Falcons Taking Notice: WR Josh Ali's Strong Offseason
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Josh Ali's versatility and connection with quarterback Desmond Ridder makes him a strong candidate to make the 53-man roster and contribute to the offense and special teams.
This spring, ESPN picked Ali as a surprising player:
"In Atlanta's wide-open receiver room after Drake London, it is an almost-unknown player who has stood out," ESPN writes. "Ali, who was on the practice squad last season after suffering a knee injury late in his college career at Kentucky, worked a bunch in 2022 with Falcons starting quarterback Desmond Ridder. That chemistry has shown, and Ali has gotten work with the veterans, usually a good sign for a player with 14 career snaps and one career target."
After going undrafted in 2022, the second-year wideout spent most of last season on the Falcons practice squad. However, Ali had the opportunity to play over the final two weeks of the regular against the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ali's connection with Ridder on the scout-team last season has translated into significant catches this offseason.
"Any of those times that you have guys that you're together through a long period of time, whether it's rookie year (or) scout team, you start to build a relationship and connection with those guys," Ridder said. "I would definitely say me and Josh have a connection."
With the help of Ali, the Falcons hope to reach the postseason for the first time since 2017. Atlanta currently has middle-of-the-pack-odds(+116) to make the playoffs in 2023 and needs to establish a passing game to get there.
Ali will likely compete for playing time alongside J.J Arcega-Whiteside, KhaDarel Hodge and Frank Darby. If Ali makes the roster and climbs the depth chart, the Falcons offense could benefit from his versatility.
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