Qadree Ollison released by Atlanta Falcons

Former Pitt running back Qadree Ollison was released by the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, bringing an end to a run with the team that began in 2019. The move was made in order to clear space on the 53-man roster for former Clemson running back Wayne Gallman.

Ollison’s pro career began when the Falcons selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft. However, once he was in Atlanta, he struggled to climb the depth chart and earn playing time. As a result, he came up with just 53 yards on 23 carries over a span of two years with the Falcons. With that said, Ollison did make the most of his early opportunities, as he recorded four touchdowns as a rookie.

The majority of Ollison’s opportunities — and thus, most of his yardage and carries — came in 2019, and in 2020, he was credited with just one carry for three yards. He also played in less than half the games he did as a rookie, as he totaled eight games in 2019 and three in 2020.

Prior to the start of his NFL career, Ollison was part of a devastating one-two punch in the Pitt backfield with Darrin Hall. In 2018, Ollison ran for 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns on 194 carries. Meanwhile, Hall racked up 1,144 yards and 10 touchdowns on 153 carries, giving the team 2,357 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns between the two of them that season.

At this point, it is unclear where Ollison may end up. Many practice squads around the league still have space, and that is most likely the level he will play at in 2021. However, the Falcons have already signed running backs Caleb Huntley and D’Onta Foreman to their practice squad, so it seems that Ollison will most likely be leaving Atlanta.