Taniela Tupou is a semi-promising young defensive tackle who spent time with Seattle and drew a little bit of playing time a year ago for Atlanta, so he seemed like a strong bet to duke it out with draft picks, undrafted free agents, and veteran signings to be the team’s last defensive tackle in 2018. Of course, the universe rarely proceeds in a straight line.
Tupou got injured somehow—the designation is vague, and the Falcons aren’t offering any details at the moment—and now he’s being waived by Atlanta. There’s a chance he could sign back up later if he’s healthy, but the timing of this suggests he won’t be back with the Falcons this year.