Garland set to play more on defense
Falcons guard/center Ben Garland has earned more action with the defensive line.
He played four defensive snaps and made one tackle in thee 38-19 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Garland, who played for Air Force from 2006-09, totaled 115 tackles, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks in his 39-game career. He made 34 starts.
Garland also played on the defensive line against Denver and New Orleans. He played three snaps against the Broncos and had a quarterback sack that was nullified by a penalty.
Near the end of training camp, without being asked, Falcons coach Dan Quinn would bring up the fact that Garland, a converted defensive tackle playing offensive guard/center, was performing well.
Garland (6-foot-5 and 308 pounds) is from Grand Junction, Colo., and originally signed with the Broncos. After Denver released him, he was signed to the Falcons’ practice squad and converted to an offensive lineman.
Garland, a former second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, serves as a captain in the Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo., in the offseason.
The Falcons signed Trevor Robinson to help backup starting center Alex Mack and the guards.
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
