For Lukas Denis, the decision came down to waiting for another NFL opportunity or returning to a place where he could make an immediate impact. The choice, as he puts it, was simple.

“I’d rather play ball now while I’m still in love with the game,” Denis said. “I just had such a great experience. If I was going to come back, there’s no place I’d rather be than with the Battlehawks.”

The former Boston College standout made his presence known with St. Louis in 2023, notching 37 tackles and two interceptions in 10 games. His effort was enough to get the attention of the Atlanta Falcons, who inked him onto their practice squad for the 2023 NFL season. While he did receive a futures contract and competed through training camp, Denis was let go this past August.

“Being cut after preseason, you’re waiting for an opportunity,” Denis reflected. “You’re staying in shape, optimistic and all that. Then towards the back half of the season, you realize that time is winding down.”

Rather than languish in NFL limbo, Denis decided to come back to St. Louis, where he thinks he’ll be able to let his skills shine in defensive coordinator Donnie Abraham’s versatile defensive system. The style-which combines elements of zone and man-to-man coverages-also seemed to serve Denis well while preparing him for the pros.

“I feel like that’s one thing, we had a lot of dimensions with our defense here in St. Louis,” Denis said. “So the transition straight to Atlanta was somewhat seamless. It’s almost the same terminology, but just a different word, but still the same functionality as a word I’d be using prior in Donnie’s defense.”

Denis emphasized how important it is to be active in professional football: “You really can’t ask for much if you’re not putting active ball on tape. You can’t expect somebody to remember what happened a year ago, two years ago. Realistically, the game moves a lot faster than that and there’s a really high exchange rate in professional sports. You have to keep putting the best film out there.”

The safety joins a talented defensive backfield, one that returns Dravon Askew-Henry, Nico Bolden, Qwynnterrio Cole, and Kam Kelly. He will also reunite with Nate Meadors, who worked through a similar path this past year in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another to add to the roster depth is former Rutgers standout Avery Young, who has experienced the NFL with both San Francisco and Tampa Bay.