- The Falcons reached an injury settlement with running back Cyrus Gray, who has been dealing a hamstring injury, the team announced.
After bringing him in for a workout yesterday, the Falcons have agreed to sign veteran safety Dashon Goldson, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it is a “done deal.” Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it would be a surprise if it were anything other than a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract.
We learned several days ago that promising rookie safety Keanu Neal is expected to miss three to four weeks with a knee injury, which sent Atlanta in search of a free agent reinforcement like Goldson. As Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes, however, Goldson will have to content himself with a reserve role upon Neal’s return. Per McClure, Neal will be the starting strong safety upon his return, and Kemal Ishmael will serve as his backup once Ishmael returns from his shoulder injury (Ishmael is expected to return to practice this afternoon on a limited basis).
After having played for the 49ers for six seasons, Goldson has bounced around a bit recently. The 31-year-old has played for three teams over the past four seasons, but he’s only missed six games during that span. The veteran actually had one of his most productive seasons in 2015 with the Redskins, compiling a career-high 110 tackles, although Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Goldson as the fourth-worst safety out of 89 qualified players. The two-time Pro Bowler has averaged nearly two interceptions and one forced fumble per season throughout his nine-year career. Goldson was released by Washington in March, and he garnered some interest from the Rams.
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12:20pm: General manager Thomas Dimitroff told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the team is working to sign Goldson to a contract (Twitter link). The reporter notes that coach Dan Quinn is still leaning towards starting Ishmael in Neal’s absence, even if the team does add Goldson.
10:05am: With the Falcons seeking some reinforcement in their defensive backfield, the team will be bringing in a veteran safety for a workout. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Dashon Goldson will be trying out for the Falcons today. The team was seeking depth at the position following a knee injury to first-rounder Keanu Neal.
After having played for the 49ers for six seasons, Goldson has bounced around a bit recently. The 31-year-old has played for three teams over the past four seasons, but he’s only missed six games during that span. The veteran actually had one of his most productive seasons in 2015 with the Redskins, compiling a career-high 110 tackles. The two-time Pro Bowler has averaged nearly two interceptions and one forced fumble a season throughout his nine-year career. Goldson was released by Washington in March, and he garnered some interest from the Rams.
Neal, a first-round pick out of Florida, was projected to be the Falcons’ starting safety. However, knee surgery is expected to sideline the rookie for about a month. Long-time Falcons safety William Moore was pushing for a return to Atlanta, but recent reports indicated that the organization has little interest in a reunion. Current backup safety Kemal Ishmael is battling a shoulder injury, and the team recently added veteran Sergio Brown for some additional depth.
The Falcons have trimmed their roster to 75 after having cut ties with nine players today (via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure on Twitter):
- QB Sean Renfree
- S Sergio Brown
- TE Arthur Lynch
- LB Ivan McLennan
- WR Jordan Leslie
- OL Michael Huey
- RB Gus Johnson
- CB Ryan White
- DL Brandon Williams
Renfree may be one of the more notable moves, if only because the transaction provides some clarity on the team’s quarterback depth chart. With Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub having a solid hold on the starter and back-up gig, it looks like veteran Matt Simms will ultimately make the team as the Falcons’ number-three signal-caller.
Brown is another notable subtraction, as the safety has played in at least ten games in each of his six seasons. The 28-year-old actually had one of his best seasons in 2015 with the Jaguars, compiling 38 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The veteran’s tenure in Atlanta was short, as he was signed by the team last week.
Free agent safety William Moore would like to re-sign with the Falcons, the only team he’s played for during his NFL career and the club that released him earlier this year after seven seasons. “Absolutely I’d come back,” Moore told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “It’s home.” But according to head coach Dan Quinn, Atlanta isn’t interested in a reunion with Moore at this time.
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“I just stay ready,” said Moore. “This is my first time going through this process. Everything happens for a reason, but nothing has changed for me. My health is great. I haven’t had absolutely any issues working out and staying in shape. You look at my past injuries, it’s ankles and stuff that heal up. I’m blessed that I’ve never had any serious issues like blown knees.”
The Falcons currently have a dire need at safety, as first-round pick (and projected starter) Keanu Neal will be sidelined for the next three-to-four weeks with a knee injury, meaning he’ll miss regular season action. Neal’s backup, Kemal Ishmael, is dealing with a shoulder ailment, and the next man on the depth chart, veteran Sergio Brown, was signed only days ago.
