The Atlanta Falcons made their release of safety Jaylinn Hawkins official on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, the Falcons added another safety to the active roster and announced other changes to their practice squad.
The Falcons announced that they have signed safety Micah Abernathy from their practice squad to fill Hawkins’ vacancy on the active roster. The team also signed running back Jacob Saylors and safety Arnold Tarpley III to the practice squad.
The second practice squad spot opened because the New York Giants signed Joshua Miles off Atlanta’s practice squad on Wednesday.
Abernathy has already played in one game for the Falcons this season. Against the Washington Commanders this past Sunday, he recorded 1 tackle on 18 special teams snaps. He didn’t play on defense.
That’s likely the role he will assume on the active roster on a permanent basis. Hawkins didn’t receive much defensive playing time this season because safeties Jessie Bates III and Richie Grant are two of the top three defenders for the Falcons in terms of snaps.
Abernathy played two games for the Green Bay Packers last season. He played 1 snap on defense and 13 on special teams.
Abernathy, who went undrafted last year, is from Atlanta and attended Greater Atlanta Christian.
While Abernathy is Atlanta’s newest secondary depth on the active roster, Saylors will provide depth at running back from the practice squad. Saylors rushed for 3,851 yards and 33 touchdowns with 91 receptions in 51 games at East Tennessee State from 2018-22. He spent the 2023 summer with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tarpley went undrafted in 2018. He made 104 total tackles in three seasons at Vanderbilt.
Saylors and Tarpley have both never appeared in an NFL game.
Miles has played in 17 NFL games but not for the Falcons. He hasn’t appeared on the active roster since 2021 when he was with the Arizona Cardinals.
