The Falcons’ final preseason game is Friday against the Dolphins. All of the healthy starters — outside of Michael Penix Jr. — are expected to get some run. But the biggest day for a lot of the players who’ll see the field over the last three quarters is Sunday, when final 53-man rosters are announced across the league.
Quarterbacks (3)
- Michael Penix Jr.
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Jack Strand
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The general consensus is that carrying three quarterbacks is a luxury, and the Falcons certainly don’t have the depth across the roster to afford it. That said, with the way Jack Strand has performed, he’s earned a longer look, and Atlanta really can’t afford another team poaching him off the practice squad.
If the Falcons believe there’s even a 1% chance Strand develops into a starting quarterback, he needs to be on the final 53. End of discussion. The last man on the roster isn’t going to make the Falcons Super Bowl contenders. There’s a much higher priority on finding the team’s next franchise signal caller.
Running Backs (3)
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The Falcons running back room is loaded. Bijan Robinson is the best running back in football. Brian Robinson Jr. is an outstanding backup, and Tyler Goodson has had a fantastic preseason. I’d love to include Cash Jones here. The Georgia product has been productive throughout the preseason and is a great receiving threat out of the backfield, but there’s just too much talent in this room for him to get any reps.
Wide Receivers (5)
- Drake London
- Jahan Dotson
- Olamide Zaccheaus
- Zachariah Branch
- Chris Blair
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Of the wide receivers from a season ago, only Drake London and Chris Blair remain. It’s not a very inspiring group outside of London, but we could be talking about it a lot differently if Zachariah Branch establishes himself as the No. 2 in this room.
Tight Ends (3)
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Kevin Stefanski loves using multiple tight ends, and this is a really strong position group for the Falcons. Kyle Pitts is looking to build off his bounce-back campaign from a year ago and establish himself as one of the game’s premier players at the position. Charlie Woerner is a mauler in the run game, and Austin Hooper returns to Atlanta as a viable second receiving threat.
Offensive Linemen (9)
- Chris Lindstrom
- Jake Matthews
- Matthew Bergeron
- Ryan Neuzil
- Jawaan Taylor
- Michael Jerrell
- Kyle Hinton
- Wanya Morris
- Corey Levin
Defensive Linemen (7)
- Brandon Dorlus
- Zach Harrison
- Maason Smith
- Da’Shawn Hand
- LaCale London
- Carlos Allen Jr.
- Chris Williams
EDGE Rushers (6)
- Za’Darius Smith
- Samson Ebukam
- Azeez Ojulari
- Cameron Thomas
- Cameron Sample
- Bralen Trice
Linebackers (4)
- Divine Deablo
- Kendal Daniels
- Christian Harris
- Harold Perkins Jr.
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All four of these guys could see a lot of the field on Sundays, and it looks as if rookie fourth-round pick Kendal Daniels might even start next to Divine Deablo. The one notable name missing is JD Bertrand, a fifth-round selection from the 2024 draft. Perhaps the Falcons give him one more look, but he’s been dreadful every time he’s touched the field over his short career, and this new regime isn’t the one that drafted him.
Cornerbacks (6)
- A.J. Terrell
- Avieon Terrell
- Darnay Holmes
- Mike Hughes
- C.J. Henderson
- Natrone Brooks
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The first four on this list are safe bets to make the roster. It feels like C.J. Henderson has done enough throughout the preseason to earn a spot, and the Falcons should value his experience compared to some of the other candidates. For the final spot, I went with Natrone Brooks, who offers some versatility as both a corner and a safety.
Safeties (4)
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Perhaps the Falcons’ strongest position group. Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts combine to make one of the best starting duos in the league. DeMarcco Hellams is a solid third safety who’s received a lot of praise for his work in the preseason, and Sydney Brown has as well for his contributions on special teams, which should earn him one of the final roster spots.
Special Teams (3)
Nick Folk
Jake Bailey
Liam McCullough
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(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)