Falcons’ 53-man roster projection as training camp, preseason come to an end

FLOWERY BRANCH — During his position group’s final pre-practice meeting of training camp, Falcons defensive line coach Nate Ollie told his players to look around.

“The room’s going to be different after the last game,” Ollie said.

There are no decorations, just the harsh reality of the NFL’s gloomiest summer day: roster cutdowns. The league moved up the date by two days this year, forcing teams to trim their roster from 90 players to 53 by 6 p.m. Sunday.

For some, it’ll mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in the NFL. Others will get brought back on the Falcons’ practice squad. Some may even find their careers and ambitions dashed.

Ollie used the tension of the moment as a teaching point. He was the Colts’ defensive line coach in 2023, when his units helped set a franchise record in sacks. The Colts didn’t retain his contract. His future, much like some of his players in the days to come, was in doubt.

The Texans hired Ollie, and he spent one season as an assistant defensive line coach before the Falcons brought him on board in the spring of 2025. Now, he’s an oft-praised assistant coach whose energy and attack-style defensive front has the Falcons’ pass rush dreaming big.

“I gave them my story,” he said. “My contract didn’t get renewed, and that was the best thing that could’ve happened for my career. So, (I tell) the guys ‘everything happens for a reason, and you can walk around with your head hanging down low or walk with your chin up, and good things will happen.’

“‘The only person that’s going to stop your blessings is you. Don’t let another person stop your blessings’.”

The Falcons finish the preseason at 7 p.m. Friday against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Less than 48 hours later, their roster will be trimmed, position battles settled, fate decided.

Here’s The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s full roster projection for the Falcons entering the preseason finale.

NOTE: The Falcons can designate two players to injured reserve on roster cutdown day, and the AJC projects defensive Billy Bowman Jr. will be one. He doesn’t count toward the roster limit. The same applies to outside linebacker James Pearce Jr., whose eight-game suspension begins Aug. 30. He doesn’t take a spot on the active roster.

Quarterback (3)

Who’s in: Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., Cooper Rush

Who’s out: Jack Strand

The Falcons have a real dilemma here. Well, two, if you count who they ultimately start under center.

Strand has become something of a social media darling, but he’s certainly warranted praise. His 12-for-17 passing, two-touchdown performance against the Colts in the second preseason game was brilliant, and he’s steadily improved within offensive coordinator Tommy Rees’ system.

But can the Falcons, with Tagovailoa and Penix both carrying injury-riddled pasts, opt for the undrafted rookie as their third-string signal caller? Rush, a 31-year-old veteran who’s started 16 games as a pro, makes more sense for that role.

The Falcons are fond of Strand. He’d be a tremendous practice squad stash — if the rest of the NFL lets him clear waivers. Will the Falcons run that risk? Friday’s preseason game may be telling, but Rush has been ahead of Strand in the order of practice and exhibition reps thus far.

Running back (3)

Who’s in: Bijan Robinson, Brian Robinson Jr., Tyler Goodson

Who’s out: Nathan Carter, Cash Jones

Goodson, who had a 49-yard touchdown run against the Colts and has been one of the Falcons’ two kick returners throughout the offseason, certainly seems like a safe roster bet. He’s been more effective this summer than Carter, who spent time on the practice squad last year and may be headed there again this fall.

Jones, an undrafted rookie from Georgia, has routinely made plays this summer and can play receiver, too. He’d be a valuable scout-team player if he clears waivers.

Wide receiver (5)

Who’s in: Drake London, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus, Zachariah Branch, Chris Blair

Who’s out: Dylan Drummond, Vinny Anthony II, Antwane ‘Juice’ Wells Jr., Keelan Marion, Beaux Collins

Rees made this decision more interesting Tuesday, when he discussed his receiving corps and stopped the list of London’s complements at Drummond, who’s squarely on the roster bubble.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski has historically carried six receivers, which bodes well for Drummond. But with the NFL shifting toward heavier personnel packages and Atlanta projecting as a run-first offense, five receivers may be the route Stefanski ultimately pursues.

Anthony has been particularly impressive and productive this summer — his play style resembles Branch, as he was largely used on quick-hit passing concepts and dabbled in the return game. He seems a logical practice squad candidate.

