Falcons' Richie Grant: Productive season as starter
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Grant posted 123 tackles (70 solo), seven pass defenses, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 17 appearances during the 2022 campaign.
After a modest rookie season, Grant, a 2021 second-round pick, won the starting free-safety job during training camp and went on to submit his first 100-tackle campaign in 2022. He posted at least five stops in all but one game (Week 7 against Cincinnati) and notched the first two interceptions of his career. Grant has two years remaining on his rookie deal and figures to be a core piece of Atlanta's secondary in 2023.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Ties team high with nine tackles
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Grant posted nine tackles (four solo) and blocked a punt during Sunday's 20-19 win over Arizona.
Grant tied Isaiah Oliver with a team-high nine tackles and blocked a punt in the second quarter, which preluded a five-yard touchdown run from Cordarrelle Patterson. Across 16 games, Grant has accumulated 116 tackles, seven pass defenses and two interceptions while playing nearly every single defensive snap.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Team-high 10 tackles in loss
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Grant posted 10 tackles (seven solo) during Saturday's 17-9 loss to the Ravens.
Grant led the team in stops and notched his third double-digit tackle performance of the campaign. The 2021 second-round pick has yet to miss a game this season, totaling a career-high 107 tackles, seven pass defenses and two interceptions in his first year as a full-time starter.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Nine tackles in loss
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Grant totaled nine tackles (four solo), including one for loss, during Sunday's 19-16 loss to the Steelers.
Grant finished second on the team in stops behind Rashaan Evans (15) and fell one short of his third double-digit tackle performance of the campaign. Across 13 appearances, the second-year safety has totaled 91 tackles, seven pass defenses and two interceptions while playing nearly every defensive snap.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Eight tackles, two pass deflections
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Grant recorded eight tackles (three solo) and two pass deflections in Thursday's 25-15 loss to Carolina.
Grant was busy again Thursday, registering at least eight tackles for the third time this year while also playing a season-high 16 snaps on special teams. Additionally, the safety was able to get a finger on a couple passes, raising his pass-deflection total to seven on the season. Grant has compiled 70 tackles, seven pass deflections and two interceptions while playing in all 10 games this season.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Game-sealing interception
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Grant totaled seven tackles, two pass defenses and one interception during Sunday's 27-23 win over the Seahawks.
Grant sealed the Falcons' first win of the season with an interception in the red zone with under two minutes left. Across three appearances, the safety has 23 tackles (13 solo), three pass defenses and one interception.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Leads team with 10 tackles
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Grant recorded 10 tackles (five solo) and one pass defense during Sunday's 27-26 loss to the Saints.
Grant played all put one defensive snap and recorded a team-high 10 tackles during his first game as a full-time starter. The second-year safety appeared in 16 games as a rookie, totaling 35 tackles, two pass defenses and one forced fumble across 257 defensive snaps, but he's set for an increased role in 2022 after beating out Dean Marlowe and Erik Harris for a starting gig.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Plays 12 snaps in preseason opener
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Grant played 12 defensive snaps but didn't record any counting stats during Friday's preseason loss to the Lions.
Grant drew the start at strong safety and played 12 snaps across two defensive possessions. The 2021 second-round pick appeared in 16 games as a rookie and totaled 35 tackles. He never settled into a starter's role last year, but with Atlanta in the midst of a rebuild, it appears he'll get a shot to seize a starting gig to start 2022.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Not playing Sunday
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Grant (ankle) is inactive for Sunday's contest against the Panthers, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Grant was able to return to practice in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday, but he will ultimately miss his first game of the season. In his absence, Darren Hall and Avery Williams are both candidates for increased snaps in the slot.
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Falcons' Richie Grant: Heading to Peach State
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The Falcons selected Grant in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, 40th overall.
Grant is the second safety off the board, landing in Atlanta after a brief trade back from the 35th pick. Grant (6-foot, 197 pounds) is light and tested unevenly as an athlete (4.57-second 40, 34.5-inch vertical, 129-inch broad jump) but he was a four-year contributor and three-year starter at UCF, where he posted big tackle numbers. His light frame suggests he'll do less work in the box at the NFL level, but wherever he lines up, he'll be on the IDP radar if he can compete for a starting role right away.
