Falcons sign TE Ryan Becker

Ryan Becker was fighting for a roster spot against Parker Hesse and John Raine last August before an injury wound up costing him the entire 2021 season. The Falcons clearly want him to get another shot at carving out a role for himself in Atlanta.

Per the team, Becker is back.

With Hayden Hurst heading to free agency and potentially headed elsewhere, there’s a vacuum on this roster behind Kyle Pitts. The Falcons signed former CFL standout Brayden Lenius to a reserve/future contract in the hopes that he’ll compete for a role at tight end, and they added former 49er Daniel Helm on a reserve/future contract fairly recently. Those two and Becker will be competing with one another and Parker Hesse, who flashed some potential as a blocker and pass catcher, for what’s likely to be 1-2 open spots behind Pitts and a new addition.

Becker’s blocking is his calling card, but he did have moments as a receiving tight end at SMU and is still quite young at just 24 years old. The Falcons might have given him a roster spot had he not gotten hurt, and now he’ll at least get another bite at the apple this spring if he’s healthy. The Falcons could use another compelling pass catching option behind Pitts at the position—maybe it’ll be Lenius—but their signings indicate they’re also looking for a really good blocking tight end to pair with Pitts in two tight end sets. Hesse was able to show he can be that guy if he’s called upon, but Becker could make things interesting this spring and summer.

Welcome Ryan Becker to Atlanta and look forward to what actually might be a pretty interesting battle for backup tight end roster spots.