If you check preseason roster projections for the Atlanta Falcons, you will not find the name Sam Roberts anywhere. That’s because until a couple of days before the season opener, Roberts was on a different team. The tall, rangy interior lineman was a member of the Carolina Panthers' practice squad. But apparently, Falcons' GM Terry Fontenot was a fan.
When he decided Atlanta needed additional depth, he signed the four-year veteran away from his division rival and plugged him into the Falcons’ depth chart behind projected starters LaCale London and Ruke Orhorhoro.
It took Roberts a month to work his way onto the field, but eventually, injuries and inconsistencies gave him a chance.