. Behind them, the rookies have flashed.
Daniels and Perkins have taken first-team reps together while Deablo worked through a minor injury, and Perkins arrived as a former LSU standout who looked like a first-round talent before a string of college injuries.
That leaves Bertrand fighting for a job that has narrowed to possibly just special teams. The problem is that the same additions crowding the defense have crowded special teams, too. Tindall was signed largely for that role, Josh Woods is another experienced option, and rookies like Daniels and Perkins bring the kind of athleticism coaches covet on coverage units.
Bertrand isn't without a case. Special-teams reliability carries real value at final cuts, and coaches tend to hold onto players they trust in those roles. Second-year defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's group is also still sorting itself out after taking some hits early on during camp, and a versatile depth piece who knows the locker room can be useful. But the Falcons have more bodies than spots at linebacker right now, and Bertrand's margin for error has shrunk considerably.
If Atlanta keeps him, it will likely be for what he does on special teams, not defense.
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