Atlanta Falcons News & Rumors

Vic Beasley On "Hot Seat?"

  • Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley is on the “hot seat,” writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Despite playing 39 snaps in the team’s season-opener against the Buccaneers, Beasley didn’t compile a single tackle. The former eighth-overall pick understands that he needs to produce if he wants to stay on the field, and his coach is optimistic that he can be a force on the Falcons defense. “I’m looking for his arrow to be going up in this game,” said Dan Quinn. “He just didn’t perform the way he’s capable of. When those opportunities come up to go make a play, can we just nail the technique just right?”

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PFR’s Impact Rookies Series

All summer long, longtime scouting consultant Dave-Te Thomas of The NFL Draft Report has been breaking down the draft class of every team in the league and identifying the players that can immediately make a difference. The Impact Rookies series, which wrapped up today with a look at the Seahawks, provides unique insight to this year’s NFL freshman class from a veteran guru who worked closely with several teams around the league leading up to the draft.

Here is the full rundown of the Impact Rookies series:

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West 

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/16

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: RB Blake Sims (link via Matt Zenitz of AL.com)
  • Cut: RB Gus Johnson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: WR Marquis Bundy (via team announcement)
  • Cut: WR Chris Hubert (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts:

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Cut: WR Shaq Evans (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com)

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: OT Takoby Cofield (Twitter link via reps at Precision Sports)
  • Cut: LB Jason Fanaika (Twitter link via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com)

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: QB Alex Tanney (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com)
  • Cut: OL Ronald Patrick

Washington Redskins

Falcons’ Hageman Facing Charges

Falcons defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman is under league investigation after being charged with three misdemeanors, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. The charges stem from a domestic violence incident in March. Ra’Shede Hageman (vertical)

Hageman, a second round pick in the 2014 draft, was charged with interfering with a call for emergency help, battery family violence, and cruelty to children in the third degree. If the league office finds that those charges have merit, then Hageman is likely in for a lengthy suspension.

This offseason, the Falcons experimented with using Hageman at defensive end as well as defensive tackle. It remains to be seen exactly how the 6’6″, 310 pound lineman could be used since he was a healthy scratch on Sunday. The Falcons opted to place defensive tackle Courtney Upshaw on the active roster instead of Hageman so that they could use more of the nickel formation against the Bucs. Atlanta lost their season opener 31-24.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Buccaneers Work Out Jacquizz Rodgers

The Buccaneers worked out a handful of players today, including veteran running back Jacquizz Rodgers, according to Jenna Laine and Field Yates of ESPN.com. Tampa Bay also worked former collegiate QB Blake Sims (as a running back) and running back Antone Smith, per the ESPN scribes. Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports that the Bucs looked at former Bengals linebacker P.J. Dawson, while Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links) says Tampa auditioned receivers DeAndrew White and Mekale McKay.Jacquizz Rodgers (Vertical)

[RELATED: Buccaneers Sign Cecil Shorts]

Rodgers, 26, is typically regarded as a strong pass protector (and therefore a solid third down back), and could provide some depth behind Doug Martin and Charles Sims, and act as an upgrade on Mike James. Fellow running back Smith could also help in that regard, but he’s four years older than Rodgers. Both, however, offer familiarity with Tampa head coach Dirk Koetter, as each played in Koetter’s Falcons offense.

Dawson, a third-round pick in the 2015 draft, was surprisingly waived by Cincinnati over the weekend, and recent reports have indicated that Bengals coaches found him to be unreliable on the field. Still, he offers talent, and like the two running backs, Dawson has ties to the Buccaneers’ coaching staff. New Tampa Bay defensive line coach Jay Hayes coached the same position group in Cincinnati, and though he didn’t directly oversee Dawson, Hayes can likely vouch for TCU alum’s ability.

The trio of McKay, Sims, and White, meanwhile, has never taken a snap in the NFL. White originally signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent earlier this year, but was waived over the weekend.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/6/16

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: QB Aaron Murray, QB Zac Dysert (team announcement)

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: WR Nick Williams (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), DL Joe Vellano (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com)
  • Cut: DT Joey Mbu (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: QB David Fales (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com), G Jarell Broxton (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun)

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: LB Carlos Fields, DB Damian Parms (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: T Carter Bykowski (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press)
  • Cut: CB Tre Roberson

New England Patriots

New York Jets

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: OL Takoby Cofield

Tennessee Titans:

  • Signed: WR Tre McBride (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com)
  • Cut: WR Ben Roberts

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/16

Here are Monday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: CB Trey Caldwell, P Michael Palardy, RB Terrell Watson (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com)
  • Cut: OL Kaleb Johnson

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed: DB Julian Wilson (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun)

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: CB C.J. Smith, WR Paul Turner (Twitter link via Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com)
  • Cut: Quentin Gause

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: DT Justin Hamilton (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)