ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Falcons have reached a contract agreement with free agent linebacker Lofa Tatupu.

Tatupu sat out all of last season while recovering from double knee surgeries. Atlanta worked him out Friday morning and struck the deal Saturday afternoon.

New Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan coached against Tatupu for several years in the NFC West, when Tatupu was Seattle’s middle linebacker and Nolan was San Francisco’s head coach.

The Falcons have a void at inside linebacker with Curtis Lofton appearing poised to test the free agent waters. Tatupu could end up competing for that spot with 2011 third-round pick Akeem Dent.