Projecting Atlanta Falcons Post-NFL Draft Depth Chart

The Atlanta Falcons added several new faces to their roster over the weekend. These new players will provide crucial depth or potentially reset the expectations for certain position groups.

Atlanta’s roster currently sits at nearly 80 players, and will drop to just 53 (plus 16 practice squad players) before the regular season gets underway. The Falcons will likely make additions and subtractions between now and then, but the core of the team is now in place.

Now that we have a better understanding of the roster makeup heading into the rookie minicamp and organized team activities in May, we can look ahead to what a potential depth chart might look like.

Projected Atlanta Falcons Depth Chart

Quarterback

Starters: Tua Tagovailoa/Michael Penix Jr.

Backups: Tagovailoa/Penix, Trevor Siemian/Jack Strand*

On the Cut Line: Siemian, Strand*

The Falcons’ quarterback competition between Penix and Tagovailoa will suck the oxygen out of the room, but don’t forget about the one for the third roster spot. Given the injury concerns between the two competitors at the top, we expect the Falcons to carry a third quarterback. The Falcons did not draft a quarterback, but they did bring in a high-upside UDFA in Strand who could push Siemian for a roster spot.

Running Back

Starters: Bijan Robinson

Backups: Brian Robinson Jr., Tyler Goodson, Nate Carter, Carlos Washington, Cash Jones*

On the Cut Line: Carter, Washington, Jones*

The Falcons have a clear pecking order in the running back room, led by Bijan Robinson. The All-Pro will carry the brunt of the load again this season, with Brian Robinson and Goodson being the depth pieces. Nate Carter earned a roster spot last season, but he will have a tough path to get there again this season. He will get his shot for the third running back spot, but he will likely compete with Washington and Jones for spots on the practice squad.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus

Backups: Zachariah Branch*, Casey Washington, Dylan Drummond, Deven Thompkins, Chris Blair, Malik Rutherford*, Vinny Anthony II*, Andrel Anthony*, Le’Meke Brockington*, Keelan Marion*

On the Cut Line: Washington, Drummond, Thompkins, Blair, Rutherford*, Anthony II*, Anthony*, Brockington*, Marion*

Atlanta’s front-line starters for Week 1 are likely set. London, Dotson, and Zaccheaus are solid options, but the Falcons added several new bodies to compete. Chief among those is Branch. The former Georgia wideout dropped due to his size, but he offers some tantalizing speed and strength that will earn him a role on the team right away.

Behind him, there are a lot of questions. Nine players will compete for two or three spots on the roster, and the competition is one to follow this summer.

Tight End

Starters: Kyle Pitts Sr., Charlie Woerner

Backups: Austin Hooper, Joshua Simon, Jack Velling*, Brandon Frazier*

On the Cut Line: Simon, Velling, Frazier

The Falcons will likely run a lot of 12 personnel packages, and the duo of Pitts and Woerner is solid. Behind them, Hooper will lock in as a strong third tight end who, presumably, will see plenty of action this season.

Simon returns on a futures deal after spending last season on the practice squad, while Velling and Frazier join as undrafted free agents. The Falcons might carry a fourth tight end so that they could compete for that spot or slots on the practice squad.

Offensive Line

Starters: Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, Chris Lindstrom, Jawaan Taylor

Backups: Storm Norton, Corey Levin, Kyle Hinton, Jack Nelson, Michael Jerrell, Andrew Steuber, Ethan Onianwa*, Riley Mahlman*, Kem Dewberry*, James Brockermeyer*

On the Cut Line: Levin/Hinton/Onianwa and Nelson/Jerrell/Steuber

The starting lineup is likely set, but nothing beyond that is guaranteed. Norton returns as the likely swing tackle, but the other depth pieces will compete all summer after Cunningham made several new additions. The Falcons will likely carry nine or ten offensive linemen, leaving 10 players competing for those four or five openings.

