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Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/21

October 9th, 2021 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is Week 5 Saturday’s minor move spree:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

  • Promoted: TE Shane Zylstra

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Falcons’ Calvin Ridley To Miss Week 5

October 7th, 2021 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Calvin Ridley will not make the trip with his Falcons teammates to London. The Falcons have ruled out their top wide receiver in Week 5 due to a personal matter.

This certainly represents a blow to a passing attack that will also be without Russell Gage, who will join Ridley in staying home for the Falcons’ London game. Gage is battling an ankle injury that forced him to miss the past two games. The fourth-year wideout remains on Atlanta’s active roster.

Ridley became Atlanta’s unquestioned No. 1 wideout this summer, when the Falcons sent Julio Jones to the Titans, and has 27 receptions for 255 yards and a touchdown this season. The Falcons picked up Ridley’s fifth-year option earlier this year. With Jones out of the picture, a Ridley extension would appear imminent in 2022.

Though Kyle Pitts‘ presence will become even more pivotal, the Falcons will be down to a skeleton crew at receiver against the Jets. They have the likes of Olamide Zaccheaus, a third-year UDFA, and Tajae Sharpe in the fold. Atlanta, however, has also done well to coax quality run- and pass-game work from Cordarrelle Patterson, who leads the team with 354 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/5/21

October 5th, 2021 at 5:38pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep tabs on today’s taxi squad moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: DT T.J. Smith

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Football Team

Falcons CB Isaiah Oliver Out For Season

October 5th, 2021 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons will be without one of their top cornerbacks the rest of the way. Isaiah Oliver suffered a knee injury in Sunday’s loss to Washington and will miss the remainder of the season, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes.

Oliver, who is in a contract year, is set to undergo surgery Wednesday, Ledbetter adds. The former second-round pick played 81% of Atlanta’ defensive snaps in the team’s Week 3 win and has been a starter for much of his career.

This represents a major blow for Oliver, who had fared better to start his fourth season. After back-to-back rough years, Oliver will head to IR having rated as a top-15 cornerback (per Pro Football Focus). The Colorado alum allowed quarterbacks to complete 66 and 70% of their passes, respectively, in 2019 and ’20. This season, albeit in a smaller sample size, passers have only connected on 53% of the passes thrown in Oliver’s direction. Oliver, 25, has also forced a fumble this season.

Atlanta has 2020 first-round pick A.J. Terrell and offseason pickup Fabian Moreau as its top corners. Fourth- and fifth-round rookies Darren Hall and Avery Williams may also see more time as a result of Oliver’s injury. Williamson stepped into a larger role in Week 4, with Oliver’s injury leading to the Day 3 rookie playing 50 defensive snaps Sunday.

The Falcons are also placing punter Cameron Nizialek on IR due to a hamstring injury. They promoted recently acquired punter Dustin Colquitt to their active roster earlier today.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/21

October 5th, 2021 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/21

October 4th, 2021 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/21

September 25th, 2021 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The weekly Saturday bunch of minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Promoted: WR Juwan Green

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Falcons Work Out WR John Brown

September 21st, 2021 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

After requesting his release from the Raiders, John Brown did not land an immediate contract. But Brown has resurfaced on the radar, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero noting (via Twitter) the veteran speed merchant worked out for the Falcons on Tuesday.

Atlanta began the season in transition at wide receiver, having traded Julio Jones to Tennessee. Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage have worked as the Falcons’ starters. Brown profiles as an experienced depth piece, albeit one who is coming off a down 2020 season.

The Bills received a quality year from Brown in 2019. The ex-Division II superstar became the first Bill to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards since Sammy Watkins in 2015, hauling in 72 passes for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns two seasons ago. Buffalo brought in Stefon Diggs in 2020, however, and dropped Brown down to an auxiliary option. After injuries limited Brown to nine games last season, the Bills released him earlier this year.

Brown, 31, has started for three teams — the Cardinals, Ravens and Bills — and produced two 1,000-yard seasons, the first coming with Arizona in 2015. He was on pace for a third in 2018, but the Ravens’ Joe Flacco-to-Lamar Jackson switch curtailed their receivers’ numbers that year. A former third-round pick, Brown did not impress at Raiders training camp but resides as one of the top free agents available at this point.

Falcons To Sign P Dustin Colquitt

September 21st, 2021 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons have a new punter, and he brings considerable experience. Longtime Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt agreed to a deal with the Falcons on Tuesday, according to his agency (on Twitter).

Atlanta cut Cameron Nizialek after a shaky Sunday showing. Nizialek punted in just two games for the Falcons and will give way to Colquitt, who has kicked in 244.

While Colquitt agreed to a practice squad deal, the Falcons should be expected to elevate the veteran ahead of their Week 3 game Sunday. To make room on their 16-man taxi squad, the Falcons released former Colquitt Chiefs teammate Bryan Witzmann. A five-year veteran offensive lineman, Witzmann has bounced around since being a full-time Chiefs starter in 2017.

Although Colquitt landed back with the Chiefs during the playoffs last season, his most recent game action came with the Steelers. Colquitt, 39, punted in five games with Pittsburgh in 2020. The Steelers, however, released him to bring back Jordan Berry. The Falcons will be Colquitt’s third NFL team.

The 16-year veteran, of course, is best known for his Chiefs tenure. Kansas City used a third-round pick on Colquitt in 2005, and he subsequently played 15 seasons for the team. The second-generation NFL punter and older brother of Britton Colquitt, Dustin made the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2016 and finished his first Chiefs stint in Super Bowl LIV.

Falcons To Cut Punter Cameron Nizialek

September 19th, 2021 at 7:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons will waive punter Cameron Nizialek, as Jeff Schultz of The Athletic tweets. This comes hours after a brutal day for the youngster against the Buccaneers.

Nizialek shanked two of his punts on Sunday. The latter of the two came in the fourth quarter when the Falcons were down by just three. Nizialek’s 33-yard punt quickly turned into a Tampa touchdown and the three-point deficit turned into a 48-25 rout.

Nizialek, a Virginia native, spent time in the Alliance of American Football before making the NFL rounds in 2019. He should be back on the workout circuit again, especially since he offers the ability to serve as both a punter and an emergency kicker. For now, he’s waiving a resume with just ten punt attempts for Atlanta.

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