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Falcons Place 5 on Injured Reserve, Sign Replacements Amid Flurry of Roster Moves
Rosters across the NFL were cut down from 80 to 53 on Tuesday, but the Atlanta Falcons haven't stopped making transactions in the days since.
Just one day after claiming offensive tackle Chuma Edoga and defensive lineman Matt Dickerson off waivers, the Falcons announced that they've signed five players to the 53-man roster: linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, cornerback Mike Ford, safety Dean Marlowe, defensive end Abdullah Anderson and offensive guard Colby Gossett.
Additionally, Atlanta added tight ends Anthony Firkser and Tucker Fisk and corner Ka'dar Hollman to the practice squad.
Ford and Marlowe were initially released Wednesday to make room for Edoga and Dickerson but are now back on the team. Kwiatkoski, Anderson and Gossett were let go on cutdown day after spending time with the Falcons throughout the preseason.
The moves were made in response to Atlanta placing five players on injured reserve: linebacker Deion Jones, corner Isaiah Oliver, tight end John FitzPatrick, defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, and left guard Jalen Mayfield.
Jones missed much of the offseason program recovering from shoulder surgery, with Aug. 24 marking his return to practice. The Falcons reportedly tried to trade Jones over the summer and still may be in the process of doing so, as his hefty contract and uncertain fit in defensive coordinator Dean Pees' system make him an odd man out in Atlanta's future.
Oliver suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 last season and has spent the offseason rehabbing, slowly working his way back up to speed. He's largely worked with the second-team defense throughout training camp. His absence opens the door for Dee Alford to start Week 1 at nickel corner.
Mayfield has been battling a back injury since the early stages of training camp and has had to miss the last several practices. Davidson has been out of practice since the middle of August after getting his knee scoped; he didn't appear in any preseason games.
FitzPatrick, a rookie from Georgia, was unable to participate in most pre-draft events after having surgery on both feet.
Being placed on injured reserve is an automatic four-week absence, meaning these five won't be able to return until the Falcons' Week 5 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday that the team's roster would primarily be set by Friday; after the most recent flurry of moves, it appears likely that the 53 players currently on the roster will be the one Atlanta takes to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the season-opener against the New Orleans Saints, kicking off at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sept. 11.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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