Azeez Ojulari was supposed to be the foundational piece of the New York Giants' pass rush for the next decade-plus, but after the 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up, his professional career immediately went on life support.
Once the pride of Big Blue -- after leading the team in sacks as a rookie -- Ojulari now finds himself as a footnote in an overcrowded Atlanta Falcons pass-rushing room. The former Georgia standout is quickly learning that in the NFL, homecoming stories rarely have fairy-tale endings.
The fall from grace has been swift and brutal for the 2021 second-round pick. After a disappointing and injury-riddled 2025 campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles, the 25-year-old limped into free agency and settled for a low-cost deal in Atlanta. While he might've held out a sliver of hope that he could rediscover his 2021 form in his home state, the Falcons' front office clearly had other plans, treating his arrival as nothing more than a training camp tryout.
Any optimism surrounding Ojulari’s role in Atlanta was effectively extinguished by the Falcons' aggressive commitment to younger, more explosive talent. Atlanta has spent the last two years building a defensive fortress that likely has no room for a veteran with a mounting injury history. For a player who once represented the future of the Giants' defense, the reality of the numbers game has never been more unforgiving.
Falcons’ crowded pass-rush room leaves Azeez Ojulari on the outside looking in
The insurance policy excuse no longer flies when you look at the sheer volume of talent Atlanta has stacked at the edge. The Falcons entered the offseason already boasting two 2025 first-round picks in James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, both of whom are expected to be the cornerstones of the franchise.
Even with Pearce Jr. facing potential off-field hurdles, the team doubled down by signing Samson Ebukam and Cameron Thomas in free agency, too, essentially blocking Ojulari's path to any sort of playing time... or roster spot.
The final nail in the coffin arrived during the 2026 Draft. By selecting LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr. in the sixth round (215th pick), the Falcons signaled they would rather work with a high-upside rookie than rely on Ojulari’s availability. Perkins Jr. brings the kind of twitchy athleticism the 50th overall pick hasn't consistently shown since his days at MetLife Stadium.
For the Giants, seeing Ojulari in this position is a brutal reminder of what could have been. He was a bright spot in a dark era of Giants football, but after a nothing burger in Philly and a crowded depth chart in Atlanta, his comeback bid is officially on life support.
If he can't beat out a sixth-round rookie and a host of veteran journeymen this summer, his time in the NFL could be reaching a premature end.
Add us as a preferred source on Google