FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons hosted four veterans for tryouts Friday as they started rookie minicamp and pulled the trigger on signing two of them.
Atlanta agreed to terms with defensive end Bradlee Anae and defensive back Dane Cruikshank on Saturday morning, according to ESPN. The Falcons' roster now sits at 88 players with OTAs set to start Monday.
Anae, a 6-3, 260-pound edge presence, was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round in 2020, playing 11 total games across two seasons. He finished his time with America's Team with two tackles and one quarterback hit to his name.
The 26-year-old hasn't played a regular season snap since leaving Dallas in 2021, though he's been with the New York Jets for the past two years. In 2022, he was on the practice squad, and spent this past season on injured reserve.
Cruikshank offers a more proven track record, as the 6-1, 209-pounder has 54 games and four starts under his belt during his six-year NFL career.
A fifth-round pick in 2018, Cruikshank played in 44 games with four starts in his first four years with the Tennessee Titans before departing for the Chicago Bears once his rookie contract expired.
Cruikshank, 29, saw action in eight games with the Bears in 2022 before being placed on injured reserve. He signed with the Jets in free agency but was released near the end of training camp, ultimately returning to the Titans for a two-game stint.
For his career, the Chino Hills, Calif., native has recorded 66 tackles, two passes defended, one interception and a forced fumble. His best season came in 2021 as a member of the Titans, logging 43 tackles while making each of his four career starts.
The Falcons' rookie minicamp runs through Sunday, where two more veterans - outside linebacker David Anenih and tight end Sean McKeon - will attempt to join Anae and Cruikshank on the team's 90-man roster.
