Atlanta Falcons Make 3 Roster Moves to Help Special Teams & Defense

The Atlanta Falcons have started the clock on the return of special-teams ace Daren Bates while also signing a pair of defensive players to the practice squad.

Bates has been designated to return from IR, with his 21-day window in which to do so starting on Wednesday, December 15.

Also this week, Atlanta added some depth by signing inside linebacker Rashad Smith and cornerback Will Sunderland to the practice squad. Real help from that pair? It's too early to know. But real help from Bates? His track record suggests it could be so.

Bates, 31, was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury back in November and has been sidelined for the last four games. The 5-11, 225-pound Bates has proven himself as a special-teams standout in various stops throughout his career after coming into the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2013, first with the Rams. 

He eventually made his way to Tennessee, making him a sort of "security blanket'' for current Falcons head coach and former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Before joining Atlanta in October, Bates had spent the past four seasons in Tennessee, appearing in 13 games for in 2020 and playing 66 percent of the snaps on special teams.

Also involved in the shuffle this week: The Falcons placed three players, linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee, Quinton Bell and cornerback Cornell Armstrong, on the COVID-19/reserve list on Monday.

Sunderland went undrafted out of Troy in 2020. Smith played at Florida Atlantic and was also a UDFA in 2020. Atlanta is 6-7 and plays at 7-6 San Francisco this weekend.