Falcons Cut Azeez Ojulari as Roster Deadline Math Strikes Again

The NFL's 53-man roster deadline is a brutal numbers game, and sometimes the math just does not care about your name recognition. ESPN's Marc Raimondi reported Sunday that the Atlanta Falcons have officially cut edge rusher Azeez Ojulari.

Getting waived at the end of August is a tough pill to swallow, but this move feels like the inevitable result of a body that just refuses to cooperate. Ojulari has spent more time on the medical report than the stat sheet over the last few years.

"Marc Raimondi tweeted: 'EDGE Azeez Ojulari did not make the #Falcons 53-man roster.'"

For context, his injury bingo card is completely full. He battled calf troubles in 2022, dealt with hamstring and ankle issues in 2023, and had his 2024 campaign shut down after just 11 games thanks to a toe injury. You cannot rush the passer from the trainer's table.

The Falcons are clearly cleaning house on the margins of their defense. Atlanta just wrapped up their preseason with a 17-12 win over the Miami Dolphins, and head coach Kevin Stefanski is finalizing his rotation for the real games.

This is the kind of transaction that forces a quick adjustment for anyone looking at Atlanta's defensive futures or team prop markets. Without Ojulari in the mix as a rotational pass rusher, the Falcons are putting a lot of pressure on guys like Za'Darius Smith and Samson Ebukam to carry the load off the edge.

Atlanta opens their season on September 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. As for Ojulari, he now hits the open market looking for a team desperate enough for pass-rush help to overlook a medical file that reads like a textbook.