Seeing role players, or complementary pieces, become veterans who follow around stars they have worked side-by-side with over the years isn't anything new in the four major professional sports leagues.
Green Bay Packers fans watched this play out recently with a former draft pick of the franchise packing up and doing his best to latch onto the Aaron Rodgers train as it left Green Bay for good before the 2023 season.
As Packers fans know, Rodgers wore out his welcome in the Big Apple rather quickly as the New York Jets moved on from him following the 2024 season. Now, the future Hall of Fame QB calls the Pittsburgh Steelers his football home. However, the lineman who joined him on his voyage to New York City did not receive an invitation to the Steel City.
Now, he is left with no other options than joining a franchise hoping to claw its way up from being a middle-of-the-pack team that isn't a true threat to make a deep playoff run but is too talented to bottom out and land a top draft pick.
Falcons sign former Jets and Packers center Jake Hanson
— Rise Up Walker (@RiseUpReader) August 10, 2025
Ex-Packers Center Who Followed Aaron Rodgers Lands with the Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons aren't terrible; they just aren't that great either. Being in pro football purgatory, where Atlanta currently resides, is the worst place to be. This is what Hanson is walking into, rather than being in a much more positive potential outlook had he done what was necessary to remain in Green Bay.
Being this late an addition to training camp already places Hanson behind the proverbial 8 ball. The fact that he will be working with a QB who is in the midst of his first training camp as a full-time starter is just another reason why it will be imperative for Hanson to acclimate himself to the Falcons' way of doing things as quickly as possible.
With the way things currently stand, Hanson is listed as third on the depth chart at the right guard position. If things go extremely well for Hanson during camp, he could potentially elevate himself to the primary backup at that position. The fact of the matter is that Chris Lindstrom was taken in the first round for a reason and will remain the starter at RG along the offensive line for as long as the front office sees fit.
As bad as it sounds to have a season where your team wins five or fewer games, there is at least some upside potential from whatever may come out of the draft. When you go 8-9, like the Falcons did last season, you find yourself hoping a player you are intrigued by falls down the draft order and into your lap.
We'll find out soon what it all means for the former Packers offensive lineman.