Tag: Falcons roster moves

Examining the Falcons’ biggest positional needs for 2021

Since the Atlanta Falcons didn’t qualify for the NFL’s expanded postseason, it gave the team an early start on what’s sure to be a busy offseason.

Since the Atlanta Falcons didn’t qualify for the NFL’s expanded postseason, it gave the team an early start on what’s sure to be a busy offseason. The Falcons have plenty of needs to fill, not including the team’s general manager and head-coaching vacancies.

Here are Atlanta’s biggest positional needs heading into the 2021 offseason.

Alex Mack put on COVID list, may have played final game in Atlanta

Falcons Pro Bowl center Alex Mack may have played his last game in Atlanta after landing on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.

Falcons Pro Bowl center Alex Mack may have played his last game in Atlanta after landing on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.

Mack is more than likely out for the team’s season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, which is technically the final game of the five-year contract he signed with the Falcons in 2016.

Mack has been quietly consistent for much of his five seasons in Atlanta, and his signing remains of the best moves made by former GM Thomas Dimitroff.

As much as the Falcons would love to have him back, though, it’s unlikely they can afford him unless he takes a team-friendly contract just to stay.

If this is indeed Mack’s last game in Atlanta, fans will remember his time here fondly as his presence in the middle of the offensive line helped the team reach the Super Bowl in 2016.

Here’s a mic’d up segment Mack was featured in earlier this season.

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Falcons sign former Panthers WR Greg Dortch to practice squad

Former Wake Forest wide receiver Greg Dortch was signed to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad on Monday.

Former Wake Forest wide receiver Greg Dortch was signed to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad on Monday. The 22-year-old signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of college in 2019 and has spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.

Dortch has played in just two career NFL games — both with the Panthers in 2019 — returning five kicks for 119 yards (23.8 yards per kick return) and four punts for 28 yards (7.0 yards per punt return).

If flexed to Atlanta’s active roster, Dortch could get a shot to return kicks on Sunday in the team’s season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Falcons flex CB Delrick Abrams to active roster for Sunday’s game

Abrams, an undrafted free agent out of Colorado, has appeared in two games for the Falcons this season.

The Atlanta Falcons host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon, the first matchup of the season between the two NFC South rivals. As the Falcons look to play spoiler against Tom Brady and the new-look Bucs, Atlanta will have to do it without two key members of the secondary.

Both safety Ricardo Allen and cornerback Darqueze Dennard have been ruled out, leaving an undermanned unit to deal with Tampa Bay’s many offensive weapons.

On Saturday evening, the Falcons announced that CB Delrick Abrams had been flexed from the practice squad to the active roster for Week 15.

Abrams, an undrafted free agent out of Colorado, has appeared in two games for the Falcons this season. The rangy corner — listed at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds — could see some time in the slot and possibly at safety on Sunday.

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Raiders sign former Falcons LB Vic Beasley to practice squad

The Atlanta Falcons opted to let linebacker Vic Beasley walk during the 2020 free-agency period and the former first-round pick ended up signing a one-year deal with the Titans.

The Atlanta Falcons opted to let linebacker Vic Beasley walk during the 2020 free-agency period and the former first-round pick ended up signing a one-year deal with the Titans.

Beasley’s stay in Tennessee didn’t last long, though. He was released three weeks ago and had remained unsigned until Monday afternoon. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Beasley was signed to the practice squad by the Falcons’ Week 12 opponent, the Las Vegas Raiders.

Beasley led the NFL with 15.5 sacks during Atlanta’s 2016 Super Bowl run and Las Vegas has struggled to rush the passer this season. Beasley is likely just an emergency/depth signing and there’s no guarantee he ever sees the active roster.

The Falcons host the Raiders from Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

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Falcons sign two players to practice squad, release LB Jake Carlock

The Atlanta Falcons made a few minor moves on Monday afternoon, signing running back Tony Brooks-James and wide receiver Devin Gray to the practice squad.

The Atlanta Falcons made a few minor moves on Monday afternoon, signing running back Tony Brooks-James and wide receiver Devin Gray to the practice squad.

To make room, the team released linebacker Jake Carlock, who signed with the Falcons less than a week ago.

Brooks-James and Gray have each previously spent time on Atlanta’s practice squad, but never played in a regular season game for the Falcons. Brooks-James has appeared in three career games, all with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 25-year-old running back can contribute as a kick returner on special teams if he’s flexed to the active roster. Gray, also 25, has yet to make his NFL debut, but could provide depth if Julio Jones misses time.

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Report: Falcons waive rookie WR Chris Rowland

There’s still over two hours remaining until the league’s 4 p.m. roster deadline and the Atlanta Falcons aren’t wasting any time. Rookie wide receiver Chris Rowland is the latest casualty.

There’s just two hours remaining until the league’s 4 p.m. roster deadline and the Atlanta Falcons aren’t wasting any time. Rookie wide receiver Chris Rowland is the latest casualty.

As reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jason Butt, the team has waived the former Tennessee State special teams standout..

Rowland, an undrafted free agent, was in a competitive battle with WR Brandon Powell throughout training camp to be the Falcons’ kick returner.

If Rowland clears waivers, expect to see him land on Atlanta’s 16-man practice squad. The team has also released QB Kurt Benkert, QB Kyle Lauletta, WR Laquon Treadwell and SS J.J. Wilcox.

Stay tuned for more updates and check out our 2020 roster tracker so you don’t miss a move.

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Report: Falcons worked out 2 wide receivers on Sunday

Following a report Sunday evening that the Atlanta Falcons worked out three quarterbacks, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated’s The MMQB is reporting the team worked out two wide receivers

Following a report Sunday evening that the Atlanta Falcons worked out three quarterbacks, Albert Breer of The MMQB is reporting the team worked out two wide receivers — Caleb Scott and Gregg Dortch — as well.

Scott is a former undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt that was waived by the Seahawks after signing a reserve/future contract with the team at the end of last season.

Dorch, another UDFA receiver from the 2019 draft class, previously signed with the Jets, Panthers and Rams but wasn’t able to catch on. The former Wake Forest wideout visited with the Buccaneers last week as well.

The three quarterbacks who worked out for the Falcons were Jake Rudock, Kyle Lauletta and Kyle Sloter.

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Falcons sign RB Craig Reynolds

Reynolds, 24, signed with Washington in 2019 but played sparingly.

The Atlanta Falcons signed running back Craig Reynolds on Thursday morning just a few weeks after releasing the former undrafted free agent.

Reynolds, 24, signed with Washington in 2019 but played sparingly. During his college career at Kuztown, he racked up over 4,000 all-purpose yards and 44 total touchdowns.

The Falcons are without second-year RB Qadree Ollison at practice for the time being, making Reynolds a good depth signing.

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Falcons agree to terms with LB Deone Bucannon

The Falcons were thin at linebacker after letting go of De’Vondre Campbell in free agency and announced on Thursday that they have agreed to terms with linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon

The Falcons were thin at linebacker after letting go of De’Vondre Campbell in free agency and announced on Thursday that they have agreed to terms with linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon.

Bucannon is another former first-round pick that hasn’t quite found his NFL footing. He’s spent time at multiple linebacker spots as well as safety, but has become more of a versatile depth piece rather than the impact-player teams viewed him as back in the 2014 draft.

In six NFL seasons, most recently with the New York Giants, Bucannon has 434 tackles (329 solo), 28 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and two interceptions.

The Falcons are likely to play him at an outside linebacker spot in certain situations, but he also provides some insurance as a strong safety in case Keanu Neal doesn’t return to his All-Pro form in 2020.

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