During the 2022 season, Falcons linebacker Troy Andersen played in all 17 games with five starts as a rookie. He began the 2023 season as a full-time starter alongside Kaden Elliss, but injuries in Week 3 ended his campaign prematurely. His replacement, 2022 UDFA Nathan Landman, had an impressive season in Andersen’s absence, accumulating 110 tackles, three forced fumbles, two sacks, and an interception.
As reported by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Andersen is participating in OTAs without any limitations. He expressed feeling good and ready to excel beyond his previous form.
With Landman working with Elliss and the first-team offense, Andersen is adjusting with the second-team unit and rookie JD Bertrand. Despite being a second-round draft pick in 2022, Andersen has the potential to challenge for a starting role, as indicated by Ledbetter listing him as a starter ahead of Landman on the depth chart.
Under new head coach Raheem Morris, the Falcons are transitioning to a 3-4 alignment, providing ample opportunities for Elliss, Andersen, and Landman to contribute. Morris hinted at the possibility of all three players being on the field simultaneously on certain occasions.
“Watching those three guys out there, man, it’s been fun to watch,” Morris commented. “You’re talking about some big humans that can move really quickly and do some special things, particularly with the ball and getting in the way and getting in the way of passing lanes. It is going to be exciting to get them on the field, maybe all at the same time because they have that type of ability that warrants more playtime.”
Elliss, the highest-paid member of the trio, signed a three-year, $21.5MM contract with Atlanta in the previous March. He performed well, tallying 122 tackles and four sacks while ranking as the 20th-best linebacker by Pro Football Focus out of 74 qualifiers in 2023.
Landman also received praise from PFF, finishing as the 28th-best LB. While criticized for his pass coverage, his run defense compensated for it.
Both Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake face the challenge of distributing playing time among their linebackers, with the expected return of Andersen strengthening a defense that ranked 11th in total yardage the previous season. In his two games in 2023, Andersen recorded 19 total tackles, including one TFL, and a half-sack.
