Falcons trade 2018 fifth round pick for swing tackle Ty Sambrailo

The Falcons have had a long summer to evaluate their options at tackle, and they’ve indicated both through their words and their actions that they find all those options unpalatable. For a Super Bowl contender, terrible tackle depth is a potential major problem when injury strikes, and so the Falcons have gone out and done something about it.

Sambrailo is only 25 years old, has some experience, and is athletic enough to play in this scheme, which are all major points in his favor. On the other hand, Vic Beasley absolutely murdered him last year, and he graded out as one of the worst tackles in football per Pro Football Focus. If you were acquiring him as a starter it’d be bad news, but as depth, he’s young enough to be useful. He’s also under contract through the 2018 season, which gives the team some security at swing tackle for the first time in a while.

Considering the team’s ability to pick up useful players with fifth round picks, I don’t love surrendering that selection in exchange for Sambrailo, but the Falcons felt their backs were against the wall and it’s probably a fair price for a young, cheap tackle who may still have some good football ahead of him.

This leaves Andreas Knappe, Daniel Brunskill, D.J. Tialavea to fight over a practice squad spot or two. It’s not clear whether the Falcons will elect to Austin Pasztor around once he’s healthy now, given that he most certainly won’t be the swing tackle, but Pasztor does have experience at guard. If you could keep Sean Harlow, Pasztor, the loser of the right guard battle, and Sambrailo, you’ve certainly got a better group of reserves than you had a month ago.