The Falcons will not be re-signing guard Ben Garland this offseason, according to a report by D. Orlando Ledbetter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Garland had signed a tender worth just under $3 million to play for Atlanta last season. He’s now one of several players who are about to become free agents.
Garland got his start playing at the Air Force. He broke into the NFL in 2012, signing with the Broncos as a practice squad player. His first game didn’t come until two years later, though. After eight games and no starts in Denver, he left.
The Falcons first added him to their practice squad in 2015. He worked his way up and played as a backup defensive tackle at first, then switched to guard two seasons ago. In total, Garland played in 46 games for Atlanta, starting seven times.
In related news, the team re-signed Ty Sambrailo to a three-year deal on Tuesday. The Falcons may see him as a guard and potential Garland replacement going forward even though he’s been a swing tackle most of his career. Even still, expect the team to use at least two picks on interior offensive linemen in the upcoming NFL draft.
