Instant Reaction: Atlanta Falcons Release Initial 53-Man Roster

The Atlanta Falcons made their final moves to whittle their roster down to the 53-man limit by the league's Tuesday deadline. By the end of the day, the Falcons will have released or waived 22 players and placed eight more players on various injured lists.

The big news of the day was the Falcons trading a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for OT Michael Jerrell. The former sixth-round pick from 2024 started three games, while playing in 10 more, on an offensive line beat up by injuries. Ironically, his first career start came in Atlanta last season, and he could come provide competition with Elijah Wilkinson. The current roster uses 52 of its available 53 spots to keep room for him.

The offensive line depth took center stage last week after Kaleb McGary picked up a leg injury in the team’s final training camp practice. Subsequently, swing tackle Storm Norton was sidelined for six to eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.

As expected, Norton will start the season on the IR with a designation to return, but defensive lineman Ta'Quon Graham will join him there. McGary will be on the IR with no such designation; McGary's season is over.

Additionally, linebacker Troy Andersen, who spent the entirety of training camp on the active/PUP list, will transition to the reserve/PUP list and miss at least the first four games of the season.

Elsewhere for the Falcons, there were only a handful of surprising decisions made that we will go through below.

One final note before we go through the roster: this is still fluid, and things change quickly this time of year. There will be players league-wide who will make a roster that they may not be on come Week 1. With other teams making similar moves, the Falcons could always opt to poach other waived players to add to their team. Also, if the Falcons or any other team adds a waived player, they must be added to their active, 53-man roster.

The 16-man practice squads will be formed on Wednesday after players have cleared waivers.

Without further ado, here is a position-by-position analysis of the Falcons' initial roster for the 2025 season:

Quarterback (2) – Michael Penix Jr, Kirk Cousins

CUT: Easton Stick, Ben DiNucci

One of the surprising moments of cut day came when presumed third-string quarterback Easton Stick was waived. The spring free agent acquisition was good, but not spectacular, this preseason, completing 54 of 78 passing (69.2%) for 520 yards with 3 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Stick projects as a steady backup quarterback in the NFL. He could still be a candidate for an eventual practice squad designation, unless he is poached by another team during the waiver process.

Michael Penix is the unquestioned starter on this team, but this serves only as further evidence that the Falcons are totally comfortable with Kirk Cousins remaining on this team as the only other active quarterback.

Running Back (3) – Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Nathan Carter

CUT: Elijah Dotson, Jashaun Corbin, Carlos Washington Jr

Carlos Washington Jr has been slowed by a hamstring injury for most of the summer, and the third-year running back was unable to practice for the last several weeks or play in any of the preseason games. He came into camp as the presumed favorite, but was quickly outpaced by Nathan Carter, who flashed some potential in the preseason games.

The UDFA has some undeniable athletic traits that will serve the team well. Ultimately, this position will be locked down by the team’s top two options that are among the NFL’s best, but Carter will be a strong reserve option.

Assuming he is healthy, Washington figures to be a practice squad addition. Otherwise, Elijah Dotson, who can contribute on special teams, would be the likely next option for that slot.

Wide Receiver (7) – Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Casey Washington, KhaDarel Hodge, Jamal Agnew (KR/PR), David Sills V

CUT: Jesse Matthews, Quincy Skinner Jr, Chris Blair, Nick Nash, Dylan Drummond

The wide receiver position began to inflate a bit in the wake of injuries picked up by Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud at the beginning and end of training camp. Both will avoid any extended injury designations. Those two, along with the group’s top option in Drake London and special teams ace KhaDarel Hodge, were the only players locked in to this final 53-man roster.

Jamal Agnew, who has been dealing with an oblique injury, will be the team’s primary return man in punts and kickoffs.

With the status of McCloud and Mooney not yet known (and with two of those five players being primary special teams contributors), the Falcons opted to keep seven players on their active roster. Casey Washington has been one of the biggest risers this summer and served as the primary replacement for Mooney in the ‘X’ position. He has felt like a roster lock for some time.

David Sills V, on the other hand, has been a bubble candidate all summer and he broke through late.

Sills, who has not played in a regular-season game since 2023 and has not made a catch in a regular-season game since 2022, impressed through a healthy camp. He was a regular target for Kirk Cousins on the second team in practices and was removed early from the team’s game with the Tennessee Titans so that he could work with special teams. While that screamed ‘roster spot,’ a late ailment to McCloud may have been what pushed him over the top.

