The Falcoholic
The final preseason game is behind us, and it’s time for the Atlanta Falcons to set their initial 53-man roster.
After sifting through three pretty ugly preseason games and a whole lot of training camp notes, I’m here to bring you my last, best attempt at projecting Atlanta’s roster and practice squad. In years past, I’ve typically averaged around 50 correct spots out of 53, but there are always a few unexpected surprises or injury designations. Still, it’s a fun exercise, and one last chance to talk about this group of NFL hopefuls as they fight for their shot in the league.
This year’s 53 is pretty competitive, particularly at wide receiver. I legitimately think the Falcons could have someone claimed from that group, whether it’s Nick Nash or Chris Blair. I’m hoping Atlanta can find a way to keep Nash, but the math is difficult on that one. Safety, and to a lesser extent, cornerback are also quite crowded. We could see a few notable cuts from both groups by the time the dust clears on Tuesday.
The initial 53-man roster must be set by Tuesday afternoon, and the practice squad can be established beginning on Wednesday. I would caution you that just because a player makes the initial 53, doesn’t mean that they’re safe. This year in particular, we’re likely to see the Falcons looking long and hard at adding an offensive tackle, center, linebacker, and/or return specialist among the hundreds of players who will be waived.
Without further adieu, let’s get to it.
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Italics denote a change from the previous roster projection.
Michael Penix Jr.
Kirk Cousins
Easton Stick
We didn’t see any of Michael Penix Jr. or Kirk Cousins in the preseason, but that doesn’t change anything. Penix is your starter and Cousins is your backup—until a desperate QB-needy team comes calling for him. Atlanta’s asking price for Cousins reportedly remains incredibly high, so the team seems content to wait for the right offer. Meanwhile, there wasn’t really much of a competition for QB3. Easton Stick had a great Week 1, bad Week 2, and an up-and-down Week 3. His biggest issue seems to be reading defenses over the middle, as he repeatedly threw passes straight to linebackers. Obviously he’s got to clean that up, but for now, he’s the emergency backup.
Bijan Robinson
Tyler Allgeier
Nate Carter
Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier are 100% roster locks, not much else to add there. With Carlos Washington Jr. missing the entirety of the preseason and most of training camp, he appears to have been usurped by electric UDFA Nate Carter....
