Falcons Waive DT Creating Potential Roster Spot for Starter

The Atlanta Falcons appear to be working under the assumption veteran center Ryan Neuzil will start in 2025.

Neuzil has yet to sign his contract tender, but The Athletic's Josh Kendall seemed to imply on social media Saturday morning that it's only a matter of when, not if, that will happen.

Kendall reported Saturday the Falcons released defensive lineman Junior Aho. With a quote tweet of his own post from Friday, Kendall suggested the Falcons could use the new roster opening to finally get Neuzil officially on the team's offseason roster.

The Falcons placed the right-of-first-refusal tender on Neuzil on the first day of NFL free agency. That meant if Neuzil, who was a restricted free agent this offseason, tried to sign with another team, the Falcons would have the opportunity to match or beat the offer.

The tender for Neuzil is worth $3.263 million on a one-year deal.

No other team has offered Neuzil a contract, and over the past two months, the center hasn't been discussed much. It's been widely assumed Neuzil will start in Atlanta.

However, until Neuzil signs his tender, teams can still make the veteran an offer. Nothing will be official with the center and Atlanta until he puts ink on the deal.

Clearly, though, there's a reason Neuzil not signing his contract has become a forgotten fact in Atlanta -- there's no level of concern from the Falcons that it won't happen.

"Definitely feel confident with Neuzil," Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told the media at the Annual League Meeting in Orlando, Fla., at the end of March. "Definitely after getting the sample size that we got a chance to look at when Dalmon was out."

Kendall tweeted Friday that Falcons offensive coach Dwayne Ledford "referred" to Neuzil as the team's starter, further cementing the notion that it will be a huge surprise if Neuzil doesn't sign his tender.

Maybe the Falcons got word he finally will sign, which is why they released Aho.

Aho joined the NFL two years ago as part of the International Player Pathway Program, which aims develop international players in the league. He spent most of the 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings and then 2024 training camp with the Carolina Panthers.

The Falcons added Aho to their practice squad last October and brought him back for 2025 on a reserve/futures contract.

Neuzil started eight games at center, replacing an injured Drew Dalman, for the Falcons last season. He is expected to replace Dalman, who departed in free agency, on a full-time basis in 2025.