FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons signed edge defender Khalid Kareem to the active roster Thursday after officially placing fellow edge rusher DeAngelo Malone on injured reserve.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris indicated the team was going to make this move with Malone on Wednesday. Malone sustained an ankle injury during the fourth quarter of the Falcons' Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday at Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Morris said it was "a big-time injury."
Kareem, meanwhile, has been on the Falcons' practice squad since the initial roster came out in August. He first signed to the practice squad last year but ultimately appeared in two games. He made four tackles, two of which were solo.
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Kareem with a fifth-round pick in 2020. He remained there for two seasons before spending a season apiece with the Colts and the Chicago Bears. In total, Kareem has made one start in 30 game appearances. He has totaled 34 tackles, seven quarterback hits and a sack. He has also forced and recovered a fumble.
Also on Thursday, the Falcons signed cornerback C.J. Henderson to the practice squad. Henderson hasn't been active yet this season but has four years of playing experience on his resume. He has started 32 of the 49 games in which he has appeared since 2020, when he was drafted with No. 9 overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
These transactions were processed in the lead-up to the Falcons' Week 11 rematch with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
