Falcons sign free agent Titans LB Rashaan Evans

According to multiple reports, the Atlanta Falcons have officially signed Tennessee Titans free agent linebacker Rashaan Evans to a one-year contract. Evans recently visited the Falcons, and the two sides have now officially reached a deal.

The Falcons were expected to be in the market for a new starting linebacker after Foyesade Oluokun signed a lucrative contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Evans now reunites with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, who spent the first three seasons of Evans’ professional career on Tennessee’s staff, first as their tight end coach, and later as the offensive coordinator. Furthermore, Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees is perhaps even more familiar with Evans than Smith is, having served as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator for two seasons. Evans was a starting linebacker for both of those campaigns, and his playing time didn’t begin to dwindle in Tennessee until after Pees left.

Evans was always expected to depart the Titans in free agency, and it’s now official. Terms of the deal haven’t been released, but it’s likely a relatively low-cost deal given it’s one-year nature, Atlanta’s salary cap situation, and Evans’ recent play and lack of snaps. Titans general manager Jon Robinson traded up in the 2018 NFL Draft in order to select Evans with the 22nd overall pick. It proved to be a mistake. Evans was a healthy scratch in Tennessee’s playoff loss as the likes of David Long Jr. and Zach Cunningham took over the starting gigs at linebacker. Cunningham and Long are returning in 2022, making Evans especially expendable. Third-round sophomore Monty Rice is also in the mix for playing time.

In four career seasons as a Titan, Evans recorded 286 total tackles, eight passes deflected, three sacks, and two interceptions.

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