Harold Perkins Jr. is giving the Falcons every reason to expand his role

Garrett Klaus writes that rookie linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. is providing the Atlanta Falcons strong justification to expand his defensive responsibilities. Through his first three career NFL games, the sixth-round pick has earned a 77.0 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranks sixth among qualifying rookies, highlighted by an impressive 80.4 grade in pass coverage.

Atlanta has utilized Perkins primarily on passing downs, logging 75 coverage snaps, 15 as a pass rusher, and only three against the run. While Klaus notes Perkins still needs to improve his run defense to become a full-time option, the author argues that defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has a promising asset whose versatility could yield a significantly larger role moving forward.