The Atlanta Falcons have been named a possible landing spot for a cheap edge rusher who has barely played for the Philadelphia Eagles, a match that fits the way Atlanta has held its pass rush together without its two best young rushers.
CBS Sports’ Zachary Pereles listed the Falcons as a suitor for A.J. Epenesa before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Philadelphia signed the 28-year-old in June to a one-year, $1.4 million deal after six seasons in Buffalo, then gave him almost nothing to do.
Epenesa has played in three games and logged 23 defensive snaps, about 11% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps. He has no sacks.
“The Eagles added A.J. Epenesa to be a rotational edge piece, but he is only playing 11% of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps so far,” Pereles wrote.
That unused role is the opening. The Falcons are 2-2 and tied for first in the NFC South, but the group that set a franchise record with 57 sacks in 2025 has been rebuilt on the run.
James Pearce Jr., who led Atlanta with 10.5 sacks as a rookie, is serving an eight-game suspension and cannot return until Week 9. Jalon Walker, who had 5.5 sacks as a rookie, tore his ACL in training camp and is out for the year. Those two first-round picks combined for 16 sacks a year ago.
Atlanta leaned on veterans instead. Za’Darius Smith has 2.5 sacks and Cameron Thomas has 1.5. The defense has eight sacks through four games, and opponents have gained only 193 rushing yards — 48.3 a game — at 2.7 yards a carry, the best marks in the league.
Brandon Dorlus, LaCale London and Zach Harrison are the only defensive linemen still on the 53-man roster who were part of last year’s sack record. Most of the rest of that production left in free agency or by trade.
“Atlanta defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has done a tremendous job this season making the most out of a defensive front mostly consisting of journeyman veterans. Perhaps Epenesa could be next,” Pereles wrote.
Epenesa’s Buffalo numbers are the reason a team would bother. He had 19 sacks from 2022 through 2024 and finished 2025 with 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four passes defensed and two interceptions.
CBS Sports also credited him with a 13.6% pressure rate last season. He never started more than 13 games in a year with the Bills and finished with 24 sacks in six seasons, most of them as a reserve.
“If Philadelphia can garner any interest — even a late-round pick swap — for a player not playing much, moving Epenesa could be worth it,” Pereles wrote. “It’s not the most exciting transaction, but contenders are often interested in late-season pass rush help.”
For Atlanta, the cost is the appeal. A late-round swap would not tie up future draft capital, and the contract ends after this season. Epenesa would not have to fix the pass rush. He would give Ulbrich one more experienced body until Pearce is eligible, and a few snaps after that if the fit works.
Philadelphia has already moved a veteran. The Eagles sent center Cam Jurgens to Baltimore this week for draft picks. The deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 10, the day after Week 9.
The Falcons do not need a star on the edge. They need the rush to hold until the player who led it last year is allowed back. Epenesa is available, inexpensive and unused. That is the case.
