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Arkesh Ray of Sports Illustrated wrote about one name to watch from today’s round of roster cuts for the Falcons offensive line: former Detroit Lions OT Dan Skipper.
If there’s any team that should be closely monitoring each team’s cut list, it’s the Falcons. They’re not the only team with a glaring hole on their roster, but there’s arguably no position more important than the offensive line.
While Atlanta could still pursue a trade to add some depth, Sports Illustrated‘s Arkesh Ray wrote about one name to watch from today’s round of roster cuts.
Detroit Lions Make Surprise Cut of OT Dan Skipper
I know that Detroit Lions OT Dan Skipper isn’t the first name that comes to mind as a Falcons target. But, as teams finalize their rosters, the big-name options may be few and far between.
Skipper has played seven seasons in the league, but has never started more than five games in a single season. He hasn’t established himself as a consistent starter, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Following his release, the Falcons should at least consider bringing Skipper onto their practice squad. If he could work his way onto the 53-man roster, he could provide some badly-needed depth at offensive tackle.
Unfortunately, he’s probably most well-known for the controversial penalty call that cost Detroit a game against the Dallas Cowboys in 2023. The discussion surrounding the mechanics of reporting to the officials on trick plays led talk shows for days after the loss.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell wears his heart on his sleeve, and that post-game press conference was no exception.
The domino effect from that game may have cost the Lions a home game in the NFC Championship. Unfortunately, they still managed to blow a 24-7 lead by allowing the San Francisco 49ers to score 27 unanswered points in the second half.
While there’s no guarantee they would’ve fared any better at home, it’s always interesting to reflect on the possibilities.
Falcons Could Pursue Skipper for O-Line Depth
At this point in the offseason, the Falcons are more focused on cutting their roster down than bringing in fresh talent. But, they may have no choice except to pursue a recently-released offensive lineman to beef up their lineup.
If the Falcons are looking for a cheap replacement with some experience, Skipper could be a decent back-end option. Skipper has only played 869 career snaps on offense, but he could at least provide Atlanta with depth at a key position.
As for Skipper being a cheap replacement, he’s set for a cap hit of just under $1.2 million this season, according to Spotrac. There are an astounding 218 offensive linemen with higher cap hits in 2025.
While Arkesh Ray discussed the possibility of shuffling LG Matthew Bergeron over to fill in for RT Kaleb McGary, Falcons Senior Reporter Tori McElhaney quelled any rumors of a position change last week.
McElhaney believes that moving Bergeron “creates more issues than it solves,” mainly that it creates a new hole at left guard. She even went as far as to call the idea “a nonstarter.”
“To me, this is a nonstarter,” McElhaney wrote. “It doesn’t do anything for Bergeron’s personal growth, nor does it actually help anything at all. If anything, it inserts too many unknown variables into an already shaky equation.”
As of now, the Falcons haven’t signaled that any external moves are coming. But, I wouldn’t be confident in their current options along the offensive line. So, if they run out of other options, Dan Skipper could be available as a low-cost option.
Trevor Williamson Trevor Williamson joined Heavy Sports as a contributor in May 2025, focusing on the NFL. He is based in the southwest, but is originally from the midwest, where he grew up as a fan of the Bears, Cubs and Bulls surrounded by Packers, Brewers and Bucks fans. He is confident that Caleb Williams is the guy who will bring the Bears back to prominence. More about Trevor Williamson
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