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The 345-pound Paul Soliai appeared to strain his calf twice during Sunday's win against the Carolina Panthers. There was hope he could return, but Soliai will finish the year on injured reserve. The Falcons added a tight end in a corresponding move.
Falcons place DT Paul Soliai on injured reserve and add TE DJ Tialavea to the active roster: https://t.co/5t6n4kLE24 pic.twitter.com/8E7CL6OVyR
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) December 29, 2015
The loss will hurt for Atlanta's last game of the year. However, with the Falcons eliminated from the playoffs, this is the correct move. While his 22 tackles does not look particularly impressive, Pro Football Focus had him just outside of the top 10 in pass rushing for a defensive tackle.
The team may want to see what Tialavea has before entering the season. The undrafted tight end out of Utah State has decent size, but has not played in any pro games.
Tialavea, 6-4, 260 pounds, was originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as a college free agent out of Utah State in 2014. He was also a member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad last season. Tialavea spent time with the Falcons during training camp and the preseason, and he has been a member of the practice squad since Week 12.
Undrafted DT Joey Mbu is a likely recipient for more snaps with Soliai gone. He has flashed in limited snaps this season, and can prove a lot with a big game entering the offseason.