Chris Blair has also had some good moments this summer, but he is a roster casualty. He has spent a lot of time with the Falcons’ practice squad and has appeared in five games since 2023. It remains to be seen if the team will opt to pursue that route again this fall.

UDFA Nick Nash, Dyland Jesse Matthews could also be in the running for practice squad placements.

Tight End (4) – Kyle Pitts Sr, Charlie Woerner, Teagan Quitoriano, Feleipe Franks

CUT: Nikola Kalinic, Joshua Simon

Kyle Pitts Sr and Charlie Woerner were the roster locks at tight end, while Feleipe Franks and Teagan Quitoriano battled it out for the third spot. Both received plenty of playing time this summer, but they opted to keep both of them on the 53-man roster.

The final decision likely came back to how versatile both players are. Franks is a regular on special teams, and Quitoriano recovered a fumble during the preseason.

Offensive Line (8) – LT Jake Matthews, LG Matt Bergeron, C Ryan Neuzil, RG Chris Lindstrom, G Kyle Hinton, C Jovaughn Gwyn, OT/G Elijah Wilkinson, OT Jack Nelson

CUT: Brandon Parker, Jake Hanson, Joshua Gray, Jordan Williams

Aside from its right tackle position, the Falcons’ offensive line starters were all solidified coming into camp with LT Jake Matthews, LG Matt Bergeron, C Ryan Neuzil, and RG Chris Lindstrom returning this season.

The right side did get a moderate facelift earlier in the day with the acquisition of Michael Jerrell from the Seahawks, but the depth is still a bit of a concern here. He will likely compete with the current right tackle, Elijah Wilkinson, for the starting spot.

Both Wilkinson and Jovaughn Gwyn offer some positional flexibility that could prove important in a reserve role come the regular season. Additionally, Norton was added to the IR with a designation to return, and he will factor into this mix when he returns from his ankle surgery. McGary will miss the season.

Brandon Parker was waived in favor of the rookie Jack Nelson, but he is still seen as a developmental piece.

With that in mind, of every spot on this initial 53-man roster, this is the one that will not be solidified until after this deadline. The Falcons have already added one new player, but they could opt to add a few more before practice squads are announced tomorrow. Expect this position to continue to evolve between now and Week 1 of the regular season.

Defensive Line (5) – David Onyemata, Ruke Orhorhoro, Zach Harrison, Brandon Dorlus, LaCale London

CUT: Morgan Fox, Simeon Barrow Jr, Kentavius Street

Position coach Nate Ollie talked a great deal about how much this unit would be rotating, which would necessitate a deep group to pull from. Primary players like David Onyemata, Zach Harrison, Ruke Orhorohoro, and Brandon Dorlus will be the primary defensive linemen involved and were considered safe from these cuts.

The one big surprise here came when Morgan Fox was cut on Saturday afternoon. The 30-year-old defender signed a two-year, $5.75 million deal as a free agent in March and was expected to be a presence in the room. The veteran, despite not having a great summer with the team, had plenty of NFL experience. He has 120 career games (34 starts), totaling 183 tackles, 27.5 sacks, and 51 quarterback hits.

Fox will almost certainly be picked up elsewhere, and he was likely cut on Saturday to provide him ample time to do so.

Ta'Quon Graham was added to the IR with a designation to return.

LaCale London was a strong contributor to this unit during camp and the preseason. He was considered a bubble player coming in, but he beat out Fox, Simeon Barrow, and Kentavius Street.

Edge/Outside Linebacker (6) – Leonard Floyd, Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr, Arnold Ebiketie, Bralen Trice, DeAngelo Malone

CUT: Khalid Kareem

After an offseason where the Falcons revamped this position, the edge rush feels like it is in a significantly better place than it has been in several years.

The first four players were considered roster locks, but Bralen Trice enters his first healthy season with the team and will offer some run-stuffing ability. He holds onto a roster spot alongside DeAngelo Malone.

Malone is a special teams contributor for the team, but was crosstraining between the outside and inside linebackers this summer to give the staff more options at both spots.

