It may be Falcons head coach Arthur Smith’s first year leading an NFL team, but the former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator clearly doesn’t take preparation lightly. Smith’s attention to detail was praised by Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees last week and continues to be on display as Atlanta was the first team to get its roster down to 53 players, over four hours ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
There were some shocking cuts and interesting inclusions. Let’s take a look at the three biggest surprises on the Falcons’ first 53-man roster for the 2021 season.