Who’s a lock, on the bubble or a long shot to make the Falcons’ 53-man roster

FLOWERY BRANCH — The clock is ticking for the Falcons to trim their roster from 91 players to 53 by the 4 p.m. deadline Tuesday.

For the second consecutive season, coach Raheem Morris elected not to play his starters with the goal of mitigating injuries.

So, the video from practices will be key and the reserves who played in the games will be up for consideration for the backup roles and possible spots on the 16-member practice squad.

“You just never know what’s going to happen in every single day in our game, so I can’t tell you a number,” Morris said when asked about how many open roster spots the team had. “But there are some people that are non-negotiables. We’re not talking about Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Kyle Pitts, Michael Penix Jr., Drake London, (Darnell) Mooney, and our starting five offensive linemen.”

It’s clear that Morris consider those players locks to make the 53-man roster.

“If you do the math that way, you kind of talk about (open spots),” Morris said. “Then we talk about significant backups that we know have played for us in games that we’ve got a chance to see with our own eyes. ‘Red’ (KhaDarel Hodge), for example, is our special-teams Pro Bowler.”

Once you consider the starters, who are locks, and key backups, there are not many open spots on the 53-man roster.

“But there are definitely spots,” Morris said.

Morris is a big fan of the practice squad. The Falcons used 36 game-day promotions last season.

“It’s a complete roster,” Morris said.

Here’s a look at each position group and the players’ chances of making the final roster (the number beside each position listing is the number on the Falcons’ opening day 53-man roster last season):

Quarterbacks (2)

Last season, the Falcons opened with Kirk Cousins and Penix and likely will do the same this year.

Easton Stick has played well in the exhibition games and could be added to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Also, the Falcons have Emory Jones and Ben DiNucci on the roster, with Jones on injured reserve.

Penix was named the starter with three games to play last season and did not play in the exhibition games. He played 24 snaps as a rookie.

The third-emergency-quarterback rule, which was instituted in May 2023, allows for a third quarterback, who will count as the 49th game-day player.

Locks: Penix and Cousins.

Bubble: Stick

Long shot: DiNucci

Running backs (4)

Last season, the Falcons opened with Robinson, Allgeier, Avery Williams and Jase McClellan.

Williams left in free agency and McClellan was released, so there are possibly two spots open.

Nathan Carter has been the star of the exhibition games, while Carlos Washington Jr. was having a strong training camp before being slowed by a hamstring injury.

Locks: Robinson, Allgeier

Bubble: Washington, Carter

Long shots: Elijah Dotson, Jashaun Corbin

Wide receivers (5)

London, Mooney, Hodge, Ray-Ray McCloud and Casey Washington made the 53-man roster at the start of last season. Chris Blair was promoted to the opening-game roster from the practice squad, as Washington was inactive.

Mooney missed all of training camp with a shoulder injury and is a candidate to open the season on injured reserve.

Washington has had a strong training camp and flashed as a gunner on punt coverage.

This may be the deepest position group on the team as Dylan Drummond, David Sills V and Jesse Matthews have played well in the games and practices.

Jamal Agnew is slated to be the returner.

Locks: London, Mooney, McCloud, Hodge, Washington, Agnew, Blair

Bubble: Drummond, Sills and Matthews

Long shots: Quincy Skinner Jr., Nick Nash

Tight ends (3)

Pitts, Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley opened last season. Dwelley was not re-signed in free agency.

It’s a contract year for Pitts, who has looked great in the practices. He appears to have bonded with Penix and could have a big season.

Woerner returns to do some of the dirty work in the run game.

Locks: Pitts, Woerner

Bubble: Feleipe Franks, Teagan Quitoriano

Long shots: Joshua Simon, Nikola Kalinic

Offensive line (8)

Ryan Neuzil will take over at center for Drew Dalman, who signed with the Bears in free agency.

Kaleb McGary (lower left leg) and Storm Norton (ankle) appeared headed for injured reserve, opening up two tackle spots to start the season.

Guards Chris Lindstrom and Matthew Bergeron are back as starters along with left tackle Jake Matthews.

Jovaughn Gwyn has emerged as the backup center while rookie Jack Nelson might get fast-tracked with the injuries at tackle.

Locks: Lindstrom, Matthews, Bergeron, Neuzil, Elijah Wilkinson, Gwyn, Nelson. (We’re projecting McGary and Norton to IR.)

Bubble: Brandon Parker, Kyle Hinton

Long shots: Jordan Williams, Matthew Cindric, Joshua Gray, Jake Hanson

Defensive line (8)

Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus will attempt to replace Grady Jarrett, who was released and signed with the Bears in free agency.

“Some of the things he’s doing has looked really well,” Morris said of Dorlus. “I started to see a little bit last year in practice, when he was giving us a look on the other side. I had high hopes for him. He’s done a lot of really good things going through this camp.”

Locks: David Onyemata, Zach Harrison, Kentavius Street, Orhorhoro, Dorlus

Bubble: Ta’Quon Graham, LaCale London, Morgan Fox

Long shot: Simeon Barrow Jr.

Outside linebackers (5)

Lorenzo Carter and Matthew Judon opened as starters last season. They will be replaced by Leonard Floyd and either Arnold Ebiketie, Jalon Walker or James Pearce Jr. after the Falcons remade the position over the offseason.

Pearce had a great training camp, while Walker was slowed by injuries. The Falcons are hoping to have Walker ready to play in the season opener.

“(The) reps that he has been getting have been very promising,” Falcons outside linebacker coach Jacquies Smith said. “He’s taking everything in stride and working at it the right way. He is a pro. He has that leader approach about himself. He’s been doing a really great job this camp.”

The Falcons may have lit a fire under Ebiketie by drafting two at the position in the first round. Floyd has come on late in his career and will lead the charge.

Locks: Floyd, Pearce, Walker, Ebiketie and Bralen Trice.

Bubble: Khalid Kareem

Long shot: Ronnie Perkins

Inside linebackers (4)

Kaden Elliss and Divine Deablo, who was signed in free agency, are expected to be the starters.

Troy Andersen is battling back from knee surgery.

JD Bertand played as a rookie, and Josh Woods has had a strong training camp.

DeAngelo Malone, who Morris called the “barnyard bully” of the special teams, spent time at both linebacker positions for depth reasons.