Moore, 31, appeared in 76 games with Atlanta after being selected in the second round of the 2009 draft. In 72 starts, Moore picked 277 tackles, 16 interceptions, 37 passes defensed, and 11 forced fumbles before being cut in a cost-saving move this spring. This offseason, the only known interest Moore has drawn has been from the Patriots, who worked him out in May.
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- The Falcons announced that they’ve waived David Glidden, defensive end Efe Obada, fullback Will Ratelle, cornerback Jordan Sefon, and guard Jordan Walsh. Atlanta is simply whittling down its roster before the 75-man deadline comes on Tuesday, and the club now has 84 players on its squad. Four of the five players who were waived — with the exception of Obada — were 2016 undrafted rookie free agents.
Bad news for the Falcons as rookie Keanu Neal will miss games due to his knee injury. The safety will be sidelined for three to four weeks, according to a team press release. 
An MRI on Friday morning revealed that Neal will need a minor procedure done. The scope will take place on Monday.
The Falcons drafted Neal with the idea that he would start at strong safety from Day 1. Now, they’ll have to wait a little longer to see him on the field. Recently, PFR’s resident scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas wrote a glowing review of the Falcons rookie.
Neal is a smooth, fluid mover who has done quite a nice job of making plays at the opposite side of the field, thanks to his burst, second gear, and ability to sift through traffic to get to the ball. He shows excellent ball reactionary skills, along with the quick decision-making process to close on the play with good urgency. He can change direction in an instant and does a nice job of maintaining position when challenged by lead blockers assisting vs. the ground game.
He has the nimble feet you would want in a free safety, along with the loose hips to recover quickly when a receiver gets behind him. He can turn and run with the speediest of receivers, as he is a savvy player who knows how to disrupt the route’s progression by using his hands to knock his coverage assignments off stride. He has the loose hips and sudden burst to close on the ball in a hurry and shows good body control in transition. Neal has excellent hand/eye coordination, along with the leaping ability to get fine elevation going up to get to the pass at its high point (team’s active interception leader). He is quick and fast, which allows him to keep plays in front of him and mirror even the swift flankers and split ends in deep secondary coverage.
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- The Falcons announced that they’ve waived kicker Nick Rose, clearing a roster spot after signing veterans Shayne Graham and Sergio Brown earlier today.
- The Browns signed running back Jahwan Edwards, Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com reports. A second-year UDFA out of Ball State, Edwards spent time on the Dolphins, Falcons and Jaguars’ practice squads last season. Miami waived him just after the 2016 draft.
The Falcons ended Sergio Brown‘s lengthy offseason stay in free agency by signing the veteran safety to help an injured secondary, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Released by the Jaguars in April after playing just one season of a three-year contract, Brown will provide some depth for the time being after the Falcons have observed multiple safeties struggle with injuries this summer.
A shoulder malady’s sidelined Kemal Ishmael, with first-round pick Keanu Neal having been slowed by a back injury during the preseason.
Brown signed for $7MM with the Jags following an eight-game starting stint with the Colts in 2014. He’s played in 86 games during a six-year career that also featured a stop in New England before the three-year stay in Indianapolis. The 28-year-old Brown started four games for the Jaguars last season but ranked as a bottom-10 safety in the opinion of Pro Football Focus.
The former UDFA out of Notre Dame joins a Falcons secondary that also includes projected starter Ricardo Allen, but one that is thin behind its first unit.
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Brought in to kick last season due to Matt Bryant‘s injury trouble, Shayne Graham will return to the Falcons after reaching an agreement to re-sign, Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk reports.
Bryant’s been sidelined as of late with muscle tightness, opening the door for the 38-year-old Graham to return, at least for the time being.
The Falcons cut kicker Nick Rose, who missed three kicks in the first two preseason games, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Graham has now been a two-time employee of the Falcons and Saints after having spent his second season (in 2002) with the Panthers. He’s most known for the seven-season stay in Cincinnati. Graham kicked for the Bengals from 2003-09 and earned his only Pro Bowl bid in southwest Ohio, booking the Hawaii trip in 2005.
The Saints re-signed Graham in February of 2015 after having deployed him as their kicker from 2013-14 but cut him last May. Graham then caught on with the Falcons in late November and played in six games, making 11-of-13 field goal tries and all eight of the extra points he attempted.
Since departing Cincinnati after 2009, Graham’s only enjoyed full-season stints in two of the past six years — with the Texans in 2012 and Saints in ’14. In between, he spent time with the Patriots, Giants, Dolphins and Ravens.
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