Ronnie Perkins gets a second chance at a career in the NFL.
The Atlanta Falcons on Monday announced that they signed Perkins, a former defensive end for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Ronnie Perkins signs with Falcons after season in UFL
Perkins played his most recent season earlier this year in the UFL with the Birmingham Stallions. He had 17 tackles and 3.5 sacks in just five games before an injury ended his season early.
Last NFL season, Perkins started things with the Denver Broncos, but was on injured reserve before the Broncos eventually cut him about a month later. He was then on the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad until switching to the UFL.
The New England Patriots selected Perkins in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but even though he was a relatively high draft pick, Perkins still never made the Patriots’ 53-man roster. He spent most of his time in New England on IR.
The Broncos signed Perkins early on during the 2023 season and he made his NFL
debut before getting sent back to the practice squad and eventually waived.
Injuries have hindered Perkins’ entire career, having even spent time on injured reserve during his brief stint in the UFL.
The Falcons will also likely send Perkins to their practice squad, but he’ll at least get a chance to impress. The Falcons’ final preseason game will be against the Dallas Cowboys on Friday.
Perkins was Second-Team All-Big 12 twice at OU before his pro career began. Perkins hasn’t played a full season since his freshman year in 2018. A failed drug test caused him to miss time as a sophomore and junior before he headed to the NFL early.
Read more about OU football