With Sean Weatherspoon out for the season and Paul Worrilow (groin), De’Vondre Campbell (ankle) and Deion Jones (calf) all injured, the Falcons signed veteran linebacker A.J. Hawk to a one-year contract on Tuesday.
To make room for Hawk, the Falcons released outside linebacker O’Brien Schofield. The team also placed Weatherspoon on injured reserve.
Schofield was signed Sept. 22 after the injuries to Campbell and Worrilow. He played 14 defensive snaps and 38 special teams snaps in games against the Saints and Panthers.
Weatherspoon was injured in the 48-33 win over the Panthers on Sunday.
Hawk, who’s 6-foot-1 and 245 pounds, was the fifth overall pick of the 2006 draft out of Ohio State.
He played weakside and middle linebacker over nine seasons with the Packers. Hawk played with the Bengals last season and started 11 of 16 games.
Hawk, 32, has played in 158 games with 147 starts in the NFL. He has 644 solo tackles and 306 assists over his career.
Hawk also has 20 sacks, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and nine interceptions.
He helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers and was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
In five of his seasons with the Packers, he led the team in tackles.
Also, the Falcons signed punter Michael Palardy to the practice squad and released linebacker David Tull.
Palardy was originally signed by the Oakland Raiders as a undrafted free agent from Tennessee. He was recently with the Cleveland Browns.
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