Falcons tweak 53-man roster

Flowery Branch — The Falcons said goodbye to one former University of Georgia linebacker and welcomed another Monday.

Tony Taylor, who played the first-team defense for most of training camp, was released. Tony Gilbert, another ex-Bulldog, took his spot as the Falcons continued to tweak their 53-man roster before Sunday’s regular-season opener against Detroit.

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Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

Former Georgia linebacker Tony Taylor, shown during Falcons practice in Flowery Branch, was released from the team Monday morning.

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“This weekend was a tough weekend for everybody,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “Getting to a 53-man roster is not an easy thing to do.”

During the exhibition season, Taylor was competing with rookie Curtis Lofton for the starting middle linebacker job. He also saw some action at the weakside linebacker position.

In addition to cutting Taylor, The Falcons released tight end Jason Rader. They signed free-agent tight end Justin Peelle and added running back Kenneth Darby and defensive end Sean Conover to the practice squad.

Gilbert, 6-foot, 248 pounds, spent the last five seasons with Jacksonville and was coach by Smith, who was previously their defensive coordinator.

Gilbert, of Central High in Macon and Georgia, was a stalwart on the Jaguars special teams and can play all three linebacker positions.

Peelle, 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, played for Miami last season under Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.

“You’ve got to be able to block and you’ve got to be able to move,” Peelle said about playing in Mularkey’s system. “That’s what Mike wants.”

Over the weekend, the Falcons also released defensive tackle Rashad Moore and signed defensive tackle Jason Jefferson, who last played with Buffalo.

“He’s a guy that we’ve had our eyes on for quite some time,” Smith said. “He’s a 300-pound defensive tackle that can penetrate and be a one-gap player.”

Practice squad

Darby, who played at Alabama, and Conover will be the only two players on the nine-member practice squad who were not in training camp with the Falcons.

Tight end Keith Zinger, wide receiver Eric Weems, offensive lineman D’Anthony Batiste, cornerback Glenn Sharpe, safety Eric Brock and defensive end Brandon Miller were already on the practice squad. Wide receiver Noriaki Kinoshita will be with the team all season as the International practice squad player.

“When you’re able to keep the guys that you trained on your developmental squad, I think that’s very important,” Smith said. “Those six guys that we were able to keep, I think they all are going to be developmental players and have an opportunity to play in this league.”

Back home

Before practice Monday, center Todd McClure, a native of Baton Rouge, La., talked with his mother back home before Hurricane Gustav hit.

“They are getting a little wind right now,” McClure said. “Everybody is fine so far. They have power, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before the power goes out.”

The family was prepared for the storm.

“I know that when we were growing up, it would turn out to be a big family deal,” McClure said. “Everybody would come to one house and just kind of hang out and weather the storm together.”

Honoring Upshaw

NFL players will wear a jersey patch in honor of the late Gene Upshaw, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and former executive director of the NFL Players Association.

The patch will contain the letters GU and No. 63, his old uniform number with Oakland.