Falcons sign veteran tight end Luke Stocker

When both Dirk Koetter and Mike Mularkey joined the Falcons, it was obvious and logical to start connecting players who were familiar with them to the Falcons. There was perhaps no more obvious connection to make than Luke Stocker, a blocking tight end who has played for both coaches, and the Falcons have now signed him.

Stocker spent seven years in Tampa Bay and two in Tennessee, overlapping with Koetter (2015-2017) and Mularkey (2017). Like Logan Paulsen before him, he’s a pretty sure-handed receiver who is primarily a blocker, and he’s likely signing on as Atlanta’s nominal #2 tight end and blocking option. His only real competition at the moment is Eric Saubert, who hasn’t been able to seize a larger role through his first two seasons.

Stocker gives the Falcons a quality blocking option with significant familiarity with the offense Koetter is about to install, with the chops to be an asset for what the team hopes will be a resurgent ground game. We’ll see if Saubert can push for a larger role in the passing game, but for the moment I’d expect Stocker to be Austin Hooper’s clear backup and a man with a good-sized role in this offense. It’s a quality signing.