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Ryan Watson was a promising Air Force prospect two years ago, having totalled 16 sacks in four years (two years as a starter) in school. That earned him a look from the Arizona Cardinals, but the Department of Defense ruled that Watson needed to serve two years of active duty and blocked him from signing.
Fast forward two years and Watson’s active duty service is nearly up, as it officially ends on Monday. Perhaps the most military-friendly team in the NFL took notice, as you’d expect if you’ve paid any attention to Dan Quinn over the last few seasons, and the Falcons are planning to bring him in for a workout on Monday per multiple reports.
Air Force DE Ryan Watson, whose two years of service is up on Monday, is working out for the #Falcons that day, source said. He was set to sign with the #AZCardinals coming out of college, but the DOD blocked it. He recently did drills at Air Force Pro Day & is back on the radar.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 11, 2019
If the Falcons sign Watson, he’ll likely slot in as the ninth guy on this defensive line at best, competing with the likes of Justin Zimmer, Mike Bennett, and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner for the gig behind Takkarist McKinley, Vic Beasley, Adrian Clayborn, Steven Means, Grady Jarrett, Jack Crawford, Deadrin Senat, and a draft pick. His solid college production, athleticism, and Air Force ties would give him a solid chance of sticking around in that role if he does come aboard, but we’ll have to see what happens next week.