Falcons sign WR Anthony Dablé to a reserve/futures contract

The Falcons announced Thursday that they have signed wide receiver Anthony Dablé to a reserve/futures contract. Dablé, 28, is a French-American player who signed a multiyear deal with the Giants last February, but was cut as the team trimmed its roster down to 53 players.

Dablé’s most notable attribute is his size. At 6’4 and 224 pounds, he’d make a formidable presence on the field.

The other thing that’s interesting about Dablé is that he became aware of American football by playing NFL Quarterback Club on Nintendo 64. He then expanded his understanding of the game by watching YouTube clips.

Dablé spent several seasons playing professional football in Germany and France, and he was actually discovered by former Falcon Osi Umenyiora, who found clips of Dablé’s highlights on YouTube.

A reserve/futures contract is essentially a contract for next season. Dablé is not a part of the team now, and he won’t be joining the team until this offseason. A reserve/futures contract is typically for the league minimum for veterans and based on the player’s tenure and experience.

Players who were on the team’s active roster in the previous season are not eligible for reserve/futures contracts. Practice squad players, however, are. These players will be incorporated onto the team’s roster when the new league year begins.

Dablé has an outside shot at locking up a roster spot, depending on the other moves the Falcons make this offseason and, of course, how he performs. He’s definitely someone to keep an eye on this spring.