Falcons loading up on tackles while filling out the practice squad
FLOWERY BRANCH — Running back Carlos Washington Jr., who had a strong training camp before suffering a hamstring injury, was signed to the Falcons practice squad Wednesday, according to his agent.
The Falcons later announced Washington and the rest of the players signed to the practice squad:
Wide receiver Chris Blair, cornerback Cobee Bryant, wide receiver Dylan Drummond, offensive lineman Joshua Gray, safety Ronnie Harrison, cornerback C.J. Henderson; outside linebacker Khalid Kareem, wide receiver Nick Nash, offensive tackle Brandon Parker, tight end Joshua Simon, quarterback Easton Stick and defensive tackle Kentavius Street.
Kicker Lenny Krieg, who made a 57-yard field goal during the exhibition season, was also signed. He does don’t counts toward the 16-player maximum under the International Pathways Program.
That leaves Atlanta with three spots open, with two of them reportedly accounted for by tackles Carter Warren and Ryan Hayes.
After cutting down the roster, several of the players in training camp with the Falcons cleared waivers and were re-signed to the practice squad.
The Falcons, still reeling from the injuries to offensive tackles Kaleb McGary (lower left leg) and Storm Norton (ankle), continued to add to the position.
Warren, formerly of the Jets, and Ryan Hayes, formerly of the Dolphins, were signed to the practice squad, according to NFL Media.
Warren was a fourth-round draft pick (120th overall) by the Jets in 2023.
Warren, 26, is 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, played in college at Pittsburgh. He has played in 14 NFL games and made six starts.
He played 403 offensive snaps as a rookie in 2023 and 141 last season. He had a 44.6 grade (1 to 100 scale) by Pro Football Focus, which ranked him 128th of 140 tackles for the 2024 season.
Hayes, 25, is 6-foot-6 and 303 pounds. He played at Michigan and was drafted in the seventh round (238th overall) by the Dolphins in 2023. He has played in one NFL game.
Wide receivers Nash, Blair and Drummond all had strong training camps, but each cleared waivers.
Stick started all three exhibition games and completed 69.2% of his passes.
In addition to Parker, Warren and Hayes, the Falcons have tackles Jake Matthews, Elijah Wilkinson, Michael Jerrell and Jack Nelson on the roster. Matthews is the starting left tackle.
The Falcons announced the trade for Jerrell, which was confirmed by his agent. Warren and Hayes are according to NFL Media.
Wilkinson took over for McGary when he went down in practice Aug. 20. He has the most experience of the other four candidates. Nelson was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft.
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Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