Onianwa was a flier in the seventh round, but he offers some interesting inside-outside versatility (although he did not start last season for the Buckeyes). The other UDFA additions will have a tough road to make the roster ahead of the veterans in front of them.

Defensive Line

Starters: Brandon Dorlus, Maason Smith, Zach Harrison

Backups: Da’Shawn Hand, LaCale London, Chris Williams, Anterio Thompson*, Carlos Allen Jr.*, Ben Stille

On the Cut Line: Thompson*, Allen*, Stille

The Falcons have their three starters in place, but they will likely carry six or seven defensive linemen. That seventh player will likely be Thompson, Atlanta’s sixth-round selection. He won’t have a shoo-in spot on the roster, though, and he will need to earn that place this summer.

Ahead of him, the Falcons brought back London, traded for Smith, and signed Hand and Williams in free agency. Those four will rotate in with Harrison and Dorlus.

Edge

Starters: Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr.

Backups: Azeez Ojulari, Samson Ebukam, Cameron Thomas, Bralen Trice, DeAngelo Malone, CJ Nunnally IV*

On the Cut Line: Trice, Malone, Nunnally*

Pearce will likely miss extended time due to a league suspension, but the pending court agreement means he may avoid any jail time for his domestic violence arrest in Miami. Pending any more developments, he will return to play alongside Walker as the team’s primary edge rushers.

Behind them, the Falcons will have some interesting pieces to move around. Cunningham added Ojulari, Ebukam, and Thomas in free agency to provide some strong depth. Trice and Malone could also earn a roster spot, depending on special teams needs and Trice’s health.

Linebacker

Starters: Divine Deablo, Christian Harris

Backups: Troy Andersen, JD Bertrand, Channing Tindall, Malik Verdon, Kendal Daniels*, Harold Perkins Jr.*

On the Cut Line: Bertrand, Verdon, Tindall

The Falcons drafted a pair of linebackers over the weekend, with both adding some serious athleticism to an already athletic room. Those additions, combined with the return of Andersen and Verdon from injuries, plus the additions of Tindall and Harris, make for a compelling competition.

Divine Deablo is the only established starter, and the Falcons will carry four or five players here, so seven players are fighting for the remaining three or four slots.

Safety

Starters: Jessie Bates III, Xavier Watts

Backups: Sydney Brown, DeMarcco Hellams, Jammie Robinson, Tysheem Johnson

On the Cut Line: Hellams, Robinson, Johnson

The Falcons opted to roll with three safeties last season, and the recently acquired Sydney Brown could fill a lot of different roles for this team (including nickel). Hellams is a strong special-teams player and could earn a roster spot that way. The starters, meanwhile, are set.

Cornerback

Starters: A.J. Terrell Jr., Mike Hughes, Billy Bowman Jr.

Backups: Avieon Terrell*, Darnay Holmes, C.J. Henderson, Cobee Bryant, Clark Phillips III, Mike Ford Jr., A.J. Woods, Natrone Brooks, Malcom DeWalt IV*

On the Cut Line: Henderson, Bryant, Phillips, Ford, Woods, Brooks, DeWalt*

The cornerback room received a lot of attention from Cunningham this offseason, and it will be an exciting competition this summer. There is a lot of expected turnover here.

The Falcons secured a first-round talent with their addition of Avieon Terrell in the second round, and the younger brother of A.J. will compete for an immediate role. Hughes is the incumbent CB2, but they will duke it out.

Meanwhile, Bowman is returning from an Achilles injury, but he might need to re-earn that starting nickelback job when he gets back. A lot of players could fill this role, including Holmes, Phillips, the younger Terrell brother, Ford, and safety Sydney Brown.

Specialists

Starters: Nick Folk, Jake Bailey, Liam McCullough, Zachariah Branch

Backups: Trenton Gill, Deven Thompkins, Tyler Goodson, Dylan Drummond

The Falcons completely reset this room, adding new kicker Nick Folk and punter Jake Bailey. Both are veterans with plenty of NFL experience. The return game will also see a major boost after the addition of Zachariah Branch.

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