Falcons linebacker Nate Stupar has bounced around the NFL since being drafted in the seventh-round (230th overall) of the 2012 draft by the Oakland Raiders.
Stupar, 26, hopes that he’s found a landing spot with the Atlanta Falcons, who claimed him off waivers on Sunday and added him to the 53-man roster. They released veteran Tim Dobbins.
“We felt like he was going to give us a little bit more flexibility,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said.
Stupar, 6 feet 2, 240 pounds, spent his first season on the practice squads in Oakland and Philadelphia.
“I landed with the 49ers up to the Super Bowl,” he said. “I made the 53 (man roster) the next year and had a great preseason. I played very well in the season and got picked up by the Jaguars.”
He’s just been trying to carve out a niche as a special teams player and a backup linebacker.
“The NFL is crazy,” Stupar said. “You never know what is going to happen. It’s a big business. But my journey has been crazy.”
The Falcons will use him as a backup inside linebacker.
“I’m ready,” he said. “In the last game, they played me the whole game on defense and special teams. I’m in great shape. I’m just excited about what they want me to do here.”
Stupar doesn’t believe that he’ll have a problem learning the defense.
“It’s very similar to the stuff they were doing with the 49ers,” Stupar said. “I really liked that. Their (inside) linebackers were making a lot of plays. I’m real excited to start the season with this team.”
His twitter handle is @TheNastyNate54.
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