Falcons do not plan to re-sign Kemal Ishmael

Falcons safety/linebacker Kemal Ishmael, a mainstay on special teams, has been told that he will not be re-signed, according to his agent Fred Lyles.

Ishmael, 28, who was selected in the seventh round (243rd overall) of the 2013 NFL draft out of Central Florida, has played in 95 NFL games and made 23 starts.

Ishmael, 6-foot and 206 pounds, started three games last season.

Ishmael was drafted as safety and moved to linebacker in coach Dan Quinn’s second season with the team in 2016.

He cracked the starting lineup in 2014 and started 10 games, playing in 14. He finished that season with four interceptions and appeared on his way to being a regular starter.

But after the coaching change, Ishmael was moved to linebacker and kept making the roster as a backup and a key special-teams player. He was moved back to safety when J.J. Wilcox suffered a season-ending knee injury early in training camp last season.

Credit: Michael Reaves

Credit: Michael Reaves

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Credit: AP