Falcons sign DT Justin Ellis

Three days into camp, there appears to once again be ambiguity around whether veteran defensive tackle Eddie Goldman is going to play this season. Falcons coach Arthur Smith alluded to that today, saying we might know by tomorrow whether Goldman would retire again.

While it’s not official, the Falcons just made a roster move that would seem to indicate that announcement is coming. As NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported, the team added Justin Elliss, a 10-year veteran interior defensive lineman who would presumably compete for the same nose tackle role Goldman would have been vying for this summer in Atlanta.

Ellis, who is heading in his age 33 season, has played for the Raiders, Ravens, and Giants in his decade-long career. He has been a reliable rotational run stopper over that span, though Pro Football Focus has not been a big fan of his play over the past couple of seasons. He has appeared in all 17 games for the Ravens and Giants over the past two seasons, with nine starts, 40 combined tackles, a handful of pressures and a sack. In Atlanta, he’ll compete with Goldman (if he’s not retiring), Timothy Horne, and others for a role as a reserve on the interior of the line.

We’ll see if anything official comes from the team about Goldman, but for the moment, give Ellis a warm welcome to Atlanta. He figures to make a strong push for a roster spot.