It takes a village to replace Divine Deablo, apparently.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich made that clear on Wednesday in remarks to media, when he said a mix of linebackers and defensive backs
will be deployed to fill his role. Part of that is owing to Deablo, a converted safety, having a mix of linebacker and defensive back traits the Falcons coveted this offseason; they don’t really have another player ready to roll who can do everything Deablo does at the level he can do it.
Finding a compelling committee answer is going to matter, because Raheem Morris said Wednesday that Deablo might be hitting injured reserve.
Losing Deablo for any length of time will definitely hurt a resurgent Falcons defense, which scuffled a little bit without him on Sunday night against the 49ers. Deablo’s proven to be so good at reading what opposing offenses are trying to do and getting there to stymie things, helping to paper over a so-so run defense and bolster a strong pass defense.
The options Ulbrich mentioned will likely compete for a bit to establish a pecking order, and will be deployed based on down, distance, and situation. When it’s an obvious run down, JD Bertrand and Josh Woods are more likely to be out there, with Bertrand showing occasional moments of real competence against the run versus San Francisco despite his miscues. Woods had a strong preseason and does have starting NFL experience, but had a tough time in his one extended stint with Arizona in 2023; he’ll likely be playing clear second fiddle to Bertrand for now. On passing downs, meanwhile, Ulbrich will likely roll out DeMarcco Hellams and Jordan Fuller, the team’s duo of backup safeties. Hellams got a little bit of run against the 49ers, and given that he’s operated as the team’s third safety thus far, I imagine he’ll get a longer look than Fuller initially.
Hellams is an intriguing replacement if anyone is going to step into more of a full-time role. He’s an excellent tackler—something he has showed in preseason and on special teams—who held up better in coverage back in 2023 than I anticipated. He doesn’t have the same athletic profile as Deablo and is both three inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter, but his well-balanced game and physicality could make him a player worth experimenting with as a Deablo replacement in an expanded role.
At least at first, though, I’d expect a real mix, with Bertrand and Hellams getting the lion’s share of snaps early on. With any luck, they can be good enough to ensure the loss of Deablo is not a fatal one.