Linebacker (4) – Kaden Elliss, Divine Deablo, JD Bertrand, Josh Woods

CUT: Ronnie Harrison

Kaden Elliss and Divine Deablo have both locked down starting roles for the Falcons at the inside linebacker position, but there were several questions beyond that pair.

Troy Andersen, who has spent the entirety of camp on the active/PUP list, moves over to the reserve/PUP list and will miss the first four games of the season. The move did open up an extra spot at the linebacker position.

Josh Woods had some strong preseason performances and he has been a strong contributor on special teams. That combination was enough for him to land on the initial roster.

The idea of J.D. Bertrand not making the roster was floated at various points this summer, but he makes the final cut.

Cornerbacks (7) – AJ Terrell Jr, Mike Hughes, Billy Bowman Jr, Dee Alford, Natrone Brooks, Mike Ford Jr, Clark Phillips III

CUT: Lamar Jackson, Cobee Bryant, CJ Henderson, Keith Taylor, Dontae Manning

The cornerback position was one of the more contentious roster battles this summer. AJ Terrell and Mike Hughes were solidified as the starters on the outside, but several players made their runs at depth spots.

Lamar Jackson started fast, but faded down the stretch. UDFA Cobee Bryant was a fan favorite, but injuries and a stint on the NFI list to open camp hurt his ability to get enough reps. CJ Henderson was a late addition to the roster and likely fell short on time to make an impression. The former first-round pick is talented enough to land on the practice squad, but he had several suitors before signing with the Falcons, and he could be poached off waivers.

Ultimately, Natrone Brooks will be the guy who wins the camp battle and fills in the final spot in this group after a strong preseason performance. Brooks, 25, was a practice squad player in 2023 and appeared in nine games for the team in 2024, where he recorded one tackle, one quarterback hit, and one pass defensed, in addition to four special teams tackles.

At the nickel, rookie Billy Bowman battled veterans Dee Alford and Mike Ford for reps with the first-team unit and has slowly taken over at the position. All three players will make the final roster. The staff saw enough from both Ford and Alford in special teams and as a combo inside-outside corner to afford spots.

Clark Phillips III, who had been dealing with a rib injury for the last few weeks and was considered to be a bubble player, also makes the final cut.

Safety (3) – Jessie Bates III, Xavier Watts, DeMarcco Hellams

CUT: Jordan Fuller, Josh Thompson, Henry Black

The safety spot was originally thought to be one of the only pre-ordained positions on the roster, but Jordan Fuller was surprisingly released. There will be plenty of rotation here, but the only question that looms is who starts alongside Jessie Bates.

Rookie Xavier Watts has been a riser throughout camp and has shown the capability of repping with the first-team, and the team clearly saw enough from him to feel comfortable with releasing Fuller.

Third-year safety DeMarcco Hellams missed the last two preseason games and has been seen in a yellow pinnie during practices. He provides a physical presence in the secondary and will be active this fall after missing all of 2024 with an injury.

Specialists (3) – Younghoe Koo, Bradley Pinion, Liam McCullough

CUT: Lenny Krieg

Younghoe Koo was provided with some camp competition in the form of international signing Lenny Krieg, but the veteran kicker from Georgia Southern proved the spot was still his with a dominant training camp. Aside from an injury-riddled 2024, the veteran Koo has been one of the steadiest kickers in the league since joining the Falcons in 2019.

Krieg was waived this morning, but will likely still be carried on the practice squad as a 17th member with a special International Players Pathway Program designation.

Punter Bradley Pinion and long-snapper Liam McCullough were roster locks coming into the summer and will be strong for the team this fall.

Injured List – Kaleb McGary (IR), Tyrone Wheatley (IR), Grayland Arnold (IR), Emory Jones (IR), Storm Norton (IR with a designation to return), Ta'Quon Graham (IR with a designation to return), Troy Andersen (reserve/PUP), Malik Verdon (NFI)

As for the injuries and how they could impact the roster, two players can be put on Injured Reserve (IR) with a designation to return and would not count towards the initial 53-man roster numbers.

A player who is on active/PUP (e.g., Troy Andersen) counts toward the current 90-man limit, but could be transitioned to the reserve/PUP list during cuts. In this case, he would not have to go through waivers, but also wouldn't count towards the 53-man roster limit separate from the designated to return players – granted, he would have to miss four games, similar to in-season IR rules.

Players who are listed on the IR will miss the 2025 regular season.