Tight end (3)

Who’s in: Kyle Pitts, Austin Hooper, Charlie Woerner

Who’s out: Jack Velling, Josh Simon, Nick Muse

The Falcons plan to use “13″ personnel — one running back, three tight ends — more often this season, which may shift their number of bodies in the tight end and receiver rooms. But they have a strong trio in Pitts, Hooper and Woerner, and those three figure to be enough.

Velling, an undrafted rookie from Michigan State, impressed over the final two weeks of camp. Muse earned a few first-team snaps as a blocker. Simon spent last season on the practice squad. Which of those three sticks around is worth monitoring, because the Falcons will likely get some usage from their game-day elevations.

Offensive line (9)

Who’s in: Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, Chris Lindstrom, Jawaan Taylor, Michael Jerrell, Kyle Hinton, Corey Levin, Ethan Onianwa

Who’s out: Wanya Morris, Brandon Walton, Andrew Stueber, Jaeden Roberts, James Brockermeyer, Kam Dewberry, Riley Mahlman

Hinton, a reserve guard, suffered an injury against the Colts and didn’t practice this week, sporting a brace on his right leg. If he misses time, the dynamic changes. Two rookies — Brockermeyer, a center, and Dewberry, a guard — have flashed this offseason, and the latter has played a bulk of the snaps as the second-team right guard.

But the most contentious roster candidates are Onianwa and Morris. Onianwa, a seventh-round rookie from Ohio State, has played right tackle in training camp but also has experience at guard. His ability to play inside and outside should help his roster odds, coupled with the fact he’s made impressive progress over the last month.

Morris, acquired in June through a trade with the Chiefs, has started cross-training at right tackle, where he played extensively earlier in his career. But he’s spent much of training camp at left tackle, and he’s only worked with the second- and third-team offensive line, which puts him behind Jerrell at swing tackle.

Defensive line (6)

Who’s in: Brandon Dorlus, Zach Harrison, Maason Smith, LaCale London, Da’Shawn Hand, Chris Williams

Who’s out: Carlos Allen Jr., Devonnsha Maxwell, Eric Johnson II, Marlon Tuipulotu

Allen, an undrafted free agent from Houston, has finished training camp on a high note. He has a unique build at 6-foot-1 and 295 pounds, and he’s the most sawed-off defensive tackle the Falcons currently have on their roster.

But the practice squad appears Allen’s most viable landing spot.

Outside linebacker (5)

Who’s in: Za’Darius Smith, Samson Ebukam, Cameron Thomas, Azeez Ojulari, Bralen Trice

Who’s out: Keshawn Banks, Cam Sample

There may be a surprise cut here — Ojulari played deep into the second preseason game and Trice missed multiple weeks of practice — but this feels reasonable. Sample and Banks have created significant pressure this preseason and would be quality practice squad stashes.

Inside linebacker (5)

Who’s in: Divine Deablo, Kendal Daniels, Harold Perkins Jr., Christian Harris, Josh Woods

Who’s out: JD Bertrand, Channing Tindall, Daveren Rayner

The top four are set at linebacker. The last spot — a battle between Woods, Bertrand and Tindall — is interesting. Bertrand has been in and out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury this summer. Tindall, a special-teams ace, has slid down the depth chart.

And Woods, signed off the street July 30, has steadily earned team snaps in training camp. He led the Falcons with four special-teams tackles against the Colts, and his value in the game’s third phase should get him a spot on the roster.

Cornerback (7)

Who’s in: A.J. Terrell, Mike Hughes, Avieon Terrell, C.J. Henderson, Clark Phillips III, Darnay Holmes, Mike Ford

Who’s out: Cobee Bryant, A.J. Woods, Darren Hall, Malcolm DeWalt IV, Natrone Brooks

Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham has his work cut out at corner, but it’s a nice problem to have.

Bryant has made several plays on the ball during training camp, while DeWalt, an undrafted rookie from Akron, has been a pleasant surprise. Woods saw first-team snaps at nickel. Brooks played 17 games last year and can align at both safety and corner.

Ultimately, Ford’s special-teams prowess, Holmes’ stronghold on the backup nickel spot and the relative consistency between Henderson and Phillips should make the